Champagne Guide: How to choose the right Champagne?

Welcome to the Comptoir des Millésimes blog. Today, we're going to talk to you about the world of Champagne, and in particular, give you a few tips to help you make the right choice. tips and tricks for choosing the right bottle of Champagne. To your bubbles! ?

How to understand a Champagne label?

Whether it's for an aperitif, a dessert, or to celebrate good news, there are a multitude of Champagne to meet your needs. There are many indications on a Champagne label to help you choose the right bottle.

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What are the Champagne grape varieties?

The three main grape varieties that go into making Champagne are as follows:

• Chardonnay The noble grape variety of the region, which gives finesse and delicacy to Champagne.

• Pinot Noir which adds character and fruitiness to wines.

• Pinot Meunier which adds fruitiness and roundness to wines.

You've probably seen the words "Blanc de Blancs" or "Blanc de Noirs" on a label. Ultimately, this refers to the color of the grapes used to produce Champagne.

A Blanc de Blancs comes exclusively from the Chardonnay grape, which gives a white juice and has white skin.

A Blanc de Noirs can be a blend or a single-varietal Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier, as the grape juice is white but the skin is black.

Champagne Brut or Demi-sec?

In fact, there are 6 different sugar dosage levels to choose from. But in 99% of cases, only 3 are used. The Champagnes EXTRA BRUT or GROSS ZERO are Champagnes with a sugar content of 0 to 6 grams per liter. They are therefore very dry Champagnes, much appreciated by connoisseurs as an accompaniment to an aperitif or a meal. The Champagnes GROSS must contain less than 12 grams of sugar per liter. This is the label most often used in Champagne, and one that will appeal to the greatest number of people.  Then there are the Champagnes HALF-SEC which must contain between 32 and 50 grams of sugar per liter. These are sweet Champagnes, ideal for desserts.

Where does this Champagne come from? 

There's one way to tell whether the Champagne you're about to buy comes from a récoltant, a négociant or a cave coopérative. Find the little letters that follow, they're usually found on the label or back label and will tell you where the Champagne comes from:

• NM: Négociant Manipulant : These are the best-known brands which, unable to produce sufficient quantities of grapes, buy them from other growers in order to blend them.
• RM: Récoltant Manipulant : Indicates that the Champagne comes from a winemaker's own vineyards and premises.
• RC : Récoltant Coopérateur : He brings his grapes to the cooperative and then takes back must from the winery, either in the process of being made or ready for sale.
• CM: Cooperative Handling : This is a Champagne produced from grapes grown by members of the Cave Coopérative.
• SR: Société de Récoltant : It's the same principle as a cooperative, except that the company's members are from the same family.
• ND: Négociant Distributeur : It's a merchant who buys a finished bottle, and sticks the label on his premises.
• MA: Buyer's Brand : Very similar to ND. This is a Champagne that has undergone relabeling following the purchase of a finished bottle.

 

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Why are some Champagnes vintage?

The mention of a vintage on a bottle means that Champagne comes from a single harvest yearThis is rare in Champagne, where the tendency is to blend different years. Vintages are only made in great years, and above all on grapes and terroirs that can withstand long ageing. A vintage Champagne must age for 3 years in the cellar after bottling, but all the great Champagne houses extend their maturation periods, in some cases up to 10 years. This adds finesse and complexity to the wines. If you see this wording on a label, you can be sure you're dealing with a grand Champagne with very fine bubbles.

And where does terroir fit in?

It is possible to have a geographical indication on a Champagne label, and therefore an indication of terroir. In the 20th century, the 317 communes that could produce Champagne were given a score out of 100, which each year determines the price of grapes that a merchant must pay if he wants to buy from a winegrower. Of these 317 communes, 17 have received a score of 100, earning them the classification of "Grand Cru". 44 communes were rated between 99 and 90, giving them the "Premier Cru" classification. For other communes with a lower score, no mention is made. The terms "grand cru" and "premier cru" are not the same as "grand cru". BurgundyIt's not a question of parcels, but of communes. It is therefore possible to have the words "Grand Cru" on a Champagne label, meaning that the Champagne is made from grapes from communes classified as Grand Cru, but it may be a blend. On the other hand, if a denomination is added to Grand Cru, then the grapes must come exclusively from the commune indicated. The same applies to "Premier Cru".

A few must-taste houses

Our cellarman recommends some of the great Champagne houses. Prestigious vintages from the estate on Comptoir des Millésimes :

• Champagne Tarlant
• Champagne Jacquesson
• Barrat Masson
• Bollinger

Order a Grand Champagne

You now have all the tools you need to choose your bottle. It goes without saying that each winemaker or house has its own way of vinifying its wines. So you'll need to try out several houses or styles of Champagne to find the one that's right for you. If you're looking for a place to buy the finest champagnes, whether brut, extra-brut, vintage or non-vintage, you'll find the most beautiful and the most affordable. Champagne cuvées on Comptoir des Millésimes.

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