Champagne "Premier Cru"

Why choose a Premier Cru Champagne?

What does the term “Premier Cru” mean on a champagne? Many of us are asking this question. This notion of Premier Cru is very specific to Champagne and means that the cuvée has been elaborated with the harvest from a village classified as Premier Cru.

History of cru champagne

The Champagne region has more than 300 communes. Each of them was qualified at the beginning of the 20th century according to the quality of its grapes. From this classification a very particular appellation was born, AOC champagne which is divided as follows:

• 17 communes are classified as Grand Cru. These 17 villages are located in the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs. The quality of these harvests comes from a limestone outcrop on the surface which gives the grapes exceptional qualities. It is clearly the aristocrat of champagne.
• 44 communes are classified as Premier Cru. They also produce a wine of remarkable quality. The champagne can be made with grape varieties such as pinot noir, chardonnay or  pinot meunier.

Remember to look at the labels...

The mention Grand Cru and Premier Cru is sometimes indicated on the label, it is a precious piece of information to get an idea of the quality of the terroir. Be careful, the mention is not an obligation and it is not necessarily a guarantee of a quality champagne. Indeed, blending, vinification and ageing also play an essential role in the success of a champagne. The quality of the grapes alone is not enough to guarantee the excellence of the wine, even if it plays an important role through this fabulous raw material full of promise and nobility