2A01:CB0D:34B:8800:9C4F:9854:E774:978C: /* RM Champagne producers */

2024-08-21T11:54:56Z

RM Champagne producers

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[[File:Champagne de Vignerons sign.jpg|thumb|The ''Les Champagnes de Vignerons'' ("Vinegrower Champagnes") sign is displayed by many producers of Grower Champagne at their facilities. In this case Chartogne-Taillet in [[Merfy]].]]
'''Grower Champagnes''' or Artisan Champagnes are [[Champagne]]s produced by the estate that owns the vineyards where the grapes are grown. ''Récoltant-Manipulant'' is the term in [[French language|French]], and Grower Champagnes can be identified by "RM" on the [[wine label]].<ref name="Stevenson pg 170-172">T. Stevenson, ed. ''The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia (4th Edition)'' pg 170-172 Dorling Kindersley 2005 {{ISBN|0-7513-3740-4}}</ref> While large [[Champagne house]]s such as [[Mumm]], [[Moët et Chandon]] and [[Veuve Clicquot]] may use grapes from as many as 80 different vineyards in the [[Champagne region]] to create a consistent house style, Grower Champagnes tend to be more ''[[terroir]]''-focused, sourced from a single vineyard or closely located vineyards around a village, and made with grapes which vary with each vintage.<ref name="Pitcher">S. Pitcher, [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/12/16/WIG49ABV121.DTL&type=wine Grower-made Champagnes are an elegant alternative to big-house bubblies] ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'', December 16, 2004</ref> Today there are over 19,000 independent growers in the Champagne region,{{fact|date=January 2018}} accounting for nearly 88% of vineyard land in the region; around 5,000 of these growers produce wine from their own grapes.{{fact|date=January 2018}} Of the Champagne imported into the US in 2014, only 5% was Grower Champagne.<ref>[http://winefolly.com/review/grower-champagne-guide/ Getting into Grower Champagne] [[Wine Folly]], December 31, 2014</ref>

==Wine styles==
Grower Champagnes have been described as "[[artisanal]] [[winemaking]]" with ''terroir'' being at the forefront for each wine,<ref name="Pitcher"/><ref name="NYTimes">A. Cortese, [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/business/yourmoney/23bubbly.html?_r=1&em&ex=1198645200&en=53e3b0b2a49502b8&ei=5087%0A Champagne Beyond the Big Names] ''[[New York Times]]'', December 23, 2007</ref> rather than an emphasis on a consistent "house style" that can be made year after year.<ref name="Gregutt">P. Gregutt ''"[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2004082996_pacificptaste23.html Bottling Their Own]"'' Seattle Times, December 23rd 2007</ref> While large [[Champagne houses]], such as [[Moët et Chandon]] may source grapes from the entire [[Champagne region]], the vineyards owned by a Grower Champagne maker are generally clustered around a single village. Some growers will craft their wine to reflect the ''terroir'' of that village, or even specific plots within the village, especially if they own vineyards in one of [[Champagne's Grand crus]]. Grower Champagnes are often released younger than their large house counterparts due, in part, to the greater financial resources that would be needed for long term [[aging (wine)|aging]] and storage.<ref name="Pitcher"/> Many also show a lower [[dosage (wine)|dosage]], and occasionally no dosage at all, than most negociant manipulant bottlings.

==RM Champagne producers==
Producers of RM Champagne include Nomine-Renard, [[Harlin Père & Fils]], [[Franck Bonville]], [[Roger Coulon]], [[Collard-Picard]], [[Egly-Ouriet]], [[Tarlant]], [[Nowack]], [[Chartogne-Taillet]], [[David Léclapart]], [[Benoît Lahaye]], [[Roses de Jeanne]], [[Marie-Courtin]], [[Vilmart & Cie]], [[Pierre Péters]], [[Jacques Selosse]], [[Agrapart & Fils]], and
[[Marc Hébrart]]<ref name="10 top">[http://www.decanter.com/wine-reviews-tastings/10-top-grower-champagnes-to-try-270410/ 10 top grower Champagnes to try: Champagne resident and expert Peter Liem picks out 10 top grower Champagnes to try] [[decanter.com]] August 13, 2015</ref> and also [http://champagnelequeuxmercier.fr/ Lequeux-Mercier], vine grower and champagne producer, using the traditional method for many generations, located in [[Passy-sur-Marne]].

==Recent vintages==
The 2013 vintage is considered a modern classic with balance and good yields. The 2012 vintage is deemed excellent and might surpass 2008 in quality. The 2011 vintage saw difficult conditions which created uneven wines.<ref name="10 top" /> The 2009 vintage was warm enough to ripen the fruit, resulting full, fruity Champagnes.<ref name="10 top" /> 2008 was an outstanding vintage, showing both high ripeness and high acidity.<ref name="10 top" />

==Sales market==

The popularity of Grower Champagne is a relatively recent phenomenon.<ref name="Bonne">J. Bonne ''"[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/11/WI9B14K51T.DTL The Chronicle Wine Selections: Grower Champagne]"'' San Francisco Chronicle, December 12, 2008</ref> Since the 18th century, Champagne houses have dominated the business dynamic in the region. These private houses or ''[[negociant]]s'' would buy grapes from the owners of several vineyards to blend and make Champagne.<ref name="Johnson pg 330-341">H. Johnson ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 330-341 Simon and Schuster 1989 {{ISBN|0-671-68702-6}}</ref> As of 2003, there were over 3,700 brands of Grower Champagnes available for purchase within [[France]] but only around 130 brands in the [[United States]].<ref name="Pitcher"/> As of 2008, these wines accounted for less than 3% of Champagne market, with that market growing as the wines continue to increase in popularity.<ref name="Bonne"/> Distributors and wine retailers tend to tout the comparative value and lower cost of Grower Champagnes versus the wines of larger Champagne houses, due to the larger Champagne houses' costs of mass market advertising.<ref name="NYTimes"/> The smaller Growers leave it up to the importer and wine retailer to market their wines.<ref name="Pitcher"/>

==Criticism==
A common criticism of Grower Champagnes is the potential for variable quality,<ref name="Bonne"/> especially from [[vintage]] to vintage. While the larger Champagne houses and ''negociants'' have the flexibility to buy grapes from all over the Champagne region, Grower Champagne makers are limited to only their vineyard holdings. Conversely, advocates of Grower Champagnes say that the blending of many ''[[terroir]]s'' by the larger houses makes those wines "underflavored" and non-distinctive.<ref name="Gregutt"/>

==Vineyard lands==
There are over 19,000 independent growers in the Champagne region, accounting for nearly 88% of all vineyard land in the region. Around 5000 of these growers produce wine from their own grapes. The larger Champagne houses have holdings in only 12% of the region's vineyards, making it a necessity for them to buy grapes from independent growers.<ref name="Stevenson pg 170-172"/> Under current ''[[Appellation d'origine contrôlée]]'' (AOC) regulations, there are strict limitations on planting. Some growers are seeing an economic advantage in making wine from their own grapes, especially if they have land in one of Champagne's Grand cru villages, rather than selling them to the larger houses where they become part of a generic blend.<ref name="Gregutt"/>

==Identifying Champagnes==
[[File:Blanc de blanc grand Cru champagne.jpg|right|thumb|A Grand Cru grower Champagne with the "RM" visible on the lower right corner.]]
Champagnes can be identified by the initials that appear before a number on the wine label. The initials most commonly associated with Grower Champagnes is '''RM''' (meaning ''Récoltant-Manipulant'') but there are other initials that may appear on the label.

Other initials:<ref name="Stevenson pg 170-172"/>
*The initials '''NM''' (meaning ''Négociant-Manipulant'') appear on the labels of large Champagne houses that source the majority of their grapes rather than growing them.<ref name="Stevenson pg 170-172"/>
*'''CM''' (meaning ''Coopérative-Manipulant'') is a [[co-operative]] of growers who blend the product of their collective vineyards to sell under one or more brands. In this situation the individual grower may have some involvement in the winemaking process.
*'''RC''' (meaning ''Récoltant-Coopérateur'') is a wine sourced from a single grower but made entirely for him by a co-operative winemaking facility. While the wine is sold under the grower's own brand, he will often have had very little if any involvement in the winemaking process.
*'''SR''' (meaning ''Société de Récoltants'') is a registered firm set up by two or more growers who share the same winery which they use to make wine to sell under their own label. This designation differs from a CM in that the growers almost always have significant involvement in the winemaking process.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{wines}}

[[Category:Wine terminology]]
[[Category:Champagne (wine)]]

Grower Champagne - Revision history

2A01:CB0D:34B:8800:9C4F:9854:E774:978C: /* RM Champagne producers */