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THE SUN SHINES
OVER AMBONNAY
some growers occasionally have vineyards in several villages – the scale changed many
times. The ratings changed, there were sometimes different ratings for white and black
grapes, and villages were incorporated into the appellation area. So, what really are the
criteria?
In Champagne, there is widespread agreement that the quality of the fruit stems from the
chalky sub-soils. In fact, of the 17 Grands Crus, 11 are villages on the Montagne de Reims
and 6 are in the Côte des Blancs. None of them are in the Marne Valley or in Aube, nor even
in the Côte des Bar. Both the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs have sub-soils
where chalk sometimes forms outcrops and is extremely deep. So, it is fair to assume that
if the scale was approved among industry members, it is primarily due to the sub-soils,
but probably also to local micro-climates and sometimes to cyclical balances of power.
EU law, which outlaws price fixing, led to the demise of the remuneration system based on
the growth scale with the 2004 harvest, reinstating a free pricing regime. But the Grands
Crus villages were allowed to retain this now historic designation.
THE CHAMPAGNE HOUSES VERSUS THE WINEGROWERS
Very few of the prestige Champagnes produced by the prominent houses – the likes of
Celebris, Dom Pérignon, Cristal, La Grande Dame, Comtes de Champagne and Dom
Ruinart – state ‘Grand Cru’ on their labels.
The reason for this is that although most of the fruit in the blends generally comes from
the 17 villages entitled to the designation, regulations make it mandatory for all of the fruit
to come from them if companies want to use the Grand Cru statement. The problem is
WINTER 2022 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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