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Home > News > The World of Champagne Demystified

News > The World of Champagne Demystified

The World of Champagne Demystified

Queen of fizz

The region of Champagne produces probably the most famous sparkling wine in the world and, arguably, the best.  It lies 80 miles north-east of Paris and is the most northerly AC in France (latitude 49o and 50o N).  Indeed, Champagne is so far north that grapes often take their time to ripen.  Average temperature over the year is 10oC, which is just sufficient to enable the grapes to ripen. 

 

It’s all about style

Champagne comes in many styles, and while there is always good value to be found, like the perfume industry, some of the region’s producers invest heavily in marketing – so, while you may pay top dollar for a bottle, you are in no way guaranteed to be getting your real moneys worth unless, of course, you know what it is you’re buying. 

 

Does size really matter?

The Champagne trade is dominated by large companies or houses, called negociants-manipulants (look for the initials “NM” followed by a number on the label) – these are companies that buy-in grapes and then make wine.As Essentially Wine represents the small individual growers, we naturally prefer recoltants-manipulants (look for “RM” followed by a number on the label) – growers that make their own wine using their own grapes.You may also find CM (Cooperative-Manipulants), RC (Recoltant-Cooperateur), SR (Societe de Recoltants), ND (Negociant-Distributeur), or MA (Marque d’Acheteur) indicating other types of producers — most of which I tend to avoid. Of course, growing one’s own grapes and making one’s own wine is no guarantee of good quality.  The proof, naturally, is in the drinking.  However, as a rule of thumb, by controlling not only the source of the grapes, but the entire production method and bottling, the winemaker has better odds at producing a higher quality product.  Moreover, you are more likely to find better value for money in terms of quality of the wine for the price you pay if you stick to the smaller growers. 

 

Who pays the marketing costs?

Smaller producers spend little on marketing or adverting their products. That cannot be said of the big branded House Champagnes whom, by and large, invest heavily in this area — the cost of which is added to the price you pay for a bottle. The result is, you are likely to spend less, yet get a higher quality Champagne, from the growers.

 

Understanding the label is key

The key to knowing what you’re buying is in understanding the label.  Here are some explanations:

 

• Non-Vintage – The most common Champagne to be found.  Non-vintage is made from a blend of at least 2 or more vintages (grapes harvested in different years).  Most Champagne is sold as Brut, which means dry.  If you see Extra Dry on the label, it denotes a style less dry than Brut.
• Vintage – Champagne made from grapes harvested from a single year.  Vintage is normally only made in exceptional years.
• Blanc de Blancs – Champagne made entirely from Chardonnay.  Most Champagne is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier – Blanc de Blancs is an exception.
• Blanc de Noirs – Champagne made entirely from either Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier.  Despite both grapes being black, the wine produced for Blanc de Noir is white.
• Rosé – Pink Champagne made from either black grapes or by mixing a little red wine into white Champagne.One reason so much Non-Vintage is produced is because in some years the harvest is insufficient to produce enough wine.  Blending 2 or more years together enables the produces to meet demand and to have a consistent and uninterrupted supply of wine. 

 

Brand association

Regardless of the rational, consumers frequently base their purchasing decisions on emotion not reason.  Let’s face it, Champagne is sexy thanks, in part, to slick advertising campaigns.  Associating oneself with a particular brand often sways the argument in favour of the big, sometimes exclusive, brands.  Champagne is sometimes as much about buying into a particular lifestyle as it is buying a wine.  Can the cost of a bottle of Cristal, whether vintage or non-vintage, really be justified? — Personally, I don’t think so.  But as long as people are willing to cough-up the cash, there will always be suppliers willing to target that market.

 

Conclusion

Champagne should be about quality not image.  In order to buy the best quality, placing a higher importance in understanding the label and less importance to the price and brand image, will yield best results.

 

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