Organic Champagnes

Special occasions call for a toast with a glass of sparkly Champagne. But don’t forget that opening a nice Champagne can be a special occasion all of its own! Not all Champagnes, though, are created equal. For the best quality, opt for organic Champagne. Why organic? For one thing, organic wine producers only use naturally produced grapes from healthy soils. The harvesting method is similar to those employed by farmers circa late 1800s, before the use of agricultural chemicals introduced at the advent of WWI and still widely in use today. For the end consumers, this means grapes free of pesticides, fertilisers, and chemical fungicides. In addition, any form of rotting and mildew that the grapes may be subjected to are treated and controlled using purely natural methods. Well into the 20th century, Parisian refuse was being dumped in the vineyards of Champagne, which alongside heavy fertiliser and pesticide use, was leaving soils barren of microbial life. Organic, and particularly biodynamic methods, like those at Champagne Fleury, have resulted in creating a biodiverse vineyard with healthy grapes grown in nutrient-rich soils. The main grapes used to make Champagne are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The latter is a red grape variety, but is pressed very gently to make white Champagnes, or can be used to create rosé Champagnes as well. Those made entirely from red grapes are known as Blanc de Noirs, such as Fleury’s Blanc de Noirs, which is made from 100% Pinot Noir. There are few moments more pleasurable than opening a bottle of champagne to celebrate a life milestone, or simply to celebrate!