Champagne Grapes

Champagne is a popular drink for celebrations such as New Year’s Eve. It has global market and is world famous with many well known venues and occasions serving it. It is a sparkling wine produced from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France within classified regions only.

It is said that over 300 million bottles of Champagne are sold every year across the world from such famous houses as Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Lanson, Bollinger, Taittinger and many, many more.

Champagne is mainly made from three types of grape:

Pinot Noir (red)

Pinot Meunier (red)

Chardonnay (white)

85% to 90% of Champagnes are a blend of two thirds red grapes and one third Chardonnay. Less than 5% of Champagnes made contain 100% Chardonnay, these are called blanc de blancs and even less are made with 100% red grapes which are called blanc de noirs. Rosé Champagnes are usually, but not always, made from a blend of red and white grapes.

There are a few other grapes which are permitted to be used in Champagne, these are Petit Meslier, Arbanne and Pinot Blanc however these grape varieties can not be replanted so are of less importance.