Grower Champagne

The famous region’s grower-producers find themselves increasingly in the spotlight as the market looks for wines of individuality and provenance, reports Peter Liem

Historically, Most cHaMpagNes have been made by négociant houses, who buy most of their grapes from growers. But there are also many grower estates making their own champagnes – some have done so since the late 19th century, and recent years have seen a rapid increase in their numbers. they remain in the minority in terms of market share, but have had a significant impact on the way wine consumers approach champagne.

While it’s currently fashionable to embrace grower champagne, it’s a fallacy to say that grower champagne is somehow intrinsically ‘better’; indeed, the big houses arguably retain the upper hand in consistency of quality. yet it’s the diversity of styles found among the growerproducers that makes grower champagne so fascinating – they offer a much wider array of expressions than were available in the region even just a couple of decades ago. in their contemporary sense of aesthetics, these wines can often challenge orthodox ideas of what champagne is, with their concentrated fruit flavours and intense, almost forceful personalities. this is part of the evolution of the appellation: an ongoing re-evaluation of the identity of champagne in the modern day.

Vineyard character

the best growers produce some of the finest wines in the appellation, and they have been at the forefront of a region-wide movement towards vineyard rehabilitation. over the past 20 years, the dialogue surrounding champagne has expanded beyond the traditional hegemonic themes of the art of blending and long ageing on the lees, and producer and consumer alike have begun to address contemporary and qualitative issues such as sustainability, ecologically responsible viticulture and expression of place, emphasising the concept that champagne, like any other fine wine, derives its character primarily from its vineyards.

it’s important to note that these issues are not the sole province of grower estates, as there are also négociant houses in champagne that are leaders in this regard. also, it’s still a minority of growers who are meaningfully engaged in these issues. grower champagne is not automatically synonymous with terroir-driven champagne, and while progress is slowly being made across the region, the majority of grower estates continue to farm as industrially as ever, as do many houses. the leading growers, though – those who choose to be forward-thinking and meticulous in the way they work in their vineyards and cellars – are principal voices in the contemporary dialogue, and are instrumental in moving the appellation forward.