opinion / à la volée This article from The World of Fine Wine may not be sold, altered in any way, or circulated without this statement. Champagne’s ancient Every issue of The World of Fine Wine features coverage of the world’s finest wines in their historical and cultural context, along with news, reviews, interviews, and comprehensive international auction results. A subscription grape varieties includes access to the complete digital archive, stretching back 16 years. For further information and to subscribe to The World of Fine Wine, please visit Tom Stevenson www.worldoffinewine.com or call +44 020 7406 6790. he first mention of vine-growing WHITE GRAPES BLACK GRAPES Pinot Noir (Auvernat, Bon Noir, Demi-Plant RED OR GRIS GRAPES in Champagne can be dated to Until as recently as 15 years Aligoté (Beaunois, Troyen Blanc) Bachet Noir (François): Natural Pinot x Gouais Noir, Gamery, Gros Plant Doré Noir, Maître Chasselas Rouge: Color mutation. Noir, Maurillon, Morillon, Morillon Noir, AD 651, when Grimoald the Elder Arbanne (Arbane, Vert-Blanc) Blanc cross. Esplein Vert: Identity unknown; described T ago, most Champagne talk Noirien, Petit Noir, Petit Plant Doré, Petit Plant wrote to the Benedictine bishop Chardonnay (Beaunois, Maurillon Blanc, Chanet (Chanay, Chané): Identity unknown, as a “red variety” that “requires fertile soil,” Doré d’Aÿ, Petit Plant Vert, Pineau Franc, revolved around what were Chardonnet, Epinette de Champagne, Romeré, but it is described as a “black variety” from despite its name, which possibly referred to Remaclus, informing of a vineyard at Pineau Rouge, Plant Doré, Plant Doré d’Aÿ, Romeret) the Loire. its late-ripening. Terune (now Terron-sur-Aisne), some believed to be the only Plant d’Écueil, Plant de Trépail, Plant de 30 miles (50km) northeast of Reims, three authorized varieties Chasselas (Bar sur Aube, Bicane, Bourdelais, Couleux Noir: Identity unknown, but it is Vertus, Rouge Doré, Samoreau, Vert Doré) Petit Plant Gris: Identity unknown; French Chasselas Doré, Chasselas Dur, Muscat Blanc, described as “very late ripening.” historian Bonal warned against confusing it which had been given to him by King Pinot Noir Précoce (Magdeleine, Morillon —Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Raisin de Champagne): Chasselas still exists with Pinot Gris. Sigebert III of Austrasia. Enfariné Noir (Gouais, Gouais Noir, Gouest): Noir, Morillon Hâtif) and Meunier—but even in the garden of Billecart-Salmon in Mareuil- Not related to true Gouais. Pinot Gris (Auvernat Gris, Burot, Enfumé, Unfortunately, we do not know what sur-Aÿ, where it’s used as a “vineyard clock,” Tressot (Bourguignon, Bourguignon Rouge, Gamay (Gamet, Grosse Nature, Malin Noir, Enfumé Noir, Fromenté Rose, Fromenté Violet, grape varieties were grown at the time. that was not quite true since its growing season is 7–10 days earlier Morillon Noir) Melon Noir): Once the most common variety in Fromenteau, Frumenteau, Griset, Morillon Nor are we certain what grapes were than classic Champagne varieties, and it can Troyen Noir (Troyen): Low-quality grape once because, legally, the only the Aube, although also grown in the Marne. Blanc): Gros Plant Gris, Enfumé is still grown cultivated anywhere else in Champagne therefore give advance warning of pests and grown in the Aube. by Aubry and Benoît Lahaye as distinct from Meunier (Meunier Noir, Meusnier, Meusnier before the 14th century, when various varieties were “les diverses other disorders. their Fromenteau, while Enfumé Noir is Noir, Morillon Taconné, Plant de Brie) varieties appear in correspondence and variétés de pinot, l’arbanne, Elbling (Facan): Grown in Champagne- presumably a darker-skinned variant of Pinot other documentation. Ardennes Perlusot: Identity unknown, but it is described Chardonnay was not Gris that is not quite Pinot Noir. le petit meslier” as a “black variety”; an “esteemed grape” that Folle Blanche (Damery, Gros Plant, Gros Plant It is widely accepted but not can make “good strong wine.” mentioned in Champagne proven that, throughout the Middle Vert): Widely planted up to the 19th century TEINTURIER GRAPES Pendillard Noir: Identity unknown, but it is legislation until 1978 Teinturier (Noiraut, Teinturier Noir): Grape Ages, Champagne’s vineyards were indicated Pinot Noir Précoce, but but cultivated only in Chambrecy in the Ardre Valley by 1911. described as “of little esteem.” variety with red juice. dominated by only two grapes—the that would normally be distinguished Gouais Noir (producing light reds in the as Morillon Hâti—except in the Aube, Gouais Blanc (Gouais de Mardeuil, Gouest, Gouest Blanc, Gros Gouais Blanc, Marmot, montagne) and Fromenteau (pale vin where Morillon Noir was used for Marmot Blanc): Although once one of the DOMAINE DE VILLAINE gris in the rivière)—and yet, by the 17th the Tressot! most prolific grapes in Champagne, by the century, Champagne was seemingly To get a grip on the bewildering early 20th century it was cultivated by Propriétaire à Bouzeron depuis 1973 awash with myriad grape varieties. number of Champagne’s ancient grapes, growers in just two villages, Courdemange After consulting 19th-century works we need to list the nomenclature and Glannes, in the Vitry-le-François district. such as Topographie de Tous les according to distinct varieties or color Languedoc Blanc: Low-quality Aubois variety Vignobles Connus (André Jullien, Paris; mutation, as below. mentioned by Jullien; identity unknown but 1816–48), Traité de la Coulture de la Until as recently as 15 years ago, very possibly Folle Blanche. Vigne (BA Lenoir, Paris; 1928), Cours few people knew about the so-called Mauzac (Mauzat): Used to be grown in Complet d’Agriculture (Bosc, Paris; ancient varieties. Most Champagne talk Champagne-Ardennes. 1822), Encyclopédie Méthodique (Tessier, revolved around what was believed to Meslier Saint François (François Blanc): Thouin, & Bosc, Paris; 1821), A History of be the only three authorized varieties— Natural Gouais Blanc x Chenin Blanc cross. Champagne (Henry Vizetelly, London; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier— Petit Meslier (Arbois, Arboisier, Meslier) 1882), and that great 19th-century but even that was not quite true Peurion (Milleron, Milleron Troyen Blanc, decoder of ancient synonyms Flore des because, legally, the only authorized Peurichon, Purion, Troyen Blanc): White Jardins et des Grandes Cultures (NC varieties were “les diverses variétés de variety once commonly found in the Aube, but low-quality. Serigne, Paris; 1849), it is clear that pinot, l’arbanne, le petit meslier.” many apparently different grapes were Chardonnay was not mentioned in any Pinot Blanc (Arboisier, Bargeois, Beaunois, Blanc Doré, Bon Blanc, Epinette, Epinette in fact the same variety, while others Champagne legislation until the decree Blanc, Epinette Blanche, Gamay Blanc, Gentil, were merely alternative spellings or law of January 17, 1978, yet it was already Gros Blanc, Maubard, Mauribard, Petit Blanc, localized variants. Some synonyms were very much in vogue. Pineau Blanc) blatantly incorrect, such as Muscat In my next column, I will explain Plant Doux: Identity unknown, but it is Blanc, which was wrongly used for that paradox and look closely at those described as one of the worst-quality grapes Chasselas; and to further confuse ancient grapes that are still legally in Champagne. matters, some grape names referred to cultivated in Champagne today (namely Plant Verdilasse: Low-quality Aubois variety, different varieties in certain parts of Arbanne, Fromenteau, Petit Meslier, identity unknown. Champagne, such as Morillon Noir, and Pinot Blanc), where they are grown, Savagnin Blanc: Planted at Buxeuil in the which was generally synonymous with who grows them, and who produces Aube by Hyacinthe Diligent in the 19th +33 3 85 91 20 50 Pinot Noir, though it sometimes pure varietal cuvées from them. ▉ century. www.de-villaine.com Untitled-1 1 18/05/2020 14:03 82 | THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 68 | 2020 THE WORLD OF FINE WINE | ISSUE 68 | 2020 | 83.