The Champsaur label was founded by Joseph Bernard Reymond, the great grandfather of the present winegrower. J. B. Reymond was born in the Champsaur Valley in alpine France on 3 May 1834. After qualifying as a teacher with a Bachelor of Letters and teaching for three years at a French university, he emigrated to Australia in 1857 in search of gold and by 1861 had settled in Forbes in central western New South Wales where he became a merchant and took up farming interests, being the first to grow wheat on a commercial basis in the district, as well as conducting a flour mill and sawmill.

In 1866 he took up a selection 4 miles south east of Forbes on the Wandary Lane, which he named Champsaur after his home valley. Here he planted a vineyard and orchard, and having built his large weatherboard winery and adjoining still house, began in 1886 the commercial production of wine under the Champsaur label. The wines met with success and won a gold medal at the Paris Exhibition of 1890.

As well as being a successful winegrower, farmer and businessman, J.B. Reymond was also active in civic life, being the mayor of Forbes in 1883-4 and the member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the seat of Ashburnam from 1895 until 1904.

He remained active in the affairs of Champsaur until his death on 20 September 1918, when the vineyard and winery passed to his children. The Champsaur vineyard and winery remained in family hands until 1999 when it was sold on the deaths of the daughters of his son Leo Reymond.

The present winegrower, a great grandson of Joseph Bernard Reymond, having formed the view that the altitude and climate of Mudgee was more suited than that of Forbes to the style of wines of high quality that appeal to the modern palate, established a vineyard at ‘Homedale’ in Eurunderee, 10 kilometres north of Mudgee along Henry Lawson Drive.

Plantings of shiraz commenced in 1998 and of cabernet in 1999, in which year, on the cessation of production at, and sale of, the Forbes winery and vineyard, the Champsaur trademark was taken up for the Mudgee operation.

These initial plantings have now come to maturity and are producing Champsaur ‘Homedale’ wines with the 2005 Shiraz taking a gold medal at the 2006 Mudgee Wine Show.