Champagne

The wines of Champagne are fine, lively wines. They express themselves best when served chilled but never "shocked". The ideal way to chill Champagne wines is gradually, by immersing the bottle into a bucket of ice cubes. These wines get their unique character from their terroir, the harsh northern climate and the implantation of the vines on well-draining slopes. The Champagne region is divided into four main areas: Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne, Cote des Blancs and Cote de Bar. The vineyards of Champagne are planted with three main grape varieties, including the Chardonnay (grown in all of these areas, but also grown the only varietal to be grown in Cote des Blancs), Pinot Meunier (most prominent in Cote de Bar) and Pinot Noir (King of the Montagne de Reims and, to a lesser extent, the Marne Valley).