Champagne

Champagne, the northernmost major wine region of France, produces exclusively traditional-method sparkling wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grown across five main sub-zones: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, and the Aube. The region's chalky soils and cool continental climate produce high-acid base wines that develop complexity through extended lees aging. Non-vintage blending is the foundation of most house styles, as seen in the Brut Imperial from Moët & Chandon and the Yellow Label from Veuve Clicquot, both benchmarks of consistent house character. Ruinart's Blanc de Blancs draws exclusively from Chardonnay, reflecting the mineral precision of the Côte des Blancs. At the top tier, Veuve Clicquot's La Grande Dame 2015 represents a declared vintage from a single exceptional harvest.