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Owners of almost the entire Champagne Vineyard (90%), there are almost 15,000 growers at present. They cultivate the family vineyards, with an average size of 1.5 hectares, on the fragmented hillsides.

With generations of experience, the Growers work hard to express the character of each vineyard, thanks to traditional techniques respectful of the environment and quality.

At the time of the harvest, they can sell their grapes to the Champagne Houses, or entrust them to a Co-operative. Many thousands retain grapes to make their own Grower’s Champagne, wines that express the individuality of their ‘terroir’.

The Champagne, ancestral wine ground

In each commune, the pieces of ground were indexed thoroughly.
vineyard divides itself into zones varied in unequal importance.
The surface of production of the vine is rigorously defined. It accounts for approximately 3% of the surfaces devoted in France to the vine growing. The Mountain of Rheims is a broad plate, with weak relief, which are inclined slowly with the approach of the valleys of Vesle and Ardre in north, and of the Marne in the south. The vine abundantly covers the sides of this plate.

The Valley of the Marne extends on a hundred from kilometers from the Saâcy-on-Marne in the department from Seine-et-Marne to the Turn-on-Marne beyond from Épernay. The vine is spread out over the slopes which go down more or less soft inclined to the river bank, like in picturesque small valleys bordering the valley on both sides.

The Coast of the White, thus called because it produces white grapes almost exclusively, is a cliff perpendicular to the Mountain of Rheims and placed at the south of Épernay. In the south of the department of the Marne, the vine is visible intermittently in the north and the south of Sézanne. In the area of Vitry-the-François, planted surfaces remain limited to some communes.

The Coast of the Bar prolongs in the south the viticultural sector. Outside Villenauxe-the-Large, continuation of the southernmost part of the vineyard marnais, and of Montgueux, in the vicinity immediate of Troyes, which have only a few tens of hectares, the vines are grouped around the Bar-on-Seine and of Bar-on-Paddle. In the east of this last city, the department of Haute-Marne, can assert the existence of a few tens of hectares of vines.

Champagne wines owe their inimitable character to a unique combination of climate and soil composition, otherwise referred to as ‘terroir’.

With its northern geographical position at the limits of the vine’s cultural zone, the climate is harsh, softened only by an oceanic influence. The chalky sub-soil naturally provides the vine with constant irrigation. The vines’ position on the slopes provides the best sunlight and the run-off of any excess water.

The other originality of this terroir is how the area is divided up, there are no less than 260,000 parcels of land. They can been seen as gardens that the growers tend with incredible care and attention so that they express their individuality. Each piece of land has been recognised and has had a specific name for centuries: "les Côtes à Bras, les Gouttes d'Or,...".

The grape varieties

Le pinot noir. This noble variety imparts structure and power to the blend, as well as aromas of red fruits. This black grape variety with white juice grown mainly on the slopes of the Mountain of Reims and in the Côte des Bar. It gives Champagne wines their aromas of red fruits, as well as their strength and body.
Le pinot meunier. Another black grape variety with white juice, is grown mainly in the Marne Valley and is characterised by its suppleness. It gives Champagne wines their roundness and fragrance. This variety is supple and fruity. Its bouquet is intense; it developes quickly over time and gives a certain roundness to a wine.
Le chardonnay. A white grape variety mostly planted in the Côte des Blancs. It provides the wines with their finesse as well as their floral and, sometimes, mineral overtones. Its slow development makes it ideal for aging.

Vineyards have been planted in Champagne ever since the beginning of our era. Although its surface area has been reduced over time, its unique characteristics were recognised very early on and the defense of its AOC was the first to be accepted.

he Champagne Appellation was first marked out over 15,000 hectares in 1908. In 1927 the appellation was defined conclusively, respecting the history of each commune and plot of land. The current surface area stretches over 34,000 hectares.

The AOC is administered by the Institut National des Appellations d’Origine. As well as the delimitation of the area, the Appellation carries 35 rules to uphold the quality of Champagne wines: only 3 grape varieties are permitted, yields in both the vineyard and during pressing are limited, the pruning of vines, their height, spacing and density, harvest by hand, minimum ageing periods, are all controlled.

The Champagne Appellation is the object of many counterfeiting operations, one of the missions of the CIVC is to defend the Appellation against any attack on its exclusivity, anywhere in the world.

Since the 17th century, the blending of wines from different years, vineyards and grape varieties has allowed each brand to create their own style.

Every Champagne House or Grower offers a range of different wines which reflect their respective spirit and style.

Brut NV (Non-Vintage) is the wine most representative of a producer’s style. It is usually a blend of wines from several different years and growing areas.
Vintage Champagne wines are produced exclusively from the wines of a single year. A producer will only declare a vintage in exceptional years. Vintage Champagne wines are thus wines with a great deal of character.
Rosé Champagne wines are original because of their colour and their vinous character.

They are produced by macerating the black grapes to extract the colour or by adding some locally-produced red wine to the blend.
Special Cuvées, whether vintage or not, are made from the most subtle and distinctive wines.
Demi-Sec Champagne wines differ from bruts in their slightly sweeter taste.

When it comes to serving Champagne the choice and preparation of your glassware is very important. If there are no bubbles in your glass, don’t believe that your Champagne is flat, change the glass and watch the difference…

Which glass?

To fully appreciate a Champagne wine you must give it the glass it deserves. Its volume and height must be enough to allow the bubbles the space to form and rise to the surface, whilst allowing the temperature to remain as constant as possible.
The ideal shape is that of a tulip, the Champagne saucer is one to avoid as the aromas and bubbles have too much space and are soon lost into the air.
The thickness of the glass also has a role to play, especially on the lips where its finesse heightens our sense of taste.

How to wash the glass?

Rinse the glasses in hot water without any trace of washing-up liquid, let them drain until dry, then store them upright sheltered from dust. The residues of washing-up liquid can inhibit the formation of the bubbles.