Champagne Diversity

Champagne Diversity

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Champagne”? 

Champagne = sparkling wine made from 3 grapes of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Meunier in the northern part of France.

I used to think this way. But, today, the picture I have inside my head is pretty close to what you see in the illustration, plus a lot more that I couldn’t fit on a small piece of paper. 

And this diversity that continues to change, expand & evolve like the power, energy & speed of a space shuttle going in the direction of the universe with unlimited possibility & potential makes Champagne one of the most exciting & dynamic places on the planet.

Wines:

Bubbles & No Bubbles - Champagne is known for its sparkling wine. But we are starting to see more & more wines with no bubbles like Coteaux Champenois in the shades of red, white & pink, Rosé des Riceys from the southern tail of the region, sweet fortified wine of Ratafia & the distilled spirits of Marc/Fine de Champagne.

Grapes:

The Traditional 3 grapes of Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Meunier, but also permitted are Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc & Voltis. Non-Vintage Champagne from big name brands we see often is generally made from a blend of 3 traditional grapes. Meanwhile, a handful of small, family-run, independent producers are experimenting with the non-traditional grapes, creating some exciting wines.

But why is this diversity thing happening?

There are combinations of many things like;

• Climate change 
• Improvements in vineyards/cellars
• Better/open communication 
• Product offering
• Farm to Table movement
• Educated consumers

Champagne Quiz Time

1. What are the 3 main areas of the Champagne region?
2. What are the 8 permitted grapes for the production of Champagne?
3. What are the 3 grapes used to make cuvée BAM! by Champagne Tarlant?

Post your answers in the comments! The answers will be in the following week’s post.