All Champagne is sparkling
wine. But not all sparkling wine is Champagne.
The wine known as Champagne can only come from
the region in France of the same name. La Champagne
(the region) is located 90 miles northeast of
Paris, and in the northernmost wine region in
Europe. Of its 84,000 acres, 60,000 (300 individual
vineyards) are planted to the varieties that go
into Le Champagne (the wine). These include: Chardonnay,
Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The soil of Champagne
is a unique chalk which lies just below the thin,
constantly-fertilized top soil. The cool climate
is almost marginal for grape growing, even in
warmer years, dictating the grapes will always
be high in acid--not ideal for still wine--but
perfect for sparkling.
Most of the important Champagne houses (producers)
are located in the city of Reims, famous for cathedrals
as well as Champagne, and the town of Epernay
to the south. These houses are famous for their
miles of cold, dark, chalky cellars, in which
their prized Champagne ages for many years.
