The gentle slopes of the Côte des Blancs vineyards stretch for some twenty kilometers, from south of Épernay to Vertus and Bergères-les-Vertus. Ten wine-producing villages make up this sub-region and, despite their small size, many of them have achieved worldwide renown thanks to iconic champagne producers such as Champagne Selosse and Champagne Agrapart in Avize, or Champagne Salon in Mesnil-sur-Oger.
What stands out most about Côte des Blancs is the white limestone soil of the vineyards, which is thought to be the origin of the name, although other theories suggest different origins. Here, the soils are so poor in topsoil that the bright white bedrock of Cretaceous-age chalk outcrops in many plots. These eroded slopes create the perfect growing conditions for one grape variety: Chardonnay.
A landscape of Grands Crus and Premiers Crus
3,142 hectares of Chardonnay are planted in the Côte des Blancs delimited area, spread over 10 wine-growing villages. These include six Grand Crus - Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Chouilly and Oiry - and four Premier Crus: Cuis, Grauves, Vertus and Bergères-les-Vertus.
Chardonnay covers 97.22% of the Côte des Blancs vineyard surface, and only 1.99% Pinot Noir and 0.75% Meunier adorn the plots of some growers. (Source: Union de Maisons de Champagne)
Although the Côte des Blancs has been known for its top-quality Chardonnay throughout Champagne's history, the proportion of Pinot Noir was more prevalent in the last century, particularly in the southern part of the slope such as Vertus and Bergères-les-Vertus. However, when the appeal of refreshing Blanc de Blancs Champagne became a real trend, and white grape prices began to soar as a result, more and more winemakers began to replace their vineyards with Chardonnay.
The highest peak on the Avize slopes reaches an altitude of 248 meters, though most reach altitudes of between 100 and 200 meters. Forest covers most hilltops with a generous layer of clay soil, while the lower slopes often have so little soil that white patches of bare limestone can be found. The balance sought between these two extremes is generally found in the mid-slope sections, where the grapes express themselves to the full.
The Côte des Blancs style
The overall character of Côte de Blancs champagne is described as lively, with crisp acidity and racy minerality. As the great champagne houses have made the Blanc de Blancs name popular around the world, this definition has become so emblematic for the entire Blanc de Blancs category that many consumers expect all Chardonnay-based champagnes to have the same style, regardless of where the grapes come from.
However, more knowledgeable champagne lovers will always argue that the Côte des Blancs has much more to offer than a crisp champagne with bright acidity and racy minerality, and that each village deserves its own recognition. And they're absolutely right. There is a wide range of distinct expressions in the base wines, varying from village to village and hillside to hillside!
When asked about the uniqueness of their wines, Côte de Blancs winemakers quickly lose themselves in philosophical and much-appreciated discussions about the distinctions of their terroirs. One of their most philosophical representatives is Anselme Selosse, of Domaine Jacques Selosse in Avize, who was one of the first pioneers to promote terroir distinction in Champagne, when most producers were still convinced that blending wines was their only selling point.
Today, the cellar masters of the most famous Champagne houses specifically select crus or even parcels for distinct qualities to create their precise blends, such as aromatic expression, acidity levels or body.
