By now, you’re probably aware that Champagne is a sparkling wine produced in a specific region of France, and that the name is proprietary: No other sparkling wines produced elsewhere (even in France) can be called Champagne. You might also know that all sparkling wines are the result of certain processes which preserve some of the carbon dioxide by product of fermentation in order to be carbonized. Obsessives like me will also drone on about other secrets of Champagne, like the kind of yeast used — which imparts that sublime aroma and taste of brioche. So, if all the other ways Champagne is crafted sets it apart, the same must be true for the grapes used, right? Is there such a thing as a champagne grape?
The answer is an echoing yes, because there’s more than one. Most Champagnes are blended wines. In fact, a lot of wine lovers might be surprised at the actual number of grape varieties permitted to be used in Champagne. Ask any Champagne fan which grapes are used and they’ll likely answer, correctly: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. But there are many other permitted Champagne cultivars – sometimes referred to as “the forgotten four” – as well as one created in this century specifically to combat the fallout from climate change; one which was only permitted to be planted in 2021. So, let’s get into the weeds…or, vines on the grapes used in Champagne.
Chardonnay
The Champagne wine producing region of France is snuggled up right next to Burgundy, so it’s no surprise that the two primary Champagne grapes are the Burgundian mainstays of chardonnay and pinot noir. If you buy a bottle of Blanc de Blancs Champagne, you’re getting a sparkling wine made solely from Chardonnay. Using this grape in Champagne makes sense: Chardonnay is a fantastic combination of flavor and hardiness beloved the world over. Chardonnay grapes make up 95% of plantings in the Côte des Blancs, a little area in the department of Marne comprising a little over 8,000 acres of vineyards and only four villages. The terroir of this region is distinguished by its chalky soil, which chardonnay grapes love. The result is an early-ripening varietal noted for its freshness, orchard fruit flavors, and slight minerality. Chardonnay grapes make up about one-third of all Champagne plantings.
Pinot Noir
It might surprise some of you to know that most Champagnes include red wine grapes, but Bacchus works in mysterious ways. In fact, there’s more pinot noir grown in the Champagne region than chardonnay (mostly in Montagne des Reims and Côte des Bar) – that’s more than is even grown next door in Burgundy. It makes sense if you think about it: Pinot noir (like most red wine grapes) brings floral aromas, flavors of red and black fruit, and tannic structure — and this is partly why good Champagne ages so well. Also, when compared to bruisers like cabernet sauvignon or malbec, pinot noir is positively delicate and restrained. No surprise that it also ripens early and thrives in chalky soil. Pinot noir plays a leading role in Blanc des Noirs Champagnes.
Pinot meunier
“Meunier” means miller in French, and this black grape is so-named because of its powdery young foliage. It’s a sturdy varietal, contributing roundness as well as supple yellow fruit and red berry flavors to Champagne. Meunier was relegated to a blending role for ages–always the bridesmaid-but has been taking a star turn of late. One of the leaders of this approach is Champagne producer Benoît Déhu, an 8th-generation winemaker whose cuvée La Rue des Noyers is a single vineyard, single vintage, 100% pinot meunier Champagne. Upon tasting the first bottling of this wine, wine critic Antonio Galloni declared it “one of the most impressive wines I tasted this year. A vivid and crystalline Champagne, the Cuvée La Rue des Noyers possesses stunning depth, intensity, and volume…What a gorgeous expression of Pinot Meunier this is.” Meunier plantings account for 31% of Champagne cultivars.
The Forgotten Four
The next four grape varieties only account for 0.3% of Champagne plantings. These are holdovers from the bygone days of Champagne production, before things were standardized for consistency and quality control in the late 19th century. While these cultivars are still permitted, they’re only used as blending grapes now, and even then in very modest amounts.
Pinot blanc is what it sounds like: a white version of pinot noir. A variant of pinot gris, pinot blanc ripens faster and is easier to work with than its two cousins. Pinot blanc wines have a fuller body and crackling acidity.
Pinot gris also keeps things in the family (speaking of, even chardonnay is a distant cousin of pinot noir). The grape’s old school name was fromenteau, and is sometimes still called this in the region. (You might recognize pinot gris by its other international name, pinot grigio.) Pinot gris brings aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle as well as rich fruit and nutty, smoky flavors, hence its local nickname “enfumé,” which means, well, smoky.
Petit meslier is a pretty obscure cultivar mostly because of its susceptibility to disease. Like pinot gris, petit meslier contributes fruit, nuts, and smoke. A close relative of Chardonnay, it also boasts green vegetal notes (think sauvignon blanc grassiness) and a racy acidity. It’s probably stuck around because of its frost resistance.
Arbane is kind of a pain to work with, thus its rarity in Champagne vineyards (it takes up only 2.5 acres of plantings). It ripens really late, tends to fold in harsh weather, and is tough to juice. Having said that, the presence of arbane lends sublime aromas and flavors of hawthorn blossoms, quince, and herbs.
Voltis, the new kid in town
No region is immune to climate change, and Champagne is no exception. Vintners are starting to plant more of the forgotten four varieties because of their higher acidity, as rising temperatures are producing grapes higher in sugar. There have been other issues as well. In 2000, a hybridized white grape called voltis was developed to be the first fungus-resistant cultivar, specifically immune to powdery and downy mildew (thus reducing the need for fungicides and herbicides). Champagne’s rules organization, known as the cahier des charges, authorized the grape to be used on a trial basis in 2021, and then only up to a maximum of 10% of the blend. Champagne producer Drappier has plantedviness along with a few other houses, but says it won’t be featured in blends until 2030. Early reports say that voltis isn’t a particularly interesting grape, with one outlet dismissing its taste as “simple” and “neutral.”
