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At the 48th parallel, Champagne is the most northerly wine region in France. The challenge of ripening at such a northerly extreme can be a challenge, and quality can vary widely from year to year. Through the centuries, the large merchant houses of Champagne developed a system of blending from multiple vineyards and vintages as a means of maintaining a consistency. And although the "méthode champenoise" process is mimicked worldwide to create sparkling wine, the distinctive flavor of Champagne has yet to be replicated anywhere else on earth.
Much of Champagne's flavor can be attributed to its soils. Porous chalk with a high percentage of limestone shines in each shimmering glass of Champagne. This same chalky subsoil also gives the Champagne region its vast network of caves that hold millions of bottles of reserve stock. Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ serve as the three commercial hubs for the Champagne region, and the vineyards of Champagne are spread across five subdistricts: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, and the Aube. Nearly all Champagne is a blend of three grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, though a few growers continue to propagate heirloom varietals.
Champagne acquires its sparkle through a lengthy process known as "méthode champenoise." After the primary fermentation, assemblage, and bottling, a second alcoholic fermentation occurs in the bottle. Yeast and sugar are added to the bottle and capped with a crown cap. Natural carbonation builds inside the bottle and also leaves a deposit of lees. The bottle must then be riddled (shimmied) so the lees settle into the neck of the bottle. Once settled, the lees are disgorged and a final winemaking decision must be made: how much dosage to add. Dosage includes a small amount sugar that will determine the style, from driest to sweetest: brut nature, extra-brut, brut, extra dry or extra-sec, sec, demi-sec, etc.
A producer’s Brut Non-Vintage represents the house style. In years where the harvest is exceptional, a vintage wine will be made. Blanc de Blancs must be produced from 100% Chardonnay, while a Blanc de Noirs means only Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier may be used. A Tête de Cuvée represents the top effort from a particular house, with Moët et Chandon’s Dom Pérignon being one famous example.
Champagne is the only appellation in France that allows a Rosé to be produced by blending red and white wine. The Cru system in Champagne applies to 17 villages for Grand Cru and 44 villages as Premier c\Cru. These crus frequently appear on the wines of the small “grower-producers” that we offer at PWM.
While 96% of all Champagne is produced by either a grande marquee or a co-op, the popularity of "farmer fizz" has risen steadily. One can confirm that a wine was grown and produced by a small grower by looking for a tiny code on the bottom of the wine’s side label. If the code begins with "RM" (Récoltant Manipulant), it means the growers grew the grapes and made the wine themselves.
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