About Champagne
France's northernmost A.O.C. wine-producing region is divided into four major districts, and the famous champagne houses are easily visited because they are mainly in the towns of Reims and Epernay.
Each district has a signposted wine route that laces together quaint villages via tractor-wide roads.
The Montagne de Reims route starts in Reims and travels 75 kilometres south to Epernay. The 52-kilometer Marne Valley route starts in Epernay and goes west to Vincelles. The Côte des Blancs / Côteaux de Sézannais route covers 108 kilometres from Epernay, south to Villenauxe-la-Grande. Finally, there is the Côtes des Bar in the South East corner of the region, between Troyes and Chaumont.
The French region, or appellation of champagne is made up of five major areas, which each produce distinct local base wines. The major champagne houses typically buy from all of the areas. Some growers make their own champagne; these are much more expressive of the regional variations across the area. Champagne is so well-known that it is the only region in France that does not require Appellation Origine Controllee (AOC) after it on the bottle - the name itself is sufficient.
The soils are mostly chalk, with good drainage but water retention to help with dry periods. The climate means that the grapes must struggle to ripen, producing an acidic, more concentrated fruit. Three grape varieties are grown: the white Chardonnay, common throughout the wine world; the black Pinot Noir, also used in Burgundy and many other areas for red wine; and the black Pinot Meunier, rarely seen outside the champagne region.
