Champagne Regions Explained

7 mins read

Key Takeaways

• Champagne only comes from a legally defined area in north-eastern France, made up of 319 villages known as crus.
• The four main areas are the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne, the Côte des Blancs and the Côte des Bar, and each leans towards a different grape.
• Pinot Noir leads in the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Bar, Chardonnay rules the Côte des Blancs, and Meunier thrives in the western Marne Valley.
• Grand Cru and Premier Cru on a label tell you the grapes came from Champagne's most highly rated villages.

 

Champagne comes from one place only: a defined wine region in north-eastern France, about 145 kilometres east of Paris. Inside that region are four main growing areas, the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne, the Côte des Blancs and the Côte des Bar, and each one shapes the wine in its own way. Once you know which area a bottle comes from, you have a good idea of how it will taste before you pop the cork.

In this guide, we walk you through each Champagne region, the grapes that grow there, and how to spot the region on a label, so you can choose your next bottle with confidence.

Where Is the Champagne Region?

The Champagne region sits in north-eastern France, with the cities of Reims and Épernay at its heart. Its boundaries were set by law in 1927, and today the appellation covers around 34,300 hectares of vines across 319 villages, which locals call crus.

The vineyards stretch across five French départements. Most of the vines are in the Marne, with the Aube, the Aisne, the Haute-Marne and the Seine-et-Marne making up the rest. Only wine grown and made inside this zone, under the appellation's rules, can carry the name Champagne. If you'd like the full story on that, our guide to sparkling wine vs Champagne covers it.

The Four Main Champagne Regions

The Champagne appellation is usually split into four main areas, plus the smaller Côte de Sézanne. Each has its own landscape, soil and favourite grape, which is why two Champagnes can taste so different.

Montagne de Reims

The Montagne de Reims curves around the south of Reims in a half-moon shape, and Pinot Noir is its most planted grape. The "mountain" is really a gentle wooded hill, with vineyards on its slopes. Wines from here tend to have body and structure, with red fruit character from the Pinot Noir. Reims is also home to many of the big Champagne houses. In our range, that includes Louis Roederer, Taittinger and Bruno Paillard. Keep in mind that a house's address and its vineyards aren't always the same place, as most houses blend grapes from across the region.

Vallée de la Marne

The Vallée de la Marne follows the Marne River west from Épernay, with vineyards on the steep hillsides either side of the water. Near Épernay, Pinot Noir is the main grape. Further west, Meunier takes over. Meunier buds later than the other two main grapes, so it copes better with spring frost and the region's clay-rich soils. It gives Champagne a round, fruity, supple character that is easy to enjoy young. Laurent-Perrier, based in Tours-sur-Marne, is one of the houses on the Marne you'll find in our range.

Côte des Blancs

The Côte des Blancs runs south from Épernay and is named for its white grape, Chardonnay. Its chalky slopes suit Chardonnay so well that it is the area's star variety. Wines from the Côte des Blancs are known for freshness, citrus and floral notes, and a fine, crisp finish.

This is the home of many great Blanc de Blancs, which are Champagnes made only from white grapes. Try the Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Cuvée Cuis 1er Cru Blanc de Blancs, from the Premier Cru village of Cuis, or the Larmandier-Bernier Rosé de Saignée 1er Cru from the same part of Champagne.

Côte des Bar

The Côte des Bar lies in the far south of the appellation, south-east of Troyes in the Aube. It is much closer to Burgundy than to Reims, and Pinot Noir makes up 83% of its vines. Expect generous, fruit-forward Champagnes with plenty of ripe red fruit. The Côte des Bar has become a favourite with smaller grower producers, and it is worth seeking out if you love a fuller style. 

Côte de Sézanne

The Côte de Sézanne sits south of the Côte des Blancs and, like its neighbour, mainly grows Chardonnay. It is a smaller area and less well known, which can make it a good place to find value.

How the Grapes Change by Region

Three grapes make up almost all of Champagne's vineyards, and where they grow explains much of each region's style. Pinot Noir covers 38% of the vineyard area, while Chardonnay and Meunier cover 31% each.

 

Five other grape varieties are allowed in Champagne, including Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, but together they cover only about 0.3% of the vineyard area. Most Champagne is a blend of grapes from several regions, which is how houses keep their non-vintage style consistent from year to year.

Why Chalk Matters in Champagne

Chalk is the secret behind much of Champagne's freshness. About 75% of the rock under the region's vineyards is limestone, in the form of chalk, marl and hard limestone. Chalk is very porous, so it soaks up water in wet months and slowly releases it to the vines' roots in dry spells. That steady supply helps the grapes ripen evenly while keeping the bright acidity Champagne is known for. The chalk is closest to the surface in the Côte des Blancs, which is one reason its Chardonnay is so prized.

Grand Cru and Premier Cru Explained

Grand Cru and Premier Cru on a Champagne label tell you the grapes came from the region's most highly rated villages. The ratings come from the échelle des crus, a village-by-village scale first set up in 1911. Under that scale, villages rated 100% earned Grand Cru status, and villages rated between 90% and 99% became Premier Cru. Champagne has 17 Grand Cru villages, most of them in the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs, and 44 Premier Cru villages.

The scale no longer sets grape prices, but villages kept their Grand Cru and Premier Cru names, and you'll still see them on labels. A Grand Cru or Premier Cru Champagne is often a step up in concentration and price. That said, plenty of brilliant Champagne comes from other villages, so treat the classification as a guide rather than a rule. 

How to Spot the Region on a Champagne Label

Most Champagne labels don't name a sub-region, so a few clues help you work out where a bottle comes from.

• Village name: Grower Champagnes often name the village, such as Cuis, and that tells you the area.
• Grand Cru or Premier Cru: These point you towards the top-rated villages, most often in the Montagne de Reims or the Côte des Blancs.
• Blanc de Blancs: Made only from white grapes such as Chardonnay, often from the Côte des Blancs.
• Blanc de Noirs: Made only from dark-skinned grapes, Pinot Noir and/or Meunier, often from the Montagne de Reims, the Marne or the Côte des Bar.
• The house's town: Reims, Épernay or Aÿ on the label tells you where the house is based, even if the grapes come from across the region.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main Champagne regions?

The main Champagne regions are the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne, the Côte des Blancs and the Côte des Bar. The smaller Côte de Sézanne sits next to the Côte des Blancs and mainly grows Chardonnay.

Which Champagne region is best?

No single region is best, as each suits a different style. Choose the Côte des Blancs for fresh, elegant Blanc de Blancs, the Montagne de Reims for structure and body, the Marne for round and fruity wines, and the Côte des Bar for generous Pinot Noir.

Is Grand Cru Champagne better than Premier Cru?

Grand Cru villages had the top rating on Champagne's village scale, and Premier Cru villages sat just below. Grand Cru wines are often more concentrated, but the producer and the style matter just as much, so a great Premier Cru can easily outshine an average Grand Cru.

What is the difference between Reims and Épernay?

Reims and Épernay are the two main Champagne towns. Reims sits at the edge of the Montagne de Reims, while Épernay sits on the Marne, close to the Côte des Blancs. Both are home to many famous Champagne houses.

Find Your Favourite Champagne Region at World Wine

The best way to understand the Champagne regions is to taste them side by side. Try a Blanc de Blancs from the Côte des Blancs next to a Pinot Noir-led Champagne from the Montagne de Reims, and you'll notice the difference straight away.

Explore our full range of Champagne, from big-name houses to small grower producers, delivered to your door across Australia. Looking for something to celebrate with? Our guide to Champagne and sparkling for parties has plenty of ideas.