Slopes Champagne

The slopes Champagne constitute a label AOC since 1974. These traditional wines in red, white and even rosy, formerly bore the natural name of Vin of Champagne and are the descendants of the still wines which competed with the wines of Burgundy.

They represent a less known facet of the vine growing of this great French wine-producing area, but they are produced in small quantity, because they return in competition, on the level of the soils like grapes with the effervescent Champagne; of this fact their price is rather raised and they are in the process of disappearance. The house Moet & Chandon does not produce any more famous the " Castle of Saran" white and the Laurent-Perrier, from his house of Tours-sur-Marne also stopped its white and red slopes Champagne (pinot frankly) of which he was the most important producer.

However, red wines of the " slope champenois" , elaborate starting from black Pinot, is still well established in the communes of Ambonnay, Aÿ, Bouzy, Cumières, Mailly, Œuilly, Riceys, Sillery and Verzy. The prices vary between 10 and 15 € the bottle. " slopes champenois" are high two years out of wood barrels.

The red bouzy is most known of the slopes Champagne and its promotion is ensured by a " confrérie" and a " académie".

Rarest and most expensive is that produced, by the house Bollinger on a piece of less than one hectare located at Aÿ and which at one time enchanted the palate fine expert of the king Henri IV of France. This piece in strong declivity, called the " coast with the enfants" , its name is due to the fact that, formerly, only of the children could work there thanks to their small size.

Among the wines of the slopes Champagne one counts also the very rare " rosy of Riceys" who is regarded as one of best rosy of France and formerly preferred of the king Louis XIV of France. It is about a rosy Wine resulting from only the black Pinot, and its production according to the years from 600 to 800 hectolitres, is worked out by about fifteen wine growers. Its wine making is very delicate because its short maceration must be immediately stopped as soon as the vine grower detects his famous specific taste.

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