Grand Cru Champagnes are produced exclusively from grapes sourced from one or more of the 17 Champagne villages classified as Grand Cru. The classification identifies some of the region’s historically most renowned areas and provides an important indication of the origin of the grapes used to produce Champagne.

The 17 Grand Cru villages are distributed across three of Champagne’s main winegrowing areas: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. The villages are Ambonnay, Aÿ, Avize, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant, Louvois, Mailly-Champagne, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry, Puisieulx, Sillery, Tours-sur-Marne, Verzenay and Verzy. Each has its own characteristics linked to soil composition, vineyard exposure, microclimate, and the grape varieties grown.

The Grand Cru classification has its roots in the historic Échelle des Crus, the system used in Champagne to determine the value of grapes from different villages. The Grand Cru classification identifies the areas that stood at the top of this system and that have retained this designation even after the Échelle des Crus was abolished. The mention therefore continues to represent a specific geographical indication tied to the origin of the grapes.

A Grand Cru Champagne can be made from grapes coming from a single Grand Cru village, highlighting its identity and terroir characteristics, or from multiple Grand Cru villages. Blending different origins allows the producer to combine diverse traits and pursue balance, complexity, and consistency in the cuvée’s style.

It is important to distinguish between the Grand Cru designation and the village name shown on the label. The classification indicates that the grapes used come exclusively from Grand Cru villages, while any village name makes it possible to pinpoint more precisely the area of origin. A Grand Cru cuvée may therefore display the name of a single village or may not highlight a specific village, especially when it is obtained by blending grapes from multiple villages.

The different areas of Champagne offer very distinct interpretations. Montagne de Reims is particularly known for its Pinot Noir–led Grand Crus, including Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzenay, and Verzy. Côte des Blancs, on the other hand, is renowned for the Chardonnay of its Grand Crus, such as Avize, Cramant, Oger, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. Aÿ and Tours-sur-Marne complete the presence of Grand Crus in the Vallée de la Marne, with features tied to the particular identity of their terroirs.

The Grand Cru classification does not define a single style of Champagne: each producer can interpret the grapes and the place according to their own philosophy, through different choices in vinification, blending, and maturation. For this reason, comparing Grand Cru Champagnes from different villages allows one to grasp the nuances of the various terroirs and to understand how origin and production style interact in the bottle.

Discovering Grand Cru Champagnes therefore means exploring the 17 villages that represent the historical pinnacle of the Champenois classification and getting to know the different expressions that can arise from their vineyards. From the structure of Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims to the finesse of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, each area offers its own interpretation of the Champagne terroir.

In this selection you can find Grand Cru Champagnes from the different areas of Champagne, with bottles that allow you to delve into the character of individual villages and the style of the producers who showcase their grapes.