Grower Champagne: Your Next Auction Acquisition
Updated
Grower champagne offers a distinct expression of the region's terroir. Independent vignerons make it themselves, cultivating their own grapes and crafting the wine. Unlike the large Champagne houses that often blend grapes from various vineyards and vintages, a grower champagne, identified by the "RM" (Récoltant manipulant) abbreviation on its label, guarantees that at least 95% of the grapes used come from the producer's own vineyards. This direct control from vine to bottle often results in a more individual, terroir-driven style, appealing to collectors seeking unique and authentic representations of the Champagne region. Understanding these producers can help you diversify your cellar and find exceptional bottles for both enjoyment and potential appreciation.
What is a grower champagne?
A Récoltant manipulant, or RM, produces grower champagne. This type of producer makes wine primarily from its own grapes, with a maximum of 5% of purchased grapes permitted. This contrasts with Négociant manipulant (NM) companies, which include most larger brands and buy grapes to make their wine, and Coopérative de manipulation (CM) entities, which are cooperatives making wines from their member growers' pooled grapes. An abbreviation followed by an official number on the bottle identifies the producer type. You can explore a range of these producers on our Champagne region map.
How does grower champagne differ from other Champagne?
The primary distinction of grower champagne lies in the Récoltant manipulant's direct control over the entire winemaking process, from cultivating the vines to bottling the final product. This contrasts with the Négociant manipulant model, where those houses often source grapes from various growers across the region. While large Champagne houses aim for a consistent style across their non-vintage offerings, blending anywhere from 10% to 15% of wine from older vintages, and sometimes as high as 40%, grower producers often highlight the specific characteristics of their vineyards. Comité Champagne notes that each producer develops their "own recognisable style, their signature" through choices made in their vineyard and wine cellar. This can lead to a more varied and individualistic profile in grower champagnes, reflecting a specific terroir rather than a broad house style.
What grapes are used in grower champagne?
Grower champagnes, like all Champagnes, are predominantly made from Pinot noir, Pinot meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. However, small amounts of other varieties are also vinified, including Pinot blanc, Pinot gris (known as Fromenteau in Champagne), Arbane, and Petit Meslier.
The choice and blend of these grapes significantly influence the Champagne's profile:
- Chardonnay: Provides "liveliness, minerality and notes of citrus fruits and white flowers," according to Comité Champagne. Most Chardonnay is grown in the Côte des Blancs, south of Épernay, in east-facing vineyards.
- Pinot noir: Contributes "body, structure, red fruits and such flowers as violets and roses," notes Comité Champagne. This grape is predominantly grown in the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne, areas known for their chalky slopes.
- Pinot meunier: Offers "fruity notes, roundness, and notes of apples, pears and yellow fruits," according to Comité Champagne. Like Pinot noir, it is mainly grown in the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne.
Grower producers may also specialize in particular styles:
- Blanc de Blancs: Designates a Champagne made exclusively from white grape varieties, mainly Chardonnay, or in rare cases from Pinot blanc, according to Comité Champagne.
- Blanc de Noirs: Made solely from red grape varieties, Pinot Noir and/or Meunier, notes Comité Champagne. The juice, which is white, is extracted with minimal skin contact.
Understanding the unique characteristics of these grapes and their regional expressions is key to appreciating the diversity within Champagne, much like exploring the varietals of Bordeaux or Burgundy.
How is Champagne made, and how does this affect grower producers?
Champagne is produced using the méthode traditionnelle, formerly known as méthode champenoise, where a second alcoholic fermentation occurs in the bottle after primary fermentation and bottling. Adding several grams of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and rock sugar to the bottle induces this secondary fermentation, though each brand has its own recipe.
Key stages in this process include:
- Aging: A minimum of 15 months is required for non-vintage Champagne to fully develop its flavor, while vintage Champagne must mature for at least three years.
- Remuage (Riddling): After aging, bottles are manipulated, either manually or mechanically, to settle the lees in the neck.
- Disgorgement: The bottle's neck is frozen, and the cap is removed, allowing the six-bar (90 psi) pressure inside to force out the ice containing the lees.
- Dosage: A "liqueur de dosage," a blend of typically cane sugar and wine, is added to adjust the sweetness and maintain the wine level. This final touch is crucial for balancing acidity and can contribute to the wine's aging potential, states Benoît Gouez, cellar master of Moët & Chandon.
The sweetness levels are classified as follows, according to Comité Champagne:
| Classification | Sugar per litre |
|---|---|
| Extra Brut | Less than 6 grams |
| Brut | Less than 12 grams |
| Extra Dry | Between 12 and 17 grams |
| Sec | Between 17 and 32 grams |
| Demi-sec | Between 32 and 50 grams |
| Doux | More than 50 grams |
The most common style today is Brut, though 19th-century Champagnes were generally much sweeter, often consumed as dessert wines. For a grower producer, every step of this intricate process is typically managed in-house, allowing for precise control over the final product's character. This hands-on approach can lead to unique expressions that differentiate them from larger houses. For those considering fine wine investment, understanding these production nuances is essential.
How should you store and serve grower champagne?
Proper storage and serving are crucial for enjoying Champagne, including grower bottlings, at its best.
Storage: Comité Champagne advises that you can store bottles upright or on their sides in a cool place, maintaining a constant temperature between 10 and 15°C. High and constant humidity, between 60% and 80%, is also important. Comité Champagne states that you must protect bottles from light, vibrations, and odors, and that the storage place should be well ventilated. While the producer ages Champagne for at least 15 months before release, it can be kept for several more years if these conditions are met, according to Comité Champagne. For more detailed guidance, consult our guide on how to store wine.
Serving: Champagne should be drunk chilled to appreciate its finesse and aromas, ideally between 8-10°C, notes Comité Champagne. We specify an ideal drinking temperature of 7 to 9°C. To achieve this, Comité Champagne suggests placing the bottle in an ice bucket half-filled with water and ice for 20 to 30 minutes before serving, or in the bottom of the fridge for a few hours.
Glassware: Comité Champagne recommends a "tall, bulbous glass with a narrow top, shaped like a tulip" over flutes or coupes, as this shape is better suited to expressing the wine's full character and aromas. Flutes are designed to preserve carbonation and maximize nucleation, while the coupe was designed in England in 1663 specifically for sparkling wine and champagne.
Pouring: To preserve the most bubbles, pour sparkling wine by tilting the glass at an angle and gently sliding the liquid along the side, rather than pouring directly down to create a head of "mousse," according to a study by scientists from the University of Reims. Colder bottle temperatures also result in reduced loss of gas.
Opening: To reduce the risk of spilling or spraying, hold the cork firmly and rotate the bottle at an angle to ease out the stopper, advises Comité Champagne. This method prevents the cork from flying out at speed, as the expanding gases are supersonic.
What are the market trends for Champagne?
The Champagne industry is expected to sell 314 million bottles in 2023, a 3.7% decrease from the previous year, according to the Comité Champagne industry trade group, as reported by Bloomberg News. While nightclub markets remain strong, consumption of Champagne in the home is losing ground, Bloomberg News states.
In terms of overall shipments, Comité Champagne reports a total of 325.5 million bottles, valued at 6.8 billion EUR. France accounts for 42.5% of the volume and 34% of the value, while exports represent 57.5% of the volume and 66% of the value.
The top ten external markets for Champagne by volume and value, according to Comité Champagne, are:
| No. | Country | Volume (million bottles) | Value (million EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 34.1 | 793.5 |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 29.9 | 503.6 |
| 3 | Japan | 13.8 | 354.5 |
| 4 | Germany | 11.1 | 201.9 |
| 5 | Belgium | 10.3 | 200.1 |
| 6 | Australia | 9.9 | 166.9 |
| 7 | Italy | 9.2 | 159.9 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 6.1 | 125.6 |
| 9 | Spain | 4.4 | 94.0 |
| 10 | Netherlands | 3.9 | 79.7 |
Several general factors influence the price of Champagne, including the limited land of the region, the worldwide prestige Champagne has developed, and the high cost of the production process, according to Forbes.
You can track the broader market performance of fine wines, including Champagne, on our live fine wine market index.
Understanding Champagne Producer Types
Abbreviations followed by an official number on the bottle identify the type of Champagne producer:
| Abbreviation | Type of Producer | Description |
|---|---|---|
| NM | Négociant manipulant | Companies, including the majority of the larger brands, that buy grapes and make the wine |
| CM | Coopérative de manipulation | Co-operatives that make wines from the growers who are members, with all the grapes pooled together |
| RM | Récoltant manipulant | Also known as grower champagne: a grower that also makes wine from its own grapes, with a maximum of 5% of purchased grapes permitted |
| SR | Société de récoltants | An association of growers making a shared champagne but who are not a co-operative |
| RC | Récoltant coopérateur | A co-operative member selling champagne produced by the co-operative under its own name and label |
| MA | Marque auxiliaire or Marque d'acheteur | A brand name unrelated to the producer or grower; the name is owned by someone else, for example a supermarket |
| ND | Négociant distributeur | A wine merchant selling under his own name |
You can keep it for several more years. But if you do so, take care to follow a few golden rules!
Bottles can be stored upright or on their sides, in a cool place, at a constant temperature of between 10 and 15°C. Humidity must be high and constant, between 60% and 80%. The bottle must be protected from light, vibrations and odours. The storage place must be well ventilated, states Comité Champagne.
What sort of glass should I enjoy my Champagne in?
People often believe that the best way to serve Champagne is in a flute or coupe. Actually, these two shapes aren’t best suited to expressing its full character, according to Comité Champagne. Instead, choose a tall, bulbous glass with a narrow top, shaped like a tulip. Your Champagne will then be able to deploy all its aromas and fine bubbles, Comité Champagne advises. Flutes are designed to reduce surface area, preserving carbonation and maximizing visible bubbles. However, if you prefer flutes or coupes for their sophistication and historical appeal, Comité Champagne states you can still use them.
How do you open and pour Champagne to best preserve its qualities?
Opening a bottle of Champagne can be an impressive sight, but it requires care. The pressure in the bottle can send the cork flying, especially if the bottle has been shaken, notes Comité Champagne. To open it safely and without spillage, ensure the bottle is at its ideal temperature of 8-10°C, according to Comité Champagne. Start by removing the muselet (wire cage) and foil cap, keeping a firm grip on the cork and not pointing the bottle at anyone, advises Comité Champagne. Then, still holding the cork firmly, grasp the bottle’s body and rotate it gently to remove the cork from the neck without letting it escape, Comité Champagne explains. Rotating the bottle at an angle, rather than pulling the cork, allows air in and helps prevent the Champagne from geysering out.
When pouring, tilting the glass at an angle and gently sliding the liquid along the side will preserve the most bubbles, according to a study by scientists from the University of Reims. Pour a small quantity first, allowing the wine to aerate, then fill the glass slowly and regularly until it’s two-thirds full, recommends Comité Champagne. Colder bottle temperatures also result in reduced loss of gas. Those interested in the ceremonial aspect can use a sabre to open a Champagne bottle, a technique called sabrage.
If you have an unfinished bottle, seal it using a stopper cap designed for sparkling wines and place it in a cool place, upright or on its side. However, once opened, a bottle won't keep for long, warns Comité Champagne. The idea that a spoon in the neck preserves bubbles is not true, Comité Champagne states.