Champagne Millésime: what is it?

In oenology, the term Millésime refers to the process of harvesting, producing and bottling the grapes of a given year, normally indicated on the label.

In other words, a vintage wine is made with grapes harvested in the same year. 

However, there is a significant exception: Champagne.

For Champagne, the declaration of the Millésime is reserved only for exceptional years, and not every year results in a vintage.

THE MILLÉSIMES CHAMPAGNES

Champagnes Millésimes are Champagnes obtained from the selection of a single vintage.

• A single vintage, which has particularly attracted the attention of the Vigneron because of its extraordinary specificities.
• In Champagne, a vintage becomes a Millésime when climatic conditions are favourable and when one or all of the vines are of extraordinary quality, possibly combined with quantity.
• A Champagne Millésimé is the exception, the perfect balance between two essential parameters: sugar and acidity.
• The grape is a fruit and, like the strawberry or the apricot, is sensitive to climatic changes. A Millésime from the same vineyards and the same terroir will never have the same taste and characteristics from one year to the next.
• This phenomenon makes each Millésime a special and rare Cuvée.

WHO DECIDES

THE ELEMENTS OF A MILLÉSIME CHAMPAGNE

A Millésime is a Champagne whose exceptional character justifies special rules controlling its production: it must be matured on the lees for a minimum of 3 years, usually much longer.

The core elements of a Champagne Millésime are:

• Its personality: the climatic vintage and aromatic intensity make it a Champagne with character.
• Its maturity: Millésime Champagnes age for 3 to 10 years or more in the cellar before being marketed, which gives them excellent maturity.
• Its balance: from the outset, the grapes and then the clear wines are chosen for their perfect acid-sugar balance, which will allow them to age for a long time.

UNCLAIMED MILLÉSIME CHAMPAGNES

In order for a Cuvée to be defined and claimed as a Champagne Millésime, the Vigneron must go through numerous bureaucratic procedures.

Therefore, a Vigneron sometimes chooses to make a Millésimes without claiming it.

It is therefore a Champagne Millésime but not claimed. The vintage year will therefore not appear on the label or cork.

On the other hand, a Champagne Millésimé claimed will obligatorily have the vintage year on the cork and on the label or neck of the bottle.

Discover our Boutique to taste the Champagnes Millésimes, and appreciate the exceptional result of this long work!

Cheers et à votre santé!