Champagne — Artisan vs Big Brand
Bollinger, Pol Roger, Krug, Moët (pronounced mow-et with a hard ‘t’ by the way — the surname is of Dutch origin). You’ve no doubt heard of these icons of the champagne world. In fact, you’ve probably even quaffed a glass or two of their produce at some point in the past… and maybe even earmarked a favourite for a future occasion.
Before you go ahead and buy the finest magnum of big brand champagne you can afford to toast your next special moment though, it’s imperative that you familiarise yourself with something that might change your entire outlook…
Artisan or ‘Grower’ Champagne
Unfamiliar with the term? Don’t worry, you’re about to find out all about this burgeoning trend, so you can wow guests at your next dinner party with superb knowledge, as you sabre that extra special bottle of unique champagne.
To set the scene, most ‘big brand’ champagne or — to be more technical and French — ‘Grand Maisons’ produce champagne by a method known as Négociant Manipulant. Next time you’re in the supermarket grab a bottle and take a look at the label — you should find ‘NC’ denoted somewhere. Essentially, what this boils down to is a huge company buying in grapes and grape ‘must’ (the juice from crushed grapes) from a range of local farmers in Champagne and using this to create and bottle their branded produce. This isn’t bad and, indeed, it’s the only way they can create champagne at the volume they require, but you lose something special from this process.
There is another way…
Récoltant Manipulant is the opposite end of the spectrum (denoted RM on a label — although you won’t find these in the supermarket). They are champagnes that are produced in super small batches, from start to finish by the same farmer — the person who ploughs the soil and nurtures the grapes, is also the one who harvests and bottles the produce. Hence the term ‘grower’ champagne.
Why is it better?
You’ve probably heard the term ‘terroir’ discussed in relation to wine; how the specifics of the local environment — soil, drainage, aspect etc, all influence the wine and impart unique characteristics. Well, that can also be true for champagne. Unfortunately though, the big brand or ‘NC’ method of production masks these unique traits, whereas, with artisan champagne, the true beauty and flavour of a single vineyard is fulfilled.
It must cost the earth!
Small scale (just a few hundred or thousand bottles in some instances), produced by a single farmer! If this exclusivity sets your ‘astronomical-price-tag’ alarm bells ringing, then fear not. When your overheads amount to you and a couple of helping hands, there’s no need to ramp up the price to cover costs, what’s more, there is no ‘paying for the label’ with the small guys, so you can be assured that your money is going into the champagne rather than the marketing budget.
How do they compare to the big guns?
Why not find out? Sip Champagnes work solely with artisan champagne. The resident expert, Peter Crawford, has highlighted the unique features of a clutch of the Grand Marques and found an artisan alternative to match. So, if you’ve a penchant for Dom Perignon, find out what unknown name can rival their prestige blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; if you want to see what stacks up against the renowned Roederer Cristal, take a look at the biodynamic and organic winemakers pushing the boundaries to better the flavour. It’s all here and much more besides.
