The 7 grape varieties in Champagne

Who isn't familiar with the three grape varieties found in Champagne? Many Champagnes are made from a blend of these varieties. They are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. They cover almost the entire 34,000 hectares of vineyards within the Champagne region.

Chardonnay – 31%

A very well-known grape worldwide and the absolute king of the Côte des Blancs, where rich limestone soils are found. It's a white grape that adds structure and freshness to Champagnes with aromas of flowers and citrus fruit, for example. This grape is exceptionally well-suited for aging. A Champagne made from 100% Chardonnay is also called a Blanc de Blancs .

Want to try a Blancs de Blancs?

Pinot Noir – 38%

Pinot Noir, as the name suggests, is a dark-skinned grape. A cool climate and limestone-rich soil are ideal for this grape variety. It is widely grown in the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Bar. Pinot Noir gives Champagne more body and structure, and its signature aromas are those of red and black fruit. A Champagne rich in Pinot Noir is well-suited for aging and can reveal complex, animal-like aromas after aging.

Pinot Meunier – 31%

Pinot Meunier is also a dark-skinned grape and is widely grown in the Vallée de la Marne, which boasts clayey soils. This grape variety is highly tolerant to various weather conditions, particularly frost. It germinates slightly later in the year, allowing the buds to remain protected longer. Pinot Meunier gives Champagne a smooth, fruity, and more rounded flavor. However, this variety peaks relatively quickly in Champagne, making Champagnes with a high Pinot Meunier content less suitable for aging.

Champagnes made with only or a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are called Blanc de Noirs.
Read more about Blanc de Noirs Champagne here.

The 4 forgotten grape varieties

▲ The four forgotten grapes of Champagne.

About 99.7% of vineyards are planted with Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or Chardonnay. So what about that last 0.3%? Besides these three well-known grape varieties, four other varieties are permitted in Champagne. These four all have white skins. It's therefore important to realize that a Blanc de Blancs Champagne isn't necessarily made entirely of Chardonnay. Although this is almost always the case.

Although the forgotten grape varieties are almost extinct, it is permitted and some people are experimenting with it.

Arbane

Arbane is primarily grown in Bar-sur-Aube and has small grapes and bunches . It produces lively, spicy wines with complex aromas and high acidity. This grape variety ripens late, which in the cool Champagne region can result in unripe grapes during harvest. It is even said that this variety only reaches full ripeness once every three years. Of all the varieties permitted in Champagne, this grape yields the least (averaging 15-35hl/ha). Arbane is also susceptible to mold (mildew). All in all, this makes it a difficult and unpredictable grape.

Petit Meslier

Like Arbane, Petit Meslier is a grape variety with small bunches and small berries. It is primarily grown in the Vallée de la Marne and produces wine with acidity, liveliness, freshness, and fine, fruity aromas. The variety germinates early, making it susceptible to frost. Petit Meslier is also susceptible to mold, coulure (unfertilized flowers, which prevent grapes from developing), and millerandage (fertilized flowers with, for example, weak pollen, which hinders the grapes' growth). Furthermore, the yield is low: 25-35 hl/ha, and it is a difficult grape to ripen.

Pinot Blanc, also called Blanc Vrai

Pinot Blanc, known from Alsace among other places, is primarily grown in the Côte des Bar. The vines of this variety require more intensive pruning to control the size of the grapes. Furthermore, Pinot Blanc is susceptible to botrytis. It is somewhat comparable to Chardonnay. While Pinot Blanc is less developed in terms of minerality than Chardonnay, it does produce fine, fruity wines.

Fromenteau, also known as Pinot Gris

Like Pinot Meunier, Fromenteau gives the wine more fruit, body, and full flavor. It germinates and ripens early, often being the first of all Champagne varieties to do so. The grapes and bunches are small, susceptible to mold, and high in sugar.

Maybe in the future?

The four forgotten grape varieties require more attention and maintenance. Every year, the question arises whether it's worth growing them. They are susceptible to all sorts of diseases, often fail to ripen properly, and have low yields. Relying on these varieties is a risk.

Yet, more producers are experimenting with forgotten grape varieties, particularly Arbane and Petit Meslier. Why these two? Because of their acidity! In recent years, global warming has also taken hold in the Champagne region, and weather conditions are becoming increasingly unpredictable. Frost destroys early-blooming flowers, harvests are occurring earlier in the year, grapes are ripening faster, containing more sugar and less acid. Harvest dates can be adjusted based on sugar levels, but it's much more difficult to adjust them based on acidity. That's precisely what's so important in Champagne: acidity and freshness. Arbane and Petit Meslier, in particular, can retain their acidity, even during warm spells.

Champagne producers must adapt to ever-changing conditions by employing new techniques, methods, and new (actually, old) grape varieties. Currently, only 0.3% of vineyards are covered with these forgotten varieties. Perhaps this will change in the future.