Your experience on this site will be improved by allowing cookies.

DeguApp

Champagne – not just sparkling wine

The northernmost wine region of France, where strict rules meet an exceptional terroir and nearly 2,000 years of vine growing and winemaking history. Chalk slopes and the interplay of continental and oceanic climate give rise to wines with a unique character, pronounced minerality and lively, sharp acidity.

Champagne vineyards

Champagne in numbers

Production
~ 300 mil. bottles annually
another 9 leave the cellar every second.

Largest export markets

1  USA
2  United Kingdom
3  Japan
4  Germany
Vineyard area
~34,300 ha
only 1% of the region’s area.

342 km² = equivalent of just under 48,000 football fields. It is a relatively small wine region, covering only around 4% of French vineyards.

Wine villages
319
17 Grand Cru · 44 Premier Cru · 260 Autre Cru
      • Ambonnay
      • Avize
      • Aÿ
      • Beaumont-Sur-Vesle
      • Bouzy
      • Chouilly
      • Cramant
      • Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger
      • Louvois
      • Mailly-Champagne
      • Oger
      • Oiry
      • Puisieulx
      • Sillery
      • Tours-Sur-Marne
      • Verzenay
      • Verzy
      • Avenay-Val-D'or
      • Bergères-Les-Vertus
      • Bezannes
      • Billy-Le-Grand
      • Bisseuil
      • Chamery
      • Champillon
      • Chigny-Les-Roses
      • Chouilly
      • Cormontreuil
      • Cuis
      • Cumieres
      • Dizy
      • Ecueil
      • Étréchy
      • Grauves
      • Hautvillers
      • Jouy-Les-Reims
      • Ludes
      • Mareuil-Sur-Aÿ
      • Montbré
      • Mutigny
      • Pierry
      • Rilly-La-Montagne
      • Sacy
      • Taissy
      • Tauxières-Mutry
      • Tours-Sur-Marne
      • Trépail
      • Trois-Puits
      • Val-des-Marais (včetně Coligny)
      • Vaudemange
      • Vertus
      • Ville-Dommange
      • Villeneuve Renneville
      • Villers-Allerand
      • Villers-Aux-Nœuds
      • Villers-Marmery
      • Voipreux
      • Ailleville
      • Allemant
      • Arcis Le Ponsart
      • Arconville
      • Argançon
      • Arrentières
      • Arsonval
      • Aubilly
      • Avirey-Lingey
      • Azy-Sur-Marne
      • Bagneux La Fosse
      • Balnot-Sur-Laignes
      • Bar-Sur-Aube
      • Bar-Sur-Seine
      • Barbonne Fayel
      • Baroville
      • Barzy-Sur-Marne
      • Baslieux-Sous-Chatillon
      • Bassu
      • Bassuet
      • Baulne-En-Brie
      • Baye
      • Beaunay
      • Belval-Sous-Chatillon
      • Bergères
      • Bergères-Sous-Montmirail
      • Berru
      • Bertignolles
      • Bethon
      • Bézu-Le-Guéry
      • Binson-Et-Orquigny
      • Blesmes
      • Bligny (Aube)
      • Bligny (Marne)
      • Bonneil
      • Bouilly
      • Bouleuse
      • Boursault
      • Bragelogne Beauvoir
      • Branscourt
      • Brasles
      • Brimont
      • Brouillet
      • Broussy-Le-Grand
      • Broyes
      • Brugny-Vaudancourt
      • Buxeuil
      • Buxières Sur Arce
      • Cauroy-Lès-Hermonville
      • Celles-Lès-Condé
      • Celles-Sur-Ource
      • Cernay-Les-Reims
      • Chacenay
      • Chalons-Sur-Vesle
      • Chambrecy
      • Champignol-Lez-Mondeville
      • Champlat-Et-Boujacourt
      • Champvoisy
      • Changy
      • Channes
      • Chantemerle
      • Charly-Sur-Marne
      • Chartèves
      • Chateau Thierry
      • Châtillon-Sur-Marne
      • Chaumuzy
      • Chavot-Courcourt
      • Chenay
      • Chervey
      • Chézy-Sur-Marne
      • Chierry
      • Citry Sur Marne
      • Coizard-Joches
      • Colombé-La-Fosse
      • Colombé-Le-Sec
      • Colombey-Les-Deux-Eglises
      • Congy
      • Connigis
      • Cormicy
      • Cormoyeux
      • Courcelles-Sapicourt
      • Courjeonnet
      • Courmas
      • Courtagnon
      • Courtemont-Varennes
      • Courteron
      • Courthiézy
      • Courville
      • Couvignon
      • Couvrot
      • Crézancy
      • Crouttes-Sur-Marne
      • Crugny
      • Cuchery
      • Cuisles
      • Cunfin
      • Damery
      • Dolancourt
      • Domptin
      • Dormans
      • Eguilly-Sous-Bois
      • Engente
      • Epernay
      • Essômes-Sur-Marne
      • Essoyes
      • Etampes-Sur-Marne
      • Etoges
      • Faverolles-Et-Coëmy
      • Fèrebrianges
      • Festigny
      • Fleury-La-Rivière
      • Fontaine
      • Fontaine-Denis-Nuisy
      • Fontaine-Sur-Aÿ
      • Fontette
      • Fossoy
      • Fravaux
      • Germaine
      • Germigny
      • Givry-Lès-Loisy
      • Gland
      • Glannes
      • Gueux
      • Gyé-Sur-Seine
      • Hermonville
      • Hourges
      • Igny-Comblizy
      • Janvry
      • Jaucourt
      • Jaulgonne
      • Jonchery-Sur-Vesle
      • Jonquery
      • La Celle-Sous-Chantemerle
      • La Chapelle Monthodon
      • La Neuville-Aux-Larris
      • Lagery
      • Landreville
      • Le Breuil
      • Les Riceys
      • Leuvrigny
      • Lhéry
      • Lignol-Le-Château
      • Lisse-En-Champagne
      • Loches-Sur-Ource
      • Loisy-En-Brie
      • Loisy-Sur-Marne
      • Mancy
      • Mardeuil
      • Mareuil-Le-Port
      • Marfaux
      • Merfy
      • Merlaut
      • Merrey-Sur-Arce
      • Méry-Prémecy
      • Meurville
      • Mezy-Moulins
      • Mondement-Montgivroux
      • Mont-Saint-Père
      • Montgenost
      • Montgueux
      • Monthelon
      • Monthurel
      • Montier-En-L'isle
      • Montigny-Sur-Vesle
      • Montreuil-Aux-Lions
      • Morangis
      • Moslins
      • Moussy
      • Mussy-Sur-Seine
      • Nanteuil-La-Forêt
      • Nanteuil-Sur-Marne
      • Nesle-Le-Répons
      • Nesles-La-Montagne
      • Neuville-Sur-Seine
      • Noé-Les-Mallets
      • Nogent L'abbesse
      • Nogent-L'artaud
      • Nogentel
      • Oeuilly
      • Olizy Violaine
      • Orbais-L'abbaye
      • Ormes
      • Oyes
      • Passy-Grigny
      • Passy-Sur-Marne
      • Pavant
      • Pévy
      • Plaines-Saint-Lange
      • Poilly
      • Polisot
      • Polisy
      • Pontfaverger-Moronvilliers
      • Pouillon
      • Pourcy
      • Prouilly
      • Proverville
      • Reims
      • Reuil
      • Reuilly-Sauvigny
      • Rizaucourt Buchey
      • Romeny-Sur-Marne
      • Romery
      • Romigny
      • Rosnay
      • Rouvres-Les-Vignes
      • Saâcy-Sur-Marne
      • Saint-Agnan
      • Saint-Amand-Sur-Fion
      • Saint-Euphraise-Et-Clairizet
      • Saint-Gilles
      • Saint-Lumier-En-Champagne
      • Saint-Martin D'ablois
      • Saint-Thierry
      • Saint-Usage
      • Sainte-Gemme
      • Sarcy
      • Saudoy
      • Saulchery
      • Saulcy
      • Savigny-Sur-Ardre
      • Selles
      • Serzy-Et-Prin
      • Sézanne
      • Soulières
      • Spoy
      • Talus-Saint-Prix
      • Thil
      • Tramery
      • Trannes
      • Trélou-Sur-Marne
      • Treslon
      • Trigny
      • Troissy
      • Unchair
      • Urville
      • Val-De-Vière
      • Vanault-Le-Châtel
      • Vandeuil
      • Vandières
      • Vauciennes
      • Vavray-Le-Grand
      • Vavray-Le-Petit
      • Venteuil
      • Verneuil
      • Verpillières-Sur-Ource
      • Vert-Toulon
      • Ville-En-Tardenois
      • Ville-Sur-Arce
      • Villenauxe La Grande
      • Villers-Franqueux
      • Villers-Sous-Chatillon
      • Villevenard
      • Villiers-Saint-Denis
      • Vinay
      • Vincelles
      • Vindey
      • Vitry-En-Perthois
      • Vitry-Le-Croisé
      • Viviers-Sur-Artaut
      • Voigny
Grape growers
~16,000
across ~280,000 vineyards.

Approximately 16,000 grape growers cultivate around 280,000 individual vineyard plots. The region is a mosaic of small family growers and large houses.

Grapes

Varieties

9 chosen ones - although Champagne is overwhelmingly dominated by 3 varieties, current legislation allows local winemakers to use up to 9 different varieties.

Percentages show the share of total plantings in the region:

Pinot Noir

37 %

A well-known and historic Burgundian variety. A dark berry with a light soul - it gives champagne body, tannin and the ability to age with elegance. More interesting with time. In blends, it forms the “backbone of the wine”. Aromatically, it adds fruity and spicy notes.

Meunier

31 %

The second and last dark variety grown in Champagne. Meunier is fruity, approachable and often generous. In young blends it shows pronounced fruitiness, making them more accessible. Its role is the “blood and muscles” of the wine. Until recently used almost exclusively in blends, today you will often encounter wines made purely from Meunier.

Chardonnay

31 %

The first and most widely planted white variety of the region. Citrus, white flowers, light and yellow orchard fruit, sea air. In blends it forms the “soul of the wine”. For over a hundred years, however, we also encounter its solo performance - Blanc de Blancs - and once you experience it in this form, you look for it again.

Minor “historical varieties” (total 0.3 %)
Arbane · Petit Meslier · Pinot Blanc (Vrai) · Pinot Gris (Fromenteau) - historical rarities for the curious, who seek more than just “classic certainty” in the glass, but also a different expression, aromatics or character.

The future?
Voltis · Chardonnay Rosé - newly permitted varieties responding to changes in the region, not only climatic ones!

Champagne cellar

4 subregions

Montagne de Reims
Wooded hills, Pinot Noir

A wooded highland that protects vineyards from wind and retains heat. Pinot Noir ripens here slowly and with dignity - firm, mineral, pure and undeniable like the chalk beneath it.

    • Ambonnay
    • Beaumont-Sur-Vesle
    • Billy-Le-Grand
    • Bouzy
    • Chigny-Les-Roses
    • Louvois
    • Ludes
    • Mailly-Champagne
    • Montbré
    • Puisieulx
    • Rilly-La-Montagne
    • Sillery
    • Taissy
    • Tauxières-Mutry
    • Trépail
    • Trois-Puits
    • Vaudemange
    • Verzenay
    • Verzy
    • Villers-Allerand
    • Villers-Marmery
    • Bezannes
    • Bouilly
    • Brimont
    • Cauroy-Lès-Hermonville
    • Chalons-Sur-Vesle
    • Chenay
    • Cormicy
    • Hermonville
    • Merfy
    • Montigny-Sur-Vesle
    • Pévy
    • Pouillon
    • Prouilly
    • Saint-Thierry
    • Thil
    • Trigny
    • Villers-Franqueux
    • Berru
    • Cernay-Les-Reims
    • Nogent L'abbesse
    • Pontfaverger-Moronvilliers
    • Selles
    • Arcis Le Ponsart
    • Aubilly
    • Bligny (Marne)
    • Bouleuse
    • Branscourt
    • Brouillet
    • Chambrecy
    • Chamery
    • Chaumuzy
    • Cormontreuil
    • Coulommes-La-Montagne
    • Courcelles-Sapicourt
    • Courmas
    • Courtagnon
    • Courville
    • Crugny
    • Ecueil
    • Faverolles-Et-Coëmy
    • Germigny
    • Gueux
    • Hourges
    • Janvry
    • Jonchery-Sur-Vesle
    • Jouy-Les-Reims
    • Lagery
    • Les Mesneux
    • Lhéry
    • Marfaux
    • Méry-Prémecy
    • Nanteuil-La-Forêt
    • Ormes
    • Pargny-Lès-Reims
    • Poilly
    • Pourcy
    • Reims
    • Rosnay
    • Sacy
    • Saint-Euphraise-Et-Clairizet
    • Saint-Gilles
    • Sarcy
    • Savigny-Sur-Ardre
    • Sermiers
    • Serzy-Et-Prin
    • Tramery
    • Treslon
    • Unchair
    • Vandeuil
    • Ville-Dommange
    • Ville-En-Tardenois
    • Villers-Aux-Nœuds
    • Vrigny
Vallée de la Marne
River valley, Meunier

A river valley full of limestone, clay, sun cooled by air currents over the Marne River… and Meunier. Wines here are fruity, generous and approachable; they can be light, fresh and elegant, but also full, rich and concentrated.

    • Brugny-Vaudancourt
    • Chavot-Courcourt
    • Epernay
    • Mancy
    • Monthelon
    • Morangis
    • Moslins
    • Moussy
    • Pierry
    • Saint-Martin D'ablois
    • Vinay
    • Avenay-Val-D'or
    • Aÿ
    • Bisseuil
    • Champillon
    • Cumieres
    • Dizy
    • Fontaine-Sur-Aÿ
    • Germaine
    • Hautvillers
    • Mareuil-Sur-Aÿ
    • Mutigny
    • Tours-Sur-Marne
    • Barzy-Sur-Marne
    • Baulne-En-Brie
    • Passy-Sur-Marne
    • Trélou-Sur-Marne
    • Azy-Sur-Marne
    • Bézu-Le-Guéry
    • Blesmes
    • Bonneil
    • Brasles
    • Celles-Lès-Condé
    • Charly-Sur-Marne
    • Chartèves
    • Chateau Thierry
    • Chézy-Sur-Marne
    • Chierry
    • Citry Sur Marne
    • Connigis
    • Courtemont-Varennes
    • Crézancy
    • Crouttes-Sur-Marne
    • Domptin
    • Essômes-Sur-Marne
    • Etampes-Sur-Marne
    • Fossoy
    • Gland
    • Jaulgonne
    • La Chapelle Monthodon
    • Mezy-Moulins
    • Mont-Saint-Père
    • Monthurel
    • Montreuil-Aux-Lions
    • Nanteuil-Sur-Marne
    • Nesles-La-Montagne
    • Nogent-L'artaud
    • Nogentel
    • Pavant
    • Reuilly-Sauvigny
    • Romeny-Sur-Marne
    • Saâcy-Sur-Marne
    • Saint-Agnan
    • Saulchery
    • Villiers-Saint-Denis
    • Baslieux-Sous-Chatillon
    • Belval-Sous-Chatillon
    • Binson-Et-Orquigny
    • Champlat-Et-Boujacourt
    • Champvoisy
    • Châtillon-Sur-Marne
    • Cormoyeux
    • Cuchery
    • Cuisles
    • Damery
    • Fleury-La-Rivière
    • Jonquery
    • La Neuville-Aux-Larris
    • Olizy Violaine
    • Passy-Grigny
    • Reuil
    • Romery
    • Romigny
    • Sainte-Gemme
    • Vandières
    • Venteuil
    • Verneuil
    • Villers-Sous-Chatillon
    • Vincelles
    • Boursault
    • Courthiézy
    • Dormans
    • Festigny
    • Igny-Comblizy
    • Le Breuil
    • Leuvrigny
    • Mardeuil
    • Mareuil-Le-Port
    • Nesle-Le-Répons
    • Oeuilly
    • Orbais-L'abbaye
    • Troissy
    • Vauciennes
Côte des Blancs
Pure chalk soils and Chardonnay

Pure chalk soils, one message: clean, highly mineral Chardonnay. The white chalk beneath your feet sends a clear signature into the wine - cool, mineral, precise. The most famous and celebrated Blanc de Blancs are born here.

    • Avize
    • Bergères-Les-Vertus
    • Chouilly
    • Cramant
    • Cuis
    • Grauves
    • Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger
    • Oger
    • Oiry
    • Vertus
    • Flavigny
    • Montgueux
    • Allemant
    • Barbonne Fayel
    • Bergères-Sous-Montmirail
    • Bethon
    • Broyes
    • Chantemerle
    • Fontaine-Denis-Nuisy
    • La Celle-Sous-Chantemerle
    • Montgenost
    • Saudoy
    • Sézanne
    • Vindey
    • Baye
    • Beaunay
    • Broussy-Le-Grand
    • Coizard-Joches
    • Congy
    • Courjeonnet
    • Etoges
    • Étréchy
    • Fèrebrianges
    • Givry-Lès-Loisy
    • Loisy-En-Brie
    • Mondement-Montgivroux
    • Oyes
    • Soulières
    • Talus-Saint-Prix
    • Val-des-Marais (včetně Coligny)
    • Vert-Toulon
    • Villeneuve Renneville
    • Villevenard
    • Voipreux
    • Bassu
    • Bassuet
    • Changy
    • Couvrot
    • Glannes
    • Lisse-En-Champagne
    • Loisy-Sur-Marne
    • Merlaut
    • Saint-Amand-Sur-Fion
    • Saint-Lumier-En-Champagne
    • Val-De-Vière
    • Vanault-Le-Châtel
    • Vavray-Le-Grand
    • Vavray-Le-Petit
    • Vitry-En-Perthois
    • Châlons-en-Champagne
Côte des Bar
Southern region, Pinot Noir

The southernmost region of Champagne with a completely different character and nature. “Jura and Chablis limestone” instead of chalk, Pinot Noir fuller, fruitier and warmer than anywhere else. Whoever overlooks it misses one of the most honest conversations in the entire region.

    • Ailleville
    • Arconville
    • Argançon
    • Arrentières
    • Arsonval
    • Bar-Sur-Aube
    • Baroville
    • Bergères
    • Bligny (Aube)
    • Champignol-Lez-Mondeville
    • Colombé-La-Fosse
    • Colombé-Le-Sec
    • Colombey-Les-Deux-Eglises
    • Couvignon
    • Cunfin
    • Dolancourt
    • Engente
    • Fontaine
    • Fravaux
    • Jaucourt
    • Lignol-Le-Château
    • Meurville
    • Montier-En-L'isle
    • Proverville
    • Rizaucourt Buchey
    • Rouvres-Les-Vignes
    • Saulcy
    • Spoy
    • Trannes
    • Urville
    • Voigny
    • Avirey-Lingey
    • Bagneux La Fosse
    • Balnot-Sur-Laignes
    • Bar-Sur-Seine
    • Bertignolles
    • Bragelogne Beauvoir
    • Buxeuil
    • Buxières Sur Arce
    • Celles-Sur-Ource
    • Chacenay
    • Channes
    • Chervey
    • Courteron
    • Eguilly-Sous-Bois
    • Essoyes
    • Fontette
    • Gyé-Sur-Seine
    • Landreville
    • Les Riceys
    • Loches-Sur-Ource
    • Merrey-Sur-Arce
    • Mussy-Sur-Seine
    • Neuville-Sur-Seine
    • Noé-Les-Mallets
    • Plaines-Saint-Lange
    • Polisot
    • Polisy
    • Saint-Usage
    • Verpillières-Sur-Ource
    • Ville-Sur-Arce
    • Villenauxe La Grande
    • Vitry-Le-Croisé
    • Viviers-Sur-Artaut

Champagne AOC appellation rules

Geographical delimitation of vineyards

Grapes must come exclusively from the Champagne AOC area. No exceptions! Place is the first ingredient - and the most important.

Only permitted varieties

9 approved varieties - and no others. Centuries of selection have shown what thrives best in this soil and what suits the production of local wines most.

Hand harvesting

Grapes must be harvested intact and whole - so that black varieties do not color the juice before they should. No machine does it better than a hand that knows what it is looking for.

Maximum yield

The maximum is set annually by the CIVC. A winemaker’s decision with one of the most significant impacts on the final wine.

Gentle pressing

From 4,000 kg of grapes (historic 1 marc) a maximum of 2,550 liters of must can be obtained. The rest is discarded. Only from the best and finest must are the best sparkling wines in the world born!

Traditional production method

Secondary fermentation directly in the bottle - the same one that lies in restaurant œnothèques. Then long aging, riddling and disgorgement. A centuries-old ritual with no shortcut.

Minimum bottle aging

Non-vintage wines at least 15 months, vintage wines 36 months. Time is not a budget item - it is an ingredient that cannot be bought, sped up or replaced.

Label information

The name Champagne, producer, bottle volume, alcohol content and producer code (NM, RM, CM…). The label is not just marketing - it is an identity card. Learn to read it properly!

History

1st century AD - Beginning of tradition

The Romans establish the first vineyards. On cool slopes they plant the seed of a story that will last two millennia. They do not know it then - we do today.

5th–9th century - Wine for royal coronations

Still “champagne” flows during coronations in Reims. The region gains its first major role - as a backdrop of power and sacred moments. Still without a single bubble.

Late 17th century - Birth of sparkling wine

Dom Pierre Pérignon raised a glass: “Friends, come quickly, I am drinking stars!” Whether he said it or not - from that moment, no one tried to stop the bubbles.

1729 - Ruinart

The first Champagne house - the bubble trade gains a formal face. Nicolas Ruinart opens first and starts a race that continues to this day. Followed by Moët, Clicquot, Bollinger, Krug… and many others!

1st half of the 19th century - Industrial refinement

Invention of riddling, bottle standardization, first modern production. Champagne ceases to be a privilege of the aristocracy - and begins conquering the world.

1927 - Geographical boundaries

The Champagne region gets its “final map” and rules, as we know them today. The identity of the region is anchored - along with the answer to the question: what is Champagne?

1936 - Creation of Champagne AOC

The rules from 1927 gain legal form. Not every sparkling wine in the world may bear this noble name. Quality received its shield - and holds it firmly to this day.

1941 - Creation of CIVC

Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne - guardian of tradition for future generations. An institution ensuring the promise in every bottle holds true.

1980s - Rise of grower champagne

Anselme Selosse, Vincent Bliard, Georges Laval and many followers - the original philosophy of the region, today often called “Burgundian”, survived for a century only in the minds and hearts of growers. Today we can taste it in their wines.

Producer structure

NM

Maison

They buy grapes from hundreds of growers and compose one voice from a thousand different ones. One that speaks of their name and style. That is their magic - the same character year after year, regardless of what nature brings. Champagne as a fixed point in an uncertain world.

~350 houses

Moët  · Veuve Clicquot  · Krug  · Bollinger

RM

Vigneron (Grower)

Owns the vineyard, grows the vines, makes the wine from their own plots. Each bottle has a specific address - a parcel, hill, village or season. Grower champagne is like a handwritten letter: you instantly know who wrote it and where it comes from.

~4,000 growers

Egly-Ouriet  · Ulysse Collin  · Jacques Selosse  · Jerome Prevost

CM

Coopérative (Cooperative)

Smaller winemakers joined forces, capital, cellars, and eventually grapes and know-how. Each brings a part of themselves and together create something they could not alone. Champagne as a result of a collective vote on what is good.

~130 cooperatives

Mailly  · Palmer & Co  · Nicolas Feuillatte

Interesting facts about Champagne

Wine from Champagne has nearly 2,000 years of history. Bubbles came only at the end of the 17th century, and it took a long time before they dominated the region - even in 1850, sparkling wine represented less than 6% of production. The name “Champagne” gained legal protection only in the last century after many international disputes.

Jeroboam, Balthazar, Nebuchadnezzar - these biblical bottle sizes were not created out of religious reverence, but from simple logic: in the 19th century, winemakers decided that monumental bottles deserve monumental names.

A bottle holds 6 bars of pressure - the same as a bus tire. A small engineering miracle that has been with us in various forms for over 300 years.

Final tip

Do not overchill champagne - let it breathe and speak

Below 5 °C the wine freezes into silence. Aromas close down, bubbles harden, the finish disappears. Only roughness and sharp acidity remain. Champagne is not ice - it is a conversation. And every conversation needs the right temperature… and the right space!

Recommended serving temperature:

Non-vintage: ~8 °C Vintage: ~12 °C 15+ years: 15–18 °C

Choose the right glass as well. Flutes and coupes are hopefully a thing of the past :-) Much better are white wine glasses or universal ones.