The most northerly vineyards in France, the champagne
region covers the departments of the Marne, The Aisne, the Aube, and several
villages in the departments of the Haute-Marne and Seine et Marne. The
varietals planted are divided between the Pinot Noir (30%), the Chardonnay,
used to make "blanc de blancs" (30%), and the Pinot Meunier (40%). The
soils are poor ( limestone in the Marne and marl in the Aube) which forces
the roots to delve deep into the subsoil, sometimes as far as twenty metres
(66 feet).
The vinification methods used to make Champagne are very distinctive.
The main stages are - pressing, fermentation, blending, bottle fermentation
(prise de mousse), turning the bottles (remuage), disgorging, dosing.
There are many types of Champagne, and these are just
some of them:- non vintage brut, special cuvées, vintage, "blanc de
blancs" (made exclusively from white, chardonnay grapes), pink champagne,
grand cru champagne (made only from grand cru vineyards) and the crémants.
The word "champagne" is reserved for sparkling wines. Still wines made
in the Champagne area, take the name of "Coteaux Champenois",white (Bouzy,
Sillery, Mareuil...) red or rosé (Riceys).
