Often, people talk about new trends every year, but trends in the wine world develop slowly and last for many years. For instance, we met him Alexandre Penet of Champagne Penet-Chardonnet in Verzy on our wine tour in Champagne late April. When asked how his winemaking has evolved since he took over the family business in 2009, he said that 15 years ago, he already began with what has become the trend in Champagne today: low dosage and a focus on terroir in single-vineyard champagnes.
And these two subjects are very much in the news right now in Champagne. The volume champagnes – made to be consistent year after year (the big and famous house brands) – are still there, of course. But we see more and more single-vineyard champagnes. To highlight the origin of the grapes and show what these plots can offer in terms of character and taste, a growing number of producers keep grapes from certain vineyard plots separate, vinify them, and bottle them separately.
Champagne used to be all about blending; that is no longer the case.
Adding the dosage, the small portion of sugar as the final step to finalise your champagne, is definitely not made on a whim today. It demands careful consideration. It is both about giving your champagne the right amount of sugar and about knowing your customers’ preferences. Alexandre Penet likes brut nature, so no sugar added, but he might go up to 3-4 grams, but never more than that.
Low-dosage champagnes are a growing segment, but they still account for a small share of total volume. 6-8 grams seems to be the dosage chosen by many, both grower champagnes and houses. (By the way, here are the correct sugar levels for sparkling wines.)
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Travel: Come on a wine tour to Champagne and Burgundy with BKWine. (PS: We’ve written a prize-winning book on Champagne and one on Burgundy.)
