Champagne wines? An explanation!

Recognised worldwide for their excellence, Champagne wines come from an exceptional terroir with many unique characteristics. A bubble in the world of wine that sometimes needs to be explained...

The Champagne terroirs

The Champagne terroir, covering more than 30,500 hectares, spans 5 departments (including 1 in Île-de-France!) and is divided into 4 specific zones: La Montagne de Reims Located furthest north in Champagne, it has the distinctive feature of being primarily south-facing. The vines are spread across hillsides characterised by their deeply buried chalky soil. In terms of grape variety, Pinot Noir dominates. Perfectly adapted to the soil type and the rigour of the climate, it produces wines renowned for their power, their structure and their nobility. La Vallée de la Marne This terroir, which follows the course of the river of the same name, has soils with very different characteristics from one another. While to the west the soil is mainly chalky, to the east, the hillsides are planted on clay-limestone with a marly tendency. The dominant grape variety is Pinot Meunier, which on tasting offers suppleness and fruitiness to its wines.

Côte des Blancs This terroir, which extends over some fifteen kilometres, has a soil where chalk dominates. Omnipresent, it is a true reservoir of water and heat in the subsoil. It thus allows the vine to be hydrated gradually throughout the year. In terms of grape variety, it is Chardonnay that reigns supreme, representing more than 90% of the plantings. Highly sought after, the wines of the Côte des Blancs are marked by vivacity. Their aromas are light and delicate, fine and elegant.

The Aube vineyard, Bar-sur-Aube, Bar-sur-Seine: Located on a predominantly chalky and marly soil, Pinot Noir is dominant here. It adapts very well to this climate, which is more continental than the others. The Champagnes from the Côte des Bar are wines of character, with a fine roundness and complex aromas.

Find all the Champagne growers: Agrapart, André Beaufort, Aurelien Suenen, Benoit Marguet, Bérêche et Fils, Dehours & Fils, Eric Rodez, Etienne Calsac, Fallet Prevostat, Fleury, Francis Boulard et Fille, Françoise Bedel, Frédéric Savart, Georges Laval, Henri Giraud, Jacques Lassaigne, Jacques Selosse, Jacquesson, Laherte Frères, Langlet, Larmandier Bernier, Leclerc Briant, Lombard, Pierre Moncuit, R. Pouillon, Roses de Jeanne, Ruppert Leroy, Tarlant, Vouette et Sorbée…

But also the Great Houses that have shaped the image of this splendid region: Billecart Salmon, Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Louis Roederer, Deutz, Dom Pérignon, Ruinart, Krug, Lanson, Laurent Perrier, Mumm, Perrier Jouet, Pol Roger, Pommery, Salon, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot…

The main characteristics of Champagne

Traditional Non-Vintage Blend The traditional blend is the most commonly used. It consists of mixing different grape varieties, crus and vintages. Each year, it must be reconsidered in order to reproduce a wine in keeping with the style of each House using different components.

Vintage A vintage Champagne is generally a mark of quality. Indeed, it has the distinctive feature of being made from a blend of wines from a single harvest only. Often different from the usual style of the Houses, it is nonetheless significant and frequently shines with excellence.

Blanc de Blancs Champagne Blanc de Blancs is a wine made from a single white grape variety, Chardonnay. These are generally fresh and delicate Champagnes, characteristic of this grape variety.

Blanc de Noirs This wine produced from black grapes (Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier) will benefit from the power of Pinot Noir and/or the fruitiness of Pinot Meunier, the only grape varieties used in its vinification.

Dosage The dosage defines the final quantity of liqueur de dosage (diluted cane sugar) added before the bottle is shipped. The following dosage levels are found: - Brut Nature, Non-Dosé or Zero Dosage (sugar dosage below 3g/l) - Extra Brut (0 to 6 g/l) - Brut (Less than 12 g/l) - Extra Dry (between 12 and 17 g/l) - Sec (between 17 and 32 g/l) - Demi-Sec (between 32 and 50 g/l) - Doux (more than 50 g/l).

Classification, Champagne Grand Cru, Champagne Premier Cru The number of villages benefiting from a classified terroir amounts to 300, each responding to a quality classification expressed as a percentage ranging from 80 to 100%. 4 criteria are taken into account: chalky subsoils, a slope on the hillsides, optimal sun exposure and the Pinot Noir or Chardonnay grape varieties.

Rosé Champagne: This is a particular type of Champagne that can be produced in two ways.

The first is the process known as "saignée", meaning that the colour is obtained through a brief maceration with the skins followed by pressing to extract the tannins and pigments from the grape skins. The second method is blending or assemblage, which consists of combining white wine and red wine.