A legacy of the wine-trading business in Champagne, use of the Échelle des Crus – or ladder of growth – system was officially abandoned in 2004.However, the concepts of “Grand Cru” and “Premier Cru” endure, “by virtue of local, loyal and continuous customs”. Discover the history of this intangible heritage and why it remains anchored within interprofessional organisations as well as in the minds of Champagne lovers.
Wine, a coveted currency
Since antiquity, the wine trade has been a thriving business, to the extent that merchants quickly sought to classify these nectars according to their origin, soil make-up or region of production.
Champagne wine is no exception
In 1718, Jean Godinot was the first author to identify certain villages in Champagne for the quality of their wines and classified them into two categories: wine-growing communities that produced Mountain Wines and those that produced River Wines. This classification was adopted and gradually expanded by other authors.
In the 1870s, there were significantly fewer Champagne Houses than there were vineyard owners. The latter, unable to produce Champagne wine themselves, were obliged to sell their grapes to the Champagne Houses, which unilaterally set their price, taking advantage of an oversupply. In 1873, the local press published the first list of the price per kilo of grapes in each wine-growing village, also known as “a cru”.
From list to ladder of growth
At the beginning of the 20th century the winegrowers of Marnes were blighted by rains, frosts and vine disease. Rather than increase the purchase price of grapes, the Champagne merchants, galvanised by their commercial success, opted to source from other wine-growing regions.
The authorities then decided to demarcate the Champagne area of production and did not include the Aube wine region within it. Outraged by this decision in 1911 the Auge winegrowers staged a revolt. The same year, the Champagne Wine Trade Union drew up, based on a confidential table, an initial échelle des crus (ladder of growth), expressed as a percentage. This ladder is based on several key criteria such as exposure, relief, altitude, geology, prevailing winds, microclimate, grape varieties planted, age of vines, distance from the press, wine-making process, and so on.
It was not until 1919 that the Champagne Wine Trade Union and the General Union of Champagne Winegrowers agreed to meet and officially agree on this ladder of growth system.
Until 2003, the system distinguished 17 villages classified as 100% Grand Crus, 44 as 99% – 90% Premiers Crus and 258 other villages classified from 89% – 80% as Cru, in the official Champagne AOC region.
This percentage determined the actual price per kilo of grapes, calculated on the basis of a base price set before the harvest by the Interprofessional Champagne Wine Committee. Grapes from the communities classified as “Grand Cru” therefore commanded 100% of this base price, “Premier Cru” communities, depending on the village, 90% – 99% of this base price and grapes from the Champagne appellation received, depending on the village, 89% – 80% of this base price.
In 2004, the system had to be abandoned because it did not comply with EU competition law.
And since then?
Since then, we now talk about an average price due to the increasing number of premiums (editor’s note: environmental premiums, for example) that may be added to the price per kilo of grapes. In 2023, the price of Grand Cru grapes averaged €7.30 per kilo (premiums not included), making them the most expensive grapes in the world.
The quintessence of terroir in a bottle
Although now uncorrelated to any rankings, the terms “Grand Cru” and “Premier Cru” have remained a benchmark in Champagne and, to a certain extent, are a guarantee of quality and provenance. Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from a Grand Cru plot, for example, remain highly prized by the Houses for their finesse, elegance and complexity. Nevertheless, a Premier Cru Champagne can, for example, be sold at a higher price than a Grand Cru Champagne, due to the renown of the brand, its presence in tasting and export guides or its inclusion on the CHR (Cafés, Hotels and Restaurants) circuit.
Maison Taittinger, an exceptional Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyard
Certified as “High Environmental Value” and “Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne” since 2017, the 288-hectare family vineyard of Maison Taittinger is one of the largest in Champagne.
Planted with 37% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir and 15% Meunier, it harmoniously spans 37 different crus stretching between the Côte des Blancs, the Côte des Bar, the Marne Valley and the Montagne de Reims. Nearly 45% of the Taittinger vineyard is classified as Grand Cru and Premier Cru.
This mosaic of exceptional terroirs managed under integrated and sustainable wine-growing practices allows the House to produce iconic, thrilling wines that stand the test of time.
