The classification of Champagne vineyards developed in the mid-20th century as a means of setting the price of grapes grown through the villages of the Champagne wine region.

The classification of Champagne vineyards developed in the mid-20th century as a means of setting the price of grapes grown through the villages of the Champagn...

2023年1月5日 · In 1911, Champagne’s vineyards were quality rated on a village-by-village basis using a percentile system known as the échelle des crus (literally “scale of vintages”), which was used to determine the difference in price for grapes grown in each village.

2022年11月1日 · Only 5% of Champagne's wine-growing communes have the Grand Cru appellation. This distinction is reserved for champagnes produced from vines grown in 17 communes selected for the qualities of their soil, exposure to the wind and sunshine that enable them to produce the best grapes.

Located in northeastern France, the Champagne wine region is 90 miles east of Paris and is characterized by its rolling hills covered in vineyards. There are over 86,000 classified, planted acres in Champagne, which account for 4% of France’s total vineyard area.

The most common style of champagne is 'Non-vintage' (NV) and this tends to be base wine available from each house and most reprehensive of its house style. A blend of wines from several different years, a non-vintage champagne must be aged in the producers' cellars for at least 15 months after the 1st-January of the following harvest year.

In most countries except the United States, champagne is legally defined as sparkling wine originating from the Champagne wine region in France, especially the city of Reims and the town of Épernay.

In 1927, viticultural boundaries of Champagne were legally defined and split into five wine producing districts- The Aube, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne.

In the European Union, only wines coming from the Champagne region can wear the name Champagne on the label. In the area, 300 established wineries, known as "crus", produce Champagne. There are basically two different kinds of Champagne. Vintage: the bottle of Champagne wears a vintage year on the label.

The classification of Champagne vineyards developed in the mid-20th century as a means of setting the price of grapes grown through the villages of the Champagne wine region.