Do you know how many grape varieties are allowed in Champagne according to appellation laws?
Permitted Grape Varieties in Champagne
There are actually 8 grape varieties allowed in Champagne according to appellation rules. Of course, not all places follow the rules but then they lose the right to be labeled Champagne. For example, there’s still leftover Gamay in the region, but it’s not allowed in Champagne labeled wine. What are the official 8 varieties?
The big three that make up 99%+ of the varieties planted in Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier (sometimes called Pinot Meunier). Only around .3% of the plantings are not Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Meunier. The amount of plantings of each are almost equal although Pinot Noir beats out the other two. Then, there are tiny bits of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane grown in Champagne. Finally, since 2021, the hybrid grape, Voltis, is technically allowed in up to 10% of a wine. It’s a fungus resistant grape that is still in experimental stages among Champagne houses.
Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are fairly well-known in Alsace, Germany and Northern Italy, but Petit Meslier and Arbane are quite unknown anywhere in the world these days. There’s only around 1 hectare of Arbane in all of France and about the same amount of Petit Meslier. Both Arbane and Petit Meslier date back hundreds of years and used to be more widely planted. Both bring lots of acidity to a blend.
I’ve read about two producers who make a 100% Arbane Champagne: Moutard Pere et Fils ‘Cepage Arbane’ Vieilles Vignes Brut and Leblond-Lenoir Cuvée Arbane. Duval-Leroy also makes a varietal Petit Meslier. Some producers also include these other 4 grapes in blends, but they’re still rare to find. That’s why I had to buy a bottle of this Champagne when I saw these less common varieties in the blend. Let’s taste. 
Tasting Notes
2018 Léguillette Romelot Champagne Cépages d’Autrefois
“Cepages d’Autrefois” literally means “grape varieties from another time/yesteryear.” 33% Meunier, 26% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Blanc, 8% Petit Meslier, 3% Arbane. Sustainable farming. 8 g/l dosage. 4-6 years lees aging. Disgorged April 2023. Typical nose of puff pastry and toast with fruit in the background. Lots of foam. Fine bubbles. Good acidity. Refined and seamless. Easy to drink. Subtle but fruity on the palate but definitely dry. Given the price of big house NV Champagne these days, you can pay a little more for this vintage grower Champagne with rare grape varieties. 2018 was an awesome vintage for Champagne too. At the same time, I’m not enough of a Champagne buff to tell you how the Petit Meslier and Arbane made this different from other good Champagne. 92
This post on Champagne is a nice segue to announce a break in posting for the next few weeks since I’ll be in France. Hopefully, the heat and fires will cool down.