A winemaking dynasty since the 18th century, the Goutorbe family produces high-quality champagne in the village of Damery, in the heart of the Marne valley. Armand Goutorbe, the heir to the family business, passed a major milestone in the brand’s history in the 1940’s.

As an intelligence officer for the French Army during the Second World War, the young winemaker was taken prisoner. He stayed strong and did not divulge any military secrets, eventually helping save American and other allied soldiers from certain death. Armand returned to his native Champagne disabled, but received a Willy’s Jeep from the US Army to enable him to work the vines and give him the chance to get his life and business back on track.

It was in memory of his story and the desire to stand out from the various other Goutorbes in the region that led Armand Goutorbe to rename his champagne “Jeeper” in 1949. As a real entrepreneur, the “Jeeper Man”, as he was fondly nicknamed by the people of the region, developed the business. This was the birth of the Jeeper brand: truly excellent champagnes, created in a spirit of audacity, modernity and accessibility.

Jeeper Champagne may be centred on the Faverolles-et-Coëmy commune near Reims in the north-east of the Champagne region, but the company has different production sites around the region and among the different terroirs. With 40ha of wholly owned vines and 160ha of vines tended by long-term contract growers in the region, including specially selected Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards, Jeeper sources from across the Champagne region.