THE LABEL
Champagne
It is mandatory to mention the word 'champagne' on both the label and the cork (which only becomes visible after the foil has been removed and the bottle has been opened).
The labels on the front and on the back side of the champagne bottle often contain a lot of useful information, that can help you to decide which bottle you would like to buy or which champagne you would like to taste
If you already know when you will be enjoying the champagne, for example as an aperitif or with a certain dish, and during which occasion, do not hesitate to mention this to the champagne expert. He or she might have some interesting information or tips, that will certainly enhance the tasting experience later on!
Below, you will find an explanation of the most common information that is mentioned on the label.
Nicole Langen Fotografie
Nicole Langen Fotografie
Example front label
Produit de France
Champagne only comes from Champagne, France.
Champagne Petiteaux, Cote des Bar - Landreville
This is the name of the champagne producer. The name of the champagne house or producer often has a prominent place on the label. This producer is located in Landreville (Côte des Bar), located in the southern part of the Champagne region.
Cuvée Mobline
A champagne is often given a distinctive name, for example the name of an important person or year in the history of the house. The name can also refer to e.g. a special event, to the style of the champagne or to the specific grapes that have been used. 'Mobline' is the name of the first plot that the producer bought. The champagne house or the producer determines the name.
Extra brut
Extra brut refers to the sugar content in the champagne; this is a very dry champagne, with only 0-6 grams of sugar per litre. In 85-90% of the cases we are used to drinking a brut champagne (6-12 grams of sugar per liter).
Example back label
Philipponnat
Name of the champagne house
Cuvée 1522 - Grand Cru -Extra Brut
The name of the champagne. In 1522, an ancestor of the founder bought vineyards between Aÿ and Dizy. It is a cuvée (the first pressing), based on grapes from grands crus. Extra brut and dosage: See above.
Elaboré à [...] par [...]
'Produced in [location], by [producer's name].
a champagne made with grapes from one harvest year, in this case 2009.
Bouteilles
The number of bottles produced.
The proportion of each of these grape varieties in the champagne
The date the sediment was removed from the bottle.
Size does matter...
Here are the most common sizes of champagne bottles. A regular size bottle (75 cl) and a magnum (1.5 l) are usually in stock or can be delivered quite quickly (unless there is a limited supply). Deviating formats can often only be delivered on demand.
It is very festive and spectacular to serve champagne from a large(r) bottle, but it does take some practice to pour the champagne properly! Go to 'tasting champagne' to find tips to open a champagne bottle.
From small to large:
Quarter - 20 cl (quart bottle)
Half bottle - 37.5 cl (half bottle)
Bottle - 75 cl (one bottle)
Magnum - 1.5 L (2 bottles)
Jeroboam - 3 l (4 bottles)
Rehoboam - 4.5 l (6 bottles)
Mathusalem - 6 l (8 bottles)
Salmanazar - 9 l (12 bottles)
Balthazar - 12 l (16 bottles)
Nabuchodonosor - 15 l (20 bottles)
Salomon - 18 l (24 bottles)
Souverain - 26.25 l (35 bottles)
Primat - 27 l (36 bottles)
Melchizedek or Midas - 30 l (40 bottles)
Nicole Langen Fotografie
What do NM, RM, RC, CM, ND and MA mean?
These two letters (see above 'example back label') tell you something about the champagne producer. The abbreviation is followed by an official registration number of Comité Champagne (CIVC).
NM - Négociant manipulant: Individual or company who buys grapes, grape must or wine to make champagne on their own premises and market it under their own label. All of the big champagne couses belong in this category.
RM - Récoltant manipulant: Grower who makes and markets own-label champagne, from grapes exclusively sourced from their own vineyards and processed on their own premises.
RC - Récoltant-coopérateur: Co-op grower who markets co-op-produced champagne under their own label
CM - Coopérative de manipulation: Wine co-op that markets champagne made on co-op premises from members grapes.
ND - Négociant distributeur: Distributor who buys in finished bottles of champagne and labels them in their own name, on their own premises prior to release.
MA - Marque d'acheteur: Brand of champagne owned by a third party who is not the producer, for instance supermarket own-brand Champagne (finished champagne sourced from various producers then sold under the supermarket’s own label).
(Source: Comité Champagne)