I said yesterday that one the things about calling something Blanc De Blancs is that it’s made of 100% Chardonnay. That’s not actually strictly true.
In the Champagne region it is. Chardonnay is the white grape that is synonymous (oi oi the dictionary!) with Blanc De Blancs. When the champagne houses started making Blanc De Blancs then they used the white grape they had available to them, which was Chardonnay.
It’s true in a lot of the New World too, as wine makers want to use the fame of Blanc De Blancs from Champagne, so they mostly use Chardonnay. Makes sense.
Chardonnay’s great because it can be all things to all men. It’s fruity, it’s minerally, it can be creamy, it lends itself well to oak. It also takes on flavours well. So think of the yeasty flavours you get from traditional production methods. They just sit really well with Chardonnay.
Lots of other wine growing regions in France and Spain have starting using the Blanc De Blancs fame though. And they can’t all use Chardonnay. They use whatever’s native which is fair enough.
Jura and Burgundy in France, and now Cava in Spain, produce Blanc De Blancs using Chardonnay still, but also throw in a couple of natives to blend with. They’re all white grapes so they stick with the Blanc De Blancs label.
The famous ones that have nothing to do with Chardonnay are Crémants in Bordeaux and in the Loire. They use Sauvignon Blanc mostly, but throw in a bit of Semillon and Chenin Blanc if they have it available.
I know this is all a bit wordy and I’m throwing loads of grapes and regions at you, but once you get drinking the different ones, you’ll notice the difference in tastes. And this is why!
Cheers
Mike
Other Posts in NWTW #53
NWTW #53 – B is for Blanc De Blancs!!!
NWTW #53 – So what is Blanc De Blancs when it’s at home?
Photo: Two of my wines this weekend, one Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, the other Chardonnay
I’ve never had the Semillon but do enjoy both Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc so I am sure this would be a winner too.
Question for you. Once you have chilled Champagne, must you leave it cold if it wasn’t opened? I have one that didn’t get drank for New Years.
Not sure if anyone else wants to add to this, but I was always told not to keep it chilled too long. Of course you don’t want to be chilling and rewarming and so on many times, but don’t leave it too long chilled
So if it has only been chilled once, I can remove it to room temp. Right?
You can, just let it get back to room temperature slowly on its own
I used to work for Mumm Napa Valley and their Blanc De Blancs is mostly Chardonnay but has a bit of Pinot Gris as well.
There you go then! Thanks for the info, great to know
I didn’t know, well done! Wordy? Nah! You inspire me to keep my posts short and snappy, as it is easier on the reader – myself included, but alas alack, it hasn’t taken hold of my keyboard yet. Cheers!
Thanks for the encouragement, I just hope I don’t get to bogged down in grape names and all that…
Education+wit is your calling card so keep it up!
*blushing*
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