Champagne grand cru is a Sparkling white wine produced in the vineyards of the Champagne region of northeastern France and more specifically in the wine regions of the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne, the Côte des Blancs, the Côte des Bar, the Côte de Sézanne and Vitry-le-François. Administratively, the Champagne grand cru can be produced in the departments of Marne, Aisne, Aube, Seine-et-Marne and Haute-Marne. Its vineyards benefit from a temperate-oceanic Climate with a continental influence and a Terroir made of limestone and marl soils. The Champagne Grand Cru wine can be made with the following main Grape varieties: Chardonnay B, Meunier N, Pinot N, Arbane B, Petit Meslier B, Pinot B.
(See all the grape varieties) The Champagne Grand Cru has the French label AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) and the European label AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée). It also has the "grand cru" label.
Pinot Gris is a grey grape variety mutated from Pinot Noir. It has its origins in Burgundy, where it is called pinot-beurot in reference to the colour of the grey robes worn by the monks of the region. Established in Alsace since the 17th century, pinot gris was called tokay until 2007. It is made up of bunches of small berries that vary in colour from pink to blue-grey. It is particularly well suited to the continental climate because it is resistant to the cold in winter and to spring frosts. This variety also likes dry limestone soils with plenty of sunshine in the summer. Pinot Gris is well suited to late harvesting or to the selection of noble grapes, depending on the year and the concentration of sugars in the berries. Pinot Gris wines are distinguished by their aromatic complexity of white fruits, mushrooms, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, etc., and their great finesse. In the Loire Valley, pinot gris is used in the Coteaux-d'Ancenis appellations. It gives dry or sweet wines with pear and peach aromas.
sparkling wines from the region of Champagne Grand Cru go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) or shellfish such as recipes of kig ha farz (breton stew), tuna, goat cheese and mustard pie or spanish paella.
On the nose in the region of Champagne Grand Cru often reveals types of flavors of cherry, apples or strawberries and sometimes also flavors of raspberry, red currant or non oak. In the mouth in the region of Champagne Grand Cru is a powerful with a nice vivacity and a fine and pleasant bubble.
