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CHAMPAGNE
– STYLES –
Reserve wines stored in magnums on the lees at Bollinger
Due to climate change, Champagne can no longer
claim to be home to the only vineyards in the
North of Europe. Vines are now grown in the
South of England, Belgium and Luxembourg,
at even more extreme latitudes. But these wine
regions are limited in size, whereas Champagne produces
an average of 230 million bottles a year – at a latitude of
49.5 North! So the first characteristic to remember, and
which stems from a harsh climate, is the freshness in
the wines. This is a direct consequence of very moderate
sunshine – Reims has 1,629 hours a year, compared with
2,069 for Bordeaux.
DISTINCTIVE SOILS
The second trait shared by Champagne wines comes from
the geology of the sub-soils, which are mostly formed
of chalk. Not only do vines thrive on chalk, which acts
as a storage receptacle for water due to its permeability,
it is also essential for those who drink Champagne
because it imparts distinctive minerality. Obviously the
sedimentary outcrops can vary, from chalk to marl and
actual limestone. Admittedly, in the Côte des Blancs
region near Epernay, the chalk forms outcrops, whereas it
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 11