For many of us, our first taste of real Champagne came after high school when we piled into a limousine en route to a graduation ceremony and someone produced a curiously heavy bottle with a sleek insignia and important-sounding French names. Although the wine inside tasted bone-dry and razor-sharp, we felt privileged and especially grown-up as we sipped it from tall, elegant glasses. For others, their first taste came from a bottle purchased to mark a special day in a relationship or an important milestone of life. But what we all have in common, is how we use Champagne — we use it to celebrate. We have to — it’s what we’ve been told to do.
    Champagne has been known as a celebratory drink since its invention. Even the Kings of France were anointed in the town of Reims, where Champagne was used to mark the occasion. It is no secret that the Champagnois are France’s fiercest and most gifted marketers, and they have built a powerful empire from years spent at the summit of their industry. They have not only convinced us that Champagne is the sole drink to consume on special occasions, they have also convinced us that we need not worry about the pedigree of the grapes or the manner in which they were farmed. According to the splendid houses of Champagne, we need only the mere mention of their great name on the bottle, and we can rest assured the wine inside is well worth the $50 to $200 price tag that goes along with it.
    Although the rest of France has worked hard to sell us on the concept of terroir (the idea that where a wine comes from is its most influential factor of quality), Champagne producers have told us that this simply does not apply to them. Instead, they say it is the famed “method Champagnois” and the skill of the blender that make all the difference. A convenient argument for companies that buy grapes from thousands of ubiquitous sources. Blending remains their only option if they wish to produce wines in sufficient quantities to supply the world market with their brands. The sad truth is that viticulture has taken a back seat in Champagne, become sloppy and lackadaisical with the majority of growers lacking the motivation to do the work necessary to produce quality grapes. Champagne has become a luxury brand, like Armani or Rolex and its makers focus is firmly fixed on marketing. Producing great sparkling wine is of decidedly less concern.
    The good news is that a smaller community of grower producers is emerging and creating wines of real interest and character. Growers who were once happy to sell their grapes to the large companies (who control almost 75 per cent of the market) have become tired of seeing their unique and individual fruit being blended away in industrial vats. This new generation of Champagnois is focusing on nurturing the finest, most distinct grapes possible, by reducing yields in the vineyards and eliminating herbicides and pesticides so that their vineyards can return to a more natural and balanced state. They are paying more attention to making good still wines that will be converted into great Champagne, rather than simply relying on the process of Champagne to magically give character to their wines. Perhaps most importantly, they are allowing individual vineyards to express themselves in the bottle rather than blending away every sense of terroir to create mass quantities of industrial swill.
    Through this new generation, we can finally see the distinct differences among the many villages and regions of Champagne. We can compare a wine from Ambonnay with one from Cuis, Cramant or Vertus. I can’t imagine anyone paying $50 for a bottle of wine from Burgundy if it was blended with some Chardonnay from the Macon, a little from the Cote Chalonnaise, a smattering of Chablis and perhaps a touch of Meursault. So I’m not sure why we are expected to do the same with Champagne. It is possible for Champagne to be expressive and unique and to represent a village or vineyard, not just a superficial region or house style. When we pay extra for any wine, we expect to receive superior quality, and this is simply not the case with many large Champagne houses. You need to ask yourself — do you want Champagne from a factory or a farmer?
    Now, I know what you’re thinking — OK, I’m intrigued, but what is this “new experience” in Champagne going to cost me? The answer is probably less than what you are paying right now. The reason is that with grower producer Champagnes, you pay for what’s in the bottle, not “whatever the market can bear.” There are no marketing teams or full-page ads in lifestyle magazines to compensate for, you simply pay for the fizz, and after all, isn’t that what you wanted in the first place?
    Here is a list of some great small Champagne houses available in boutique wine stores in Calgary:
    • Larmandier-Bernier Brut 1er cru Vertus — about $59
    • Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru — about $75
    • Gaston Chiquet Brut — about $48
    • Gaston Chiquet Blanc de Blancs D’Ay Grand cru — about $52