Champagne: Gold standard for sparkling wines

The Romans planted the first vines in northern France as early as the 1st century. They were so taken with the rolling hills that they named the region after its appearance: Campania - hilly landscape. But cultivation was very difficult even then. In fact, it was much too cold and wet in Champagne, which is still the northernmost wine region in France. Frosts, lots of rain - none of that is particularly good for growing wine. But why did they stick with it? There are historical reasons for this. In 498, the first Frankish king, Clovis, was baptized in Reims. The cathedral did not yet exist at that time, of course. But it was Clovis' baptism that marked the start of its construction.

And even though the cathedral was not finally finished until the 14th century, from the 5th century onwards all baptism and coronation ceremonies of the royal family ruling in France took place in Reims. It goes without saying that wine from Champagne was enjoyed at the celebrations. Winegrowing had great prestige here from the very beginning. In addition, thanks to the Marne River, a branch of the Seine, the wine could be easily transported to Paris, which was only 150 kilometers away. No other winegrowing region had such a great economic advantage! Trade flourished accordingly.

Myth of Dom Pérignon and the devil’s wine

The wines of course did not have any sparkling wine back then. The famous champagne did not become widespread until the late 17th century. The famous Dom Pérignon is still said to have invented sparkling wine. Despite all the repetition, this is not true. It was one of his successors as cellar master of the monastery of Hautvillers near Épernay who is to thank for this. In 1821, he wanted to show off a little in a letter to the mayor of Aÿ. So he put the sentence "Come quickly, I'm drinking stars!" into the mouth of his predecessor. Dom Pérignon thus became a myth almost overnight. The art of assemblage, the sparkling wine cork and other wine achievements can actually be attributed to him.

By the way, up until the beginning of the 18th century, champagne production was a real game of chance. Of course, the chemical processes were not yet understood at the time. The glass bottles often burst during the second fermentation, leaving behind a sea of ​​broken glass. This is what gave champagne the nickname “vin diable” – “devil’s wine”. And it was usually grey and cloudy. This led to the second nickname: “vin gris” – “grey wine”.

First champagne houses and technical achievements

At that time, champagne was mainly enjoyed in the region itself. The bottles were too fragile to be transported over long distances. And wine could only be sold abroad in barrels. When this law was repealed by royal decree in 1728, however, there was no stopping Champagne. In the same year, Nicolas Ruinart founded the first champagne house in Reims. Many other maisons were founded over the next 40 years.

This meant that champagne was professionalized. And then came the Veuves, the widows, who amazed first the Champagne region and then the world with their innovations. Veuve Barbe-Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin, for example, is to thank for the riddling table and the associated technology. Thanks to them, champagne is no longer gray and full of yeast sediment! They are also responsible for the first rosé champagne in history. And then there was Veuve Pommery, which was the first to add only a small dosage to a champagne. She is considered the inventor of Brut, the most popular flavor today. The story of Champagne could now be continued seamlessly. In fact, you will come across fascinating historical events in each of the 319 Champagne communities. But for now, we will concentrate on the hard facts - starting with the geography and the climate.

Champagne: Good to know

Champagne: Geography and Climate

As the northernmost wine-growing region in France, Champagne has a cool continental climate. Very cold winters, late frosts and a lot of rain characterize wine-growing here. The majority of the vineyards are located on wind-protected slopes along the rivers Marne, Aisne, Seine and Aube, which have a mitigating influence.

In general, Champagne can be divided into five sub-regions:

• Côte des Blancs
• Montagne de Reims
• Côte de Cézanne
• Vallée de la Marne
• Côte des Bar

Sub-regions of Champagne

Almost every sub-region has its own climatic or soil characteristics, which then also affect the choice of grape varieties and the character of the sparkling wines. So that you know which champagnes are best suited to your range, we will now break it down for you.

Côte des Blancs

The Côte des Blancs is located between Épernay and Versus. The name says it all. With 95% Chardonnay plantings, this 3,150 hectare sub-region is actually something like the white slope of Champagne. The vineyards are generally facing east. Here, the vines have deep roots in very, very chalky soil, which gives the sparkling wines a mineral note. In addition, the champagnes from the Côte des Blancs are generally slim and boast fruity and floral notes.

The six Grand Cru communes of the Côte des Blancs are:

• Avize
• Chouilly
• Cramant
• Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
• Oger
• Oiry

Montagne de Reims

Pinot Noir is the main grape variety in the Montagne de Reims - but it is closely followed by Chardonnay. There are also significant plantations of Meunier on the 4,200 hectares of vineyards that stretch for 30 kilometers between Reims and Épernay. The vineyards are generally oriented towards the north. Here the vines thrive on a high plateau whose soil is characterized by chalk, sand, clay and lime. These soils produce fruity champagnes that have a lot of bite.

The ten Grand Cru municipalities of the Montagne de Reims are:

• Ambonnay
• Beaumont-sur-Vesle
• Bouzy
• Louvois
• Mailly-Champagne
• Puisieulx
• Sillery
• Tours-sur-Marne
• Verzenay
• Verzy

Côte de Cézanne

The 1,500 hectares of vineyards in the Côte de Cézanne have only been part of Champagne since the 1970s. The sub-region stretches southwest of the Côte de Blancs around the eponymous town of Sézanne. Chardonnay is mainly grown on the clay and marl soils. It is difficult to define a specific style here, as most winegrowers sell their grapes to négociants and cooperatives, who then blend them with the harvest from other Champagne regions. In general, however, it can be said that the Chardonnay of the Côte de Cézanne produces a somewhat more lush style. The Côte de Cézanne has no Grand Cru community.

Vallée de la Marne

With 11,500 hectares of vineyards, the Vallée de la Marne is the largest sub-region in Champagne. The growing area begins at Aÿ and follows the course of the Marne for a good 100 kilometers to Charly. Since late frosts regularly occur in the Marne valley, Meunier is the main grape variety grown. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay can freeze here, but they still grow there. The soil is mainly limestone. In the west, however, clay dominates. The champagnes from the Vallée de la Marne are very balanced and have a fruity character. Despite its size, the Vallée de la Marne has only one Grand Cru municipality, namely Aÿ.

Côte des Bar

Since 1927, the Côte des Bar, with its 7,000 hectares, has officially been part of Champagne. Unofficially, this sub-region is also simply called Aube - like the river that shapes the region alongside the Seine. The Côte des Bar forms the southernmost part of Champagne and is located about 100 kilometers from Épernay. This means that the sub-region borders directly on the north of Burgundy. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate as grape varieties. These thrive on clay and limestone on slopes facing south-southeast. The Côte des Bar is known above all for full-bodied and balanced, but also for very characterful winemaker champagnes. However, there are no Grand Cru communities.

 

Production of champagne

Hardly any other region has as many rules and regulations regarding the production process as Champagne. But that is precisely the reason why the sparkling wines are of such high quality. To give you a good overview, here is a compact summary of the most important information about the production.

• Authorized grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Arianne, Petit Meslier, Vidal (Piwi)
• Yield limit: Defined every year by the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), but never exceeds 15,000 kilograms per hectare
• Harvest: Only by hand-picking
• Pressing: Only whole-bunch pressing
• Must limit: A maximum of 102 liters of must may be obtained from 160 kilograms of grapes
• Vins clairs: After vinification, base wines can be matured in stainless steel tanks and wooden barrels; biological malolactic fermentation is permitted but not required
• Assemblage: Blend of the different base and reserve wines (for non-vintage)
• Second fermentation: The second fermentation is triggered in the bottle using liqueur de tirage. The technical term for this is méthode traditionnelle. In Champagne, the term méthode champenoise can also be used
• Maturation period: A non-vintage champagne must be aged sur latte for at least 15 months, a vintage champagne for at least 36 months
• Rack the yeast: In order to remove the yeast sediment, it must be shaken off. Traditionally, this was done by remueurs on shaking tables called pupiters de remuage; nowadays, most champagnes are shaken off mechanically using gyropallettes
• Dégorgement and dosage: After shaking off, the yeast is removed, which is called dégorgement; this is followed by the shipping dosage, which gives the champagne its final taste.

Indication of sweetness levels in champagne

The flavours are clearly defined in Champagne – and differ greatly from the residual sugar content in still wines. Here are the sweetness levels in detail:

• Brut Nature or zero dosage: no dosage, 0 to 3 grams of residual sugar per liter
• Extra Brut: dosage with 0 to 6 grams of residual sugar per liter
• Brut: dosage with 6 to 12 grams of residual sugar per liter
• Extra Sec or Extra Dry: dosage with 12 to 17 grams of residual sugar per liter
• Sec: dosage with 17 to 32 grams of residual sugar per liter
• Demi Sec: dosage with 32 to 50 grams of residual sugar per liter
• Doux: dosage with more than 50 grams of residual sugar per liter

A dosage with more than 50 grams of residual sugar is very, very rare these days. In fact, it was quite common at the beginning of the 19th century. When the famous widow Clicquot was still alive, champagne was often sweeter than sweet wines such as Sauternes.

Champagne in detail

Overview of champagne styles

In addition to the different qualities and flavors, retailers can also offer customers many different styles of sparkling wine. In Champagne in particular, there is a wide variety to choose from. Here, too, we have a compact overview for you.

Non-vintage champagne

The majority of all sparkling wines from Champagne are so-called non-vintages. This means champagne without a vintage indication, in which not only different grape varieties and locations, but also different vintages are blended. They are something like the taste fingerprint of a champagne house and taste the same year after year. To ensure this, an assemblage of reserve wines from different vintages is essential.

Vintage champagne

If the grapes come from just one year, it is a so-called Millésimé, a vintage champagne. However, due to EU legislation, up to 15% reserve wines can be included here. As a rule, however, Millésimés consist of 100% grapes from one year. A vintage cannot simply be produced, but only when the CIVC declares a vintage after consulting with its members. In contrast to non-vintage, the focus here is not on the taste of a champagne house, but on the vintage itself.

Rosé champagne

There are two different ways to make a rosé champagne. With a Rosé d'Assemblage, a shot of Pinot Noir or Meunier is added to the shipping dosage after the second fermentation. These rosé champagnes are usually fruitier and have a light elegance. With a Rosé de Saignée, the red grapes are macerated until the desired color is achieved. Then the vinification continues as usual. A Rosé de Saignée is usually a little stronger and has a complex structure. There is also the Rosé de Pressée, but this is very rare. For this, the red grapes are fermented during the maceration before they are pressed.

Blanc de Blancs

Only white grape varieties are used for a Blanc de Blanc. This is usually Chardonnay. This often comes from just one sub-region or a specific municipality in order to emphasize the terroir character. A Blanc de Blancs is usually fresh and elegant at the same time, but can also have a lot of character and structure..

Blanc de Noirs

A Blanc de Noirs is made by pressing Pinot Noir or Meunier like a white grape variety. The result is a white sparkling wine made from red grapes - and the name says it all. A Blanc de Noirs can be as fruity as it is elegant.

Prestige Cuvée

In fact, there are no binding specifications for a prestige champagne. The term is also usually not on the label. However, a prestige cuvée is usually the best champagne in a producer's range.

Recognize champagne origin from the label

Champagne house, winemaker, cooperative or bulk buyer: How can you tell where a champagne comes from? You can find the answer on the label on the back of the bottle. There are two letters there that reveal the origin.

• NM: Négociant Manipulant. This refers to champagne houses that buy grapes for their production, but have control over the production process themselves.
• RM: Récoltant Manipulant. Classic winemaker champagne where everything comes from a single source.
• CM: Coopérative de Manipulant. Cooperative where members give their grapes, where they are then processed together.
• RC: Récolant Coopérateur. Cooperative winemaker who buys back finished champagne from his cooperative in order to market it himself.
• ND: Négociant Distributeur. A large trading house that buys finished champagne and sells it as its own brand. Very rare, usually only found in France.
• MA: Marque d’Acheteur. Bulk buyer who buys finished champagne very cheaply and sells it as its own brand. Typical for champagne from discounters.

Champagne: Sparkling wine as an economic factor

With an annual production of 314 million bottles, Champagne is a major economic factor in the French wine industry. But not only there! Champagne accounts for 9% of sparkling wine consumption worldwide. An incredible 57.4% of all bottles are exported. 86% of these are exported by champagne houses. As a retailer, you can therefore rely on champagne worldwide. Within the EU, champagne is a protected term that can actually only be used for sparkling wines from Champagne. The same applies to the term méthode champenoise for traditional bottle fermentation. In addition, caution is advised when comparing champagne with other sparkling wines, as this can also have legal consequences within the EU if the term protection for champagne is disregarded.

The fact that Champagne has such a dominant position in the field of sparkling wine is not only due to quantity and brand protection, but also to the consistent quality, which is also very cleverly marketed. Champagne stands for elegance and glamour as well as an upscale lifestyle and special moments. It is easy to overlook the fact that Champagne was and is a pioneer in other areas too. It was the first region in France to publish a carbon footprint in 2003. It was also France's first growing region to use pheromone traps to control pests. Not to mention that 68% of Champagne winegrowers now have environmental certification. All of this makes Champagne a very agile growing region.

Your selling points for champagne

• Guaranteed to underline special moments (birthday, wedding, anniversary, etc.)
• Stylish variety, so there is something for every taste
• Very wide price range from cheap to very expensive
• Is per se associated with high quality and exclusivity