Champagne Grapes

I’m sure you’ve heard about the three most common varieties of champagne grapes, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier which make up 99% of grapes produced in the region. Interestingly the Comité Champagne permit the use of 7 grape varieties to make Champagne. The other 4 possible grape varieties are: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris (called Pinot Grigio in Italy), Arbane and Petit Meslier.

The roots of the grape vine can reach down over 7m. In Champagne, 8000 vines are planted per hectare. It takes on average 1 vine to produce 1 bottle of Champagne.

Grape Lifecycle

Spring

Grape vines come back to life. The vines reawaken from their dormancy ready for a new vegetative cycle. The vine bud and new shoots appear, ready to produce branches, leaves and flowers. Farmers prune the vines which is called ‘desuckering‘. They cut off unwanted shoots and keep only fruit bearing buds.

Grape vines typically bloom in the last 10 days of June and it is vital that the weather is warm and dry for pollination to occur.

After the pollination stage, fertilization of the grapes occurs, this is called fruit set. This is when the flowers bloom and turn into tiny fruit. This bloom stage determines the number of berries per cluster and this indicates the potential crop yield.

Summer

After fruit set the next milestone is called veraison, this is when ripening begins, and the colour of the grapes begin to change. Once again, the weather is critical. Farmers need a hot and sunny summer to ripen the grapes. As the grapes mature the sugar levels increase and the acidity declines. The vines are separated from each other and attached to wires; this is called trellising. Trellising aids air circulation to help the clusters ripen. The vines are topped or trimmed to remove overgrown shoots. This improves light penetration and encourages the vines to focus on fruit production.

Autumn

This is the time for harvesting the grapes. The ripeness of the grapes determines the time of harvest. As harvest approaches, grape samples are picked twice a week. The samples are weighed and pressed, and the juice is analyzed to assess the total sugar content and total acidity.

Harvesting of the grapes in Champagne takes place between mid-August and late September. For harvest to occur, they must be fully ripe and healthy. Experienced workers cut grape clusters by hand and any substandard fruit is discarded. Grapes are sorted in the vineyard to ensure the quality of the grapes.

The correct handling of red grapes is critical to make sure that the red grape skins are not broken because this would stain the colour of the grape juice and lead to oxidation.

It is also critical that the grapes do not become over ripe. It is important that the length of the harvest is kept short, and it normally lasts between 2 – 3 weeks. Preserving the sugar/acid level is critical for the Champagne producer and a quick harvest helps maintain consistency. After picking the vine canes turn brown and lignify (become hard). The vines store energy reserves in their woody canes to survive winter frost ready to reawaken in Spring. As Autumn progresses white grape vines turn yellow and red grape vines turn brown, red or dark yellow.

Winter

The vines become dormant. In winter tending the vines is critical. Farmers prune the vines to control excessive vigour. It encourages the plant sap to flow towards the fruit buds. Pruning strikes a balance between vigour and productivity. It is a specialized task and pruners in Champagne must have an industry approved diploma.

Pruning

Spurs are fruit bearing canes produced by short pruning. Canes are 1-year old spurs.

The 4 approved methods of pruning are:

  • Chablis – short pruning on long canes, used for Chardonnay vines.
  • Cordon de Royal – derived from fruit tree pruning, spurs arise from one or more horizontally trained cordons.
  • Guyot – long pruning on short canes leaving 1 cane and 1 spur for a single Guyot. A double Guyot has 2 canes and 2 spurs.
  • Valle de la Marne – canes from the previous year’s spurs are trained onto wires. The canes are replaced every year. It is only possible to use this method for Pinot Meunier vines.

In early April tying-up occurs, this is when farmers tie the shoots around the wire supporting wires.

Grape Types

Let’s look at the 3 most common grape varieties to discover a little bit about their characteristics.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay grapes grow in quite small clusters and the berries are quote small. They have green skin becoming slightly yellow when ripe. Chardonnay grapes are used exclusively to make white wine. It makes up 27% of vines planted in Champagne. Blanc de Blanc Champagne (meaning White from White) is produced from 100% Chardonnay and is the most common type of Champagne in the famous Côte des Blancs.

Chardonnay Leaf
Chardonnay Leaf

It is the slowest maturing grape variety and often does not attain full maturity due to the low mean temperature of the region. Champagne producers look to the Chardonnay grape to give elegance, acidity, minerality and freshness to Champagne, especially blended Champagne.

Grape Aroma

The smell and taste of Champagne changes with age some common aroma associated with younger Chardonnay (2 – 3 years) are, green apples, citrus fruits, chalk and white flowers. Common aroma of mature Champagne (3 – 8 years) are brioche, almonds, fruit jam possibly creaminess. Complex Champagnes (+8 years) would give toast, possibly quince. Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc has excellent aging potential.

Chardonnay Grapes

In the Côte des Blancs, different villages achieve different styles of Blanc de Blanc according to the particular terroir for example the village of Cramant makes a fragrant style while Avize makes a lighter style Blanc de Blanc.

Pinot Noir

It is a very old grape variety and the Romans probably introduced it to Europe. The variety needs quite a lot of management and grows better in cooler climates. Ripened grapes have dark red/purple skins. It is believed that Dom Pérignon developed the method to produce white wine from red grapes. Pinot Noir dominates the Montagne de Reims and the Côte de Bar and makes up 38% of vines planted in Champagne.

The grape develops extremely well in the cooler climate on sloping chalky soils. The name originates from the French for Pine and Black which relates to the bunches of grapes forming tight clusters that look like pinecones. Blanc de Noir (meaning White from Black) Champagne made from only red grapes.

Grape Aroma

Some common aroma associated with younger Pinot Noir (2 – 3 years) are, red fruits, plum, blackberry, possibly cinnamon. Mature Champagne (3 – 8 years), figs, forest fruit. Complex Champagnes (+8 years) would give nuts, tobacco, coffee, and raisins. Adding Pinot Noir to a blend brings body and structure.

Pinot Noir Grapes

Pinot Meunier

This is the earliest ripening grape variety. It is a natural variant of Pinot Noir and the leaves are very similar. Meunier is hardier than Pinot Noir and is less susceptible to disease. The grapes form in tight clusters and have dark purple skins. Pinot Meunier dominates the Marne Valley and makes up 35% of vines planted in Champagne. The cooler climate of Champagne suits Pinot Meunier the best and it grows very well on the more clay rich soils in the Marne river valley. The name originates from the French for Miller which refers to the whitish colour hairs that appear under the vine leaves and shoots making them look like they have been dusted in flour. It is possible to make Blanc de Noir Champagne from one variety of red grape or both.

Pinot Meunier Grapes
Grape Aroma

The aroma associated with younger Pinot Meunier (2 – 3 years) are, peach, apricot, mirabelle. Common aroma of mature Champagne (3 – 8 years) are honey, crystalized fruit. Complex Champagnes (+8 years) often gives cocoa but also mushrooms and this is why you never find vintage 100% Pinot Meunier Champagne. Adding Pinot Meunier to blends brings fruitiness and roundness.

Pinot Meunier is the least ‘fashionable’ grape of the 3 famous Champagne grapes but it is a critical element in many of the most famous Champagne blends in the world.

Once The grapes have been harvested, they must be taken for the next stage in the process, pressing