Crus: The champagne area takes a census of 320 Crus (or
villages). Only 42 are classed as Premier Cru and 17 are Grand Cru (only 13% of
the champenois vineyard). The Grands
Crus were created on September 16, 1919, when the representatives of wine growers
and Champagne houses agreed on a list of 12 Grands Crus to facilitate the
determination of the price of grapes. In 1985, the magazine Le Vigneron Champenois
published a list of 13 grands crus: Aÿ, Ambonnay, Avize, Bouzy, Cramant,
Mailly-Champagne, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Montféré, Oger, Sillery,
Verzenay and Verzy . The current list of Grands Crus of Champagne dates from
1986. The producer, by the
careful choice of the crus (terroirs) that enter his blend, changing according
to the year of harvest, chooses the type of champagne he creates.
- List of the 17 Grands Crus of Champagne: Ambonnay, Avize, Aÿ, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant, Louvois, Mailly-Champagne, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry, Puisieulx, Sillery, Tours-sur-Marne, Verzenay, Verzy.
- List of the 42 Premiers Crus of Champagne: Avenay, Bergères-lès-Vertus, Bezannes, Billy le Grand, Bisseuil, Chamery, Champillon, Chigny les Roses, Coligny, Cormontreuil, Coulommes la Montagne, Cuis, Cumières, Dizy, Ecueil, Etrechy, Grauves, Hautvillers, Jouy-lès-Reims, Les Mesneux, Ludes, Mareuil sur Aÿ, Montbré, Mutigny, Pargny-lès-Reims, Pierry, Rilly la Montagne, Sacy, Sermiers, Taissy, Tauxières, Trépail, Trois Puits, Vaudemanges, Vertus, Villedommange, Villeneuve Renneville, Villers Allerand, Villers aux Noeuds, Villers Marmery, Voipreux, Vrigny.
