Try the world's finest
Champagne Guide
Welcome to the world of Champagne, where elegance meets effervescence. Our guide uncorks the secrets behind the finest bottles, from prestigious maisons to rare grower vintages, offering you expert insights, tasting notes, and pairing inspiration. Whether you’re a curious newcomer or a seasoned connoisseur, this is your passport to the sparkle, sophistication, and stories that make Champagne unforgettable.
Vineyards
The World's Finest for 3 centuries
From royal courts to modern celebrations, Champagne has been the drink of distinction for over three centuries. Born in the rolling vineyards of France’s Champagne region, this iconic sparkling wine has evolved from a happy accident into a symbol of sophistication, joy, and timeless style. Our guide invites you to explore its heritage, artistry, and the bottles that keep the magic alive.
Harvest
The Art of Champagne
Crafting Champagne is a meticulous art. It begins in the sun-kissed vineyards of France’s Champagne region, where select grapes are hand-harvested and gently pressed. The still wine undergoes its first fermentation before being bottled with yeast and sugar for the méthode traditionnelle—a second fermentation that creates its signature sparkle. Years of ageing in cool cellars deepen its complexity, until, with precise riddling and disgorgement, the wine is ready to be dressed in cork and cage, awaiting its moment to shine.
The Champagne born in a landscape of elegance and heritage.
Champagne embodies elegance and heritage, a sparkling expression of the rolling hills of northeastern France. It reflects a patchwork of sunlit vineyards, ancient chalk cellars, and charming villages steeped in winemaking tradition. Shaped by a cool climate, chalk-rich soils, and a unique terroir, champagne carries a distinctive finesse and minerality. From the prestigious houses of Reims and Épernay to the family-run vineyards of the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, champagne stands as both the birthplace and the guardian of the world’s most celebrated sparkling wine.
Winery Tour
By Sweetness . . .
Champagne expresses its sweetness through three main styles: Brut, Demi-Sec, and Doux. Champagne defines these styles by dosage—a precise blend of sugar and wine, known as liqueur d’expédition, added after ageing to create balance. Champagne reveals not only the influence of dosage but also the character shaped by grape variety, terroir, and maturation, resulting in its diverse and distinctive expressions.
Brut Nature Champagne
Champagne in its Brut Nature, or Zero Dosage expression, delivers an extremely dry profile with less than 3g of sugar per litre. Champagne in this form is crafted from a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier grapes. Champagne reveals crisp, fruity flavours that make it an excellent apéritif, pairing beautifully with seafood such as sushi or oysters, light cheeses, pâtés, and appetisers like cured meats and canapés.
Extra Brut Champagne
Champagne at the Extra Brut level presents a dry expression with slightly more sweetness than Brut Nature, containing less than 6g of sugar per litre. Champagne in this form is crafted from a blend of pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier grapes. Champagne shows its versatility by serving as both an elegant apéritif and a refined partner to rich, flavourful dishes such as foie gras, salty delicacies like caviar, oysters, or sushi, and savoury cured meats.
Brut Champagne
Champagne in Brut form stands among the most popular expressions, offering a fairly dry wine with a touch of sweetness and less than 12g of sugar per litre. Champagne in this form is blended from the same grapes as Brut Nature and Extra Brut, creating a versatile profile. Champagne pairs gracefully with dishes that are not overly sweet, complementing sweet, salty, and mature cheeses, oysters, and even fried foods.
Extra Sec Champagne
Champagne in its Extra Sec style offers a touch more sweetness than Brut while still remaining dry, containing 12–17 grams of sugar per litre. Champagne in this medium-dry expression appeals to those who find Brut too austere, balancing fruit, floral, and mineral notes with a gentle sweetness. Champagne in this form pairs beautifully with a wide variety of dishes, from spicy cuisines such as Mexican or Thai, to grilled or roasted meats, shellfish like scallops or crab, creamy brie or bold blue cheese, and even fried foods such as spring rolls or tempura.
Sec Champagne
Champagne in Sec expression offers a semi-sweet profile, containing 17–32 grams of sugar per litre. Champagne in this form is sweeter than Extra Sec but less sweet than Demi-Sec, making it a balanced choice for those seeking a gentler sweetness. Champagne pairs well with foods that are not overly salty or sweet, complementing aged cheeses with their punchy flavours, rich pâtés, or delicate desserts such as fruit tarts.
Demi-Sec Champagne
Champagne in Demi-Sec expression offers a noticeably sweet profile, containing 32–50 grams of sugar per litre. Champagne in this form combines ripe fruit flavours such as pear, apple, and stone fruits with a creamy texture and a balanced acidity that keeps the sweetness lively rather than cloying. Champagne pairs beautifully with richer desserts like tarts, chocolate pastries, and crème caramel, as well as fruit-based desserts or mildly spiced dishes. Demi-Sec Champagne provides a sweeter alternative to Sec, making it an ideal choice for those who enjoy a more indulgent sparkling wine experience.
Doux Champagne
Champagne in Doux expression is the sweetest of all, containing around 50g of sugar per litre. Champagne in this form is characterised by high sweetness, fruity notes of citrus, apple, pear, and white peach, and a creamy texture balanced by gentle acidity. Champagne reveals flavours of biscuit, toast, and a hint of honey, finishing crisp and clean with a subtle lingering sweetness. Champagne is best enjoyed as a dessert wine, pairing beautifully with rich or sweet desserts, and is noticeably sweeter than Demi-Sec.
Winery Tour
The different styles of Champagne . . .
Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Blanc de Blancs Champagne is a sparkling wine crafted entirely from Chardonnay grapes grown in the Champagne region of France. The name “Blanc de Blancs” translates to “white from whites,” reflecting its 100% white grape composition. Renowned for its elegance, light body, and high acidity, this Champagne displays delicate aromas of citrus and white flowers, along with flavours of green apple, pear, and a subtle hint of brioche. Traditionally made using the Méthode Champenoise, it undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle that creates its signature fine bubbles. Its bright, citrusy character makes Blanc de Blancs an excellent match for seafood, oysters, and other delicate dishes.
Blanc de Noirs Champagne
Blanc de Noirs Champagne is crafted exclusively from black grape varieties, typically Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier. After pressing and fermentation, the wine is blended with reserve wines before being bottled with a small addition of sugar and yeast to undergo a secondary fermentation, creating the fine bubbles and effervescence Champagne is celebrated for. Blanc de Noirs is known for its full body and rich, complex flavour profile, featuring notes of red fruits such as strawberry and raspberry. Its bold character makes it an excellent companion to red meats, strong cheeses, and dark chocolate.
Rosé Champagne
Rosé Champagne is primarily crafted by blending red and white wines. The red wine, made from Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier grapes, is lightly macerated with its skins to impart a delicate pink hue, while the white wine comes from Chardonnay grapes. The two wines are then blended and bottled with a small addition of sugar and yeast to undergo a secondary fermentation, producing the fine bubbles Champagne is known for. Rosé Champagne is recognised for its elegant pink colour, crisp acidity, and vibrant fruit-driven profile, featuring notes of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry. It pairs beautifully with seafood, poultry, and fruit-based desserts.
Organic Champagne
Organic Champagne is crafted from grapes grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, following the traditional Méthode Champenoise with a secondary fermentation in the bottle. It is typically characterised by bright acidity, a fresh, fruity aroma, and a delicate, elegant flavour. Depending on the grape varieties used, Organic Champagne can vary in profile, but it generally presents a more vibrant, lively character than conventional Champagne. Its freshness makes it an excellent pairing for seafood, poultry, and vegetable dishes.
Vegan Champagne
Vegan Champagne is crafted without the use of animal-derived products, such as isinglass (a fish gelatin) or casein (a milk protein), which are sometimes used as fining agents. The production follows the traditional Méthode Champenoise, including a secondary fermentation in the bottle, resulting in the same fine bubbles and effervescence as conventional Champagne. Vegan Champagne delivers the familiar flavours of citrus, apple, and baked bread, with a crisp, refreshing profile. Its versatility makes it an excellent match for seafood, vegetables, poultry, and a wide range of vegan dishes.
Winery Tour
Champagne ageing . . .
Ageing is key to Champagne’s complexity, depth, and elegance, shaping its flavour, aroma, and character. Vintage Champagne rests in cellars for a minimum of three years, developing layered sophistication. Multi-vintage blends combine grapes from different harvests for consistency and balance, while non-vintage Champagne matures for 15 to 18 months, offering a fresher, more approachable style. Ageing not only influences taste but also price, with prestige cuvées, vintages, and long-aged Champagnes commanding higher value than their non-vintage counterparts.
Non-Vintage Champagne
Non-vintage Champagne is a type of Champagne that is made by blending grapes from different years, typically 2 or 3 years. The aim is to create a consistent taste and style from one year to another. The varieties of grapes used to make non-vintage Champagne are the same as those used for vintage and multi-vintage Champagne: chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. These varieties are blended in different proportions and from different years to create a consistent expression of the house’s style, year after year.
Vintage Champagne
Vintage Champagne is made from grapes harvested in a single year and aged for at least three years before release. The varieties of grapes used to make vintage Champagne are the same as those used for non-vintage Champagne. The grapes are blended together in different proportions to create the desired style of Champagne for that year. The specific vintage year and the blend of grapes used will affect the final taste, aroma and character of the Champagne, making each vintage unique.
Winery Tour
Champagne regional . . .
The Champagne region of France is made up of four principal subregions, each offering its own unique character and style. In the south, the Côte des Bar is known for its rolling hills and clay-limestone soils, producing Pinot Noir with richness and a fruit-forward charm. The Côte des Blancs, celebrated for its chalky slopes, is the heartland of elegant, mineral-driven Chardonnay. The Montagne de Reims, with its forest-capped hills, yields powerful and structured Pinot Noir, while the Vallée de la Marne, with its varied soils, is renowned for expressive, fruit-forward Pinot Meunier. These distinctive terroirs, alongside strict regulations on grape varieties, yields, and ageing periods, ensure that every bottle labelled Champagne meets the region’s exacting standards. Before release, each wine must pass a formal tasting by a regional committee to guarantee quality.
Adding another layer of prestige, the historic Échelle des Crus—or “ladder of growth”—classifies Champagne’s villages and vineyards according to their potential and reputation. This system, shaped by soil composition, microclimate, historical renown, and the quality of wines produced, ranks villages as Grand Cru, Premier Cru, or Autre Cru. With only 17 villages awarded Grand Cru status, their wines are among the most coveted in the world.
Grand Cru
Grand Cru represents the highest classification in Champagne, reserved for the region’s most esteemed vineyards based on their reputation and historical significance. These vineyards benefit from exceptional terroir—a combination of soil, climate, and exposure—ideal for producing the finest grapes, resulting in Champagne of exceptional quality and distinction. Wines from Grand Cru vineyards are often regarded as the pinnacle of the region’s offerings, reflected in their prestige and premium pricing. Of the 17 Grand Cru villages, 11 are located in the Montagne de Reims and six in the Côte des Blancs.
Premier Cru
Premier Cru is the second-highest classification in Champagne, awarded to vineyards recognised for their quality, reputation, and historical significance. These vineyards benefit from favourable terroir—a combination of soil, climate, and exposure—capable of producing grapes that yield high-quality Champagne. However, not all Premier Cru Champagnes are identical in style or quality, as terroir and winemaking techniques vary between villages. The classification is reviewed every ten years to reflect the current standard of wines produced in each location. Only Champagnes blended from grapes grown in a designated Premier Cru parcel or commune may carry the Premier Cru designation. Out of the 319 vineyard communes in the Champagne region, just 44 have been awarded Premier Cru status.
Autre Cru
As part of the Échelle des Crus, or “ladder of growth” system, Autre Cru represents the entry-level classification for Champagne. These vineyards possess good terroir, though not to the same exceptional standard as Grand Cru or Premier Cru sites. The designation is given to villages with only a minority—or none—of their vineyards classified as Grand or Premier Cru. Champagnes from Autre Cru vineyards are of solid quality but generally offer less complexity and ageing potential than those from higher-ranked vineyards.
