A
Appearance
A term that is used to express whether a wine is brilliant (crystal clear), cloudy or contains sediment.
Aroma
The fragrance or smell from wine that has its origin in the grape. This term is in contrast with ‘bouquet’, which has its origin in aging.
Atmosphere
A unit of measure for the pressure inside a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine. A typical bottle holds about six atmospheres of pressure.
Autolysis
A process in which yeast cells break down after fermentation, releasing compounds that add complexity, richness, and creamy textures to Champagne.
B
Balthazar
A Champagne bottle holding 12 liters, equivalent to sixteen standard bottles.
Blanc de Blancs
Champagne made exclusively from white grapes, usually Chardonnay.
Blanc de Noirs
Champagne made from black grapes such as Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier.
Brut
Champagne that contains between 8–12g of sugar per litre, making it dry and crisp.
Bottle
The standard Champagne bottle size, containing 750 ml.
Bouquet
The fragrance or smell from wine that has its origin in the aging or other processing methods. The bouquet comes from long aging of the wine in contact with the yeast; the same yeast that has changed the wine from ‘still’ to ‘sparkling.’
Brut
The name used to describe a champagne that has between 8 – 12 g per litre of residual sugar added after the second fermentation process. 12 g/litre is the maximum permissible amount of sugar that can be added.
Brut Nature (or Brut Zéro)
Champagne with less than 3 g of sugar added per litre. This is the driest of the champagnes.
C
Champagne
A sparkling wine that can only be produced in the Champagne region of France using the traditional method.
Chaptalization
A winemaking technique where sugar is added to grape juice before fermentation to increase alcohol content.
Chardonnay
One of three grape varietals used in Champagne. It is used in combination with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and may be used on its own to produce Blanc de Blancs; the Chardonnay gives the wine elegance.
Classification
Premier crus villages are rated between 90 and 99 percent while the highest-rated villages, with 100% ratings, are Grand crus.
CM (Coopérative de Manipulation)
A wine cooperative that markets Champagne made from its members’ grapes.
Cuvee
A blend of wines held in a single tank or large cask that go to make up a specific champagne.
Cuvée de Prestige
A champagne producer’s best blend of champagne.
D
Dégorgement
Also known as Disgorging) The act of removing the frozen plug of ice from a bottle of champagne after the remuage process. This plug contains spent yeast.
Demi-Sec
A semi-sweet champagne with 3.3-5% of residual sugar.
Dosage
A small amount of wine, sometimes sweetened, that is added to each bottle of champagne after dégorgement to add balance (sweetness or roundness) and to make up for the liquid volume lost by dégorgement.
E
Extra Brut
A very dry champagne, containing less than 6 g of residual sugar per litre (0.6%), typically between 3 -6 g.
Extra Sec
Dry champagne with 1.2-2% residual sugar.
F
Fermentation
The process by which sugar is transformed into carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethyl alcohol, carried out by yeast growth in grape juice. In champagne, the carbon dioxide bubbles out of the solution and is trapped inside the sealed bottle.
G
Grand Cru
Villages with the highest rating (100%) on the ‘Échelle des Crus’. Grand Cru villages include: Ambonnay, Avize, Ay, Bouzy, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Verzenay, and Verzy.
H
Half Bottle
Known as Demi or ‘Fillete’ in French, meaning ‘little girl’. This 37.5cl bottle holds about 4 glasses of Champagne, perfect for event gifting or celebrations for two.
HVE (High Environmental Value)
A French certification recognizing wine producers who practice sustainable agriculture in their vineyards. It emphasizes biodiversity protection, responsible water management, and limited use of chemicals, signifying a commitment to environmentally friendly practices in Champagne.
J
Jeroboam
A Champagne bottle holding 3 litres, equivalent to four standard bottles.
L
Lees
The deposits of residual or dead yeast and other particles that precipitate after the first fermentation.
M
MA (Marque d’Acheteur)
An ‘own brand’ Champagne label produced exclusively for a client, such as a supermarket, celebrity, or retailer.
Maceration
The process of soaking grape solids in their juice before fermentation. Used in rosé production in Champagne to obtain the pink colour.
Magnum
A Champagne bottle size holding 1.5 liters, equivalent to two standard bottles.
Malolactic Fermentation
A process using bacteria instead of yeast to convert malic acid to lactic acid, softening the wine and adding buttery notes.
Melchizedek
The largest Champagne bottle, holding 30 litres, equivalent to forty standard bottles.
Methuselah
A Champagne bottle size holding 6 liters, equivalent to eight standard bottles.
Minerality
A characteristic in Champagne that evokes sensations reminiscent of wet stones, chalk, or flint. This trait is often attributed to the region’s unique chalky soils and cool climate, which together enhance the wine’s crisp acidity and refreshing qualities. However, the exact origin of minerality in wine remains a topic of debate among experts, with some suggesting it’s more related to the wine’s acidity and less to the direct uptake of minerals from the soil.
Mini Bottle
Also known as Piccolo, meaning ‘small’ in Italian. This 20cl bottle is a quarter of a standard bottle, ideal for gift hampers or a single glass of bubbly.
N
ND (Négociant Distributeur)
A distributor who buys finished bottles of Champagne for labeling on their own premises.
Nebuchadnezzar
A Champagne bottle size holding 15 liters, equivalent to twenty standard bottles.
NM (Négociant Manipulant)
A person or legal entity that buys grapes, grape must, or wine to make Champagne on their own premises and market it under their own label. All of the big Champagne houses belong in this category.
Non-Vintage (NV)
A blend of two or more years of champagne to produce a consistent style. Can be drunk immediately but benefits from at least six months of cellaring.
P
Pinot Meunier
A grape used in combination with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Adds softness to the champagne.
Pinot Noir
A grape used to produce champagne either in combination with Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay or alone for Blanc de Noirs. Adds weight to the wine.
Premier Cru
Villages rated between 90 and 99 percent on the percentile scale of the ‘Échelle des Crus’.
Primat
A Champagne bottle holding 27 litres, equivalent to thirty-six standard bottles.
Pupitre
The French name for the hinged, wooden ‘A-Frame’ rack used for hand-riddling (remuage) champagne bottles before dégorgement.
R
RC (Récoltant-Coopérateur)
A cooperative-grower who markets co-op produced Champagne under their own label.
RD (Recently Disgorged)
A trademark of Bollinger, meaning ‘recently disgorged’. Bollinger R.D. spends eight years on its lees and is aged under cork.
Rehoboam
A Champagne bottle holding 4.5 litres, equivalent to six standard bottles
Remuage (Riddling)
A process that settles the yeast sediment into the neck of the champagne bottle so it can be removed by dégorgement.
RM (Récoltant Manipulant)
A grower who makes and markets Champagne under their own label, using only grapes from their own vineyards and processing them on their own premises
Rosé
A champagne style made by blending red and white wines or using skin contact to extract colour.
S
Salmanazar
A Champagne bottle holding 9 litres, equivalent to twelve standard bottles.
Sec
A medium-sweet champagne with 17-35 grams per litre of residual sugar (1.7-3.5%).
Secondary Fermentation
Fermentation that takes place after primary fermentation. Used to transform still wine into sparkling wine.
Solomon
A Champagne bottle holding 18 litres, equivalent to twenty-four standard bottles.
SR (Société de Récoltants)
A family firm of growers that makes and markets Champagne under its own label, using grapes sourced from family vineyards.
Standard Bottle
The classic 75cl Champagne bottle, serving approximately 6 glasses. While most bottles share the same shape, some brands use distinct designs to stand out.
Sur Lies
A French term that refers to wine that has been held in contact with yeast lees longer than usual, often resulting in a wine with a pleasant yeastiness and more complexity.
T
Tirage
The first bottling step, turning a new wine into champagne. After tirage, the champagne is aged on the yeast, then remuage, dégorgement, and finally labeled for sale.
V
Vintage:The wine or champagne of a single year’s harvest, and is only made in good years. Vintage champagne should be richer and more flavoursome than non-vintage (NV), with extra depth, complexity, character and weight. It will need to mature for at least a decade to taste its very best.
