Main grape varieties slide 2

The sparkling wines of Champagne are produced using three key grape varieties; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier (previously called Pinot Meunier but not part of the Pinot grape family). There are strict AOC rules regarding viticulture with firm rules on yield, trellis system and harvesting including rules on wine making. The AOC controls winemaking with limits on the amount of juice that can be extracted for each pressing and how long wines must be aged on their lees before release.

Most Champagnes are produced by Champagne Houses that have their own style based on a blend (called a cuvée). Wines are chosen for blending with the non-vintage (NV) house style taking most of the wine. Vintage Champagne will be made from grapes of a single year and superior quality making the best wines. A vintage Champagne may not be made every year, only when the quality is good enough.

Blends are decided based on the three grapes. Chardonnay will add freshness from higher acidity, Pinot Noir adds structure and complexity while Meunier adds fruitiness. While many wines are blended, single variety Champagnes are becoming more popular. These are labelled as Blanc de Blancs if made from Chardonnay or Blanc de Noir if made from Pinot Noir or Meunier. By law, a non-vintage Champagne must be aged for 15 months in bottle and spend at least 12 months on lees. A vintage Champagne must be aged on lees for three years minimum. Many houses age their best non-vintage and vintage wines for much longer than this.