Grand Cru, Premier Cru or 'other' Cru?
Grand Cru, Premier Cru, or other Cru? How does it work?
The Cru Ladder (Échelle de Crus) was established in 1873 and can be described as a quality score for wine-growing communities , expressed as a percentage. The scores are based on geographical characteristics and the selling prices of the grapes during that period.
Geographic features include:
- The position of the vineyard in relation to the sun; vineyards that receive sufficient sunlight in the morning and not too much sun during the hottest part of the day.
- The angle of the vineyard ; a vineyard that is too steep or too flat is not ideally positioned in relation to the sun.
- Soil composition ; certain grapes benefit from a particular soil composition.
- Minerals in the soil; there must be exactly the right amount of minerals in the soil.
- The structure of the soil ; it must be able to absorb water and nutrients, but any excess must be able to wash away easily.
Grand Cru
A vineyard with a score of 100% should theoretically have the best conditions for growing grapes and therefore produce higher-quality grapes. A score of 100% is classified as Grand Cru.
Originally, only 12 communes received the classification, but in 1985, five more communes were added. Approximately 5% of all communes are classified as Grand Cru.
- Ambonnay
- Avize
- Ay
- Beaumont-sur-Vesle
- Bouzy
- Cramant
- Louvois
- Mailly Champagne
- Puisieulx
- Sillery
- Tours-sur-Marne
- Verzenay
- Since 1985:
- Chouilly
- Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
- Oger
- Oiry
- Verzy
▲ All Grand Cru areas within Champagne.
To be labeled Grand Cru on a Champagne label, all grapes must come from one or more of the Grand Cru communes listed above. However, most Champagnes are blends of different communes and grape varieties, meaning grapes from a Grand Cru commune disappear from a blend.
A Grand Cru Champagne is therefore quite rare .
Premier Cru
Just below the Grand Cru classification are vineyards that score 90% to 99% . These are the Premier Cru vineyards. A total of 42 communes have a Premier Cru rating. When Premier Cru is mentioned on the label, it means that all grapes come from Premier Cru communes and possibly some Grand Cru communes.
Other Cru
The "other Cru" category has the lowest score and is almost never mentioned on the label. Most Champagnes fall into this category (261 communes, approximately 80% of the total). Cru Champagnes are the standard, while they are often thought to be less "good." That's not necessarily the case! Ultimately, it all comes down to what's done with the grapes . This brings us to the next point.
New techniques
The Échelle de Crus is, of course, incredibly old. Since 1873, many things have changed. These include the climate and weather (temperature), the price of grapes, and, to a lesser extent, the soil composition and structure. But above all , viticultural techniques and winemaking methods offer far greater possibilities, leading to higher-quality Champagne and a variety of styles and flavors . Grand Cru and Premier Cru, therefore, reveal more about the vineyards than about the Champagne itself.
We're certainly keeping a close eye on developments. It's remarkable to see each year how winemakers apply alternative and new techniques to create a unique Champagne.
Grand Cru, Premier Cru, and other Crus. We have them all. The vineyards of Champagne Boutrop are primarily located in the Grand Cru communes. The Brut Rosé is a Grand Cru Champagne, and the Brut Tradition is a Premier Cru. The Premier Cru consists of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay, with the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay coming from Grand Cru communes. William Saintot's Champagnes are all Premier Cru, and La Villesenière is another Cru. Although the La Villesenière vineyards didn't receive the highest ratings, they still produce exceptional Champagnes. Try it yourself!