The champagne label contains useful information but do not rely solely on that to judge a bottle.
Since 1979, champagne label have included nine mandatory factors, in compliance with European Union legislation:
- – the appellation name Champagne,
- – the trade name of the house or producer,
- – the type of wine according to the sugar content,
- – the volume of wine,
- – the alcohol content,
- – the name or code number of the winegrower,
- – the place where the wine is made (village or town),
- – the country of origin
And finally the official registration number of the Champagne Committee assigned to each Champagne winegrower for each available brand, here is their meaning:
– NM (Manipulative Merchant): they depend on other winegrowers,
– RM (Harvesting Handling): they grow their own grapes,
– CM (Coopérative de Manipulation): they produce and market wine under the cooperative’s label,
– RC (Récoltant Coopérateur): they affix their own labels to wines produced in cooperatives,
– ND (Dealer Distributor): they apply their own label, in their own facilities, to a bottle that they have not produced themselves,
– MA (Purchaser Brand): marketed by a third party (a chain of stores or a restaurant),
– SR (Société de Récoltants): a group of producers who produce and market wine.
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.