The champagne classification system
The cru system.
The classification system in champagne is based upon grape prices. This system is called Echelle des crus ranking all the wine villages between 80% and 100% on a cru scale. Today free market reigns, but previously the growers and champagne houses along with the C. I. V. C fixed the price for a kilo of grapes. So grapes from a 100% village would cost the full price, but be reduced by calculating and subtracting the percentage that the village is ranked on the cru scale. The cru system was first introduced in 1919.Within this system you have Grand cru, premier cru and then unclassified houses..Grand cru villages produce the highest quality grape follwed by the premier cru villages..The unclassified villages produce fine grapes and are always striving to reach promotion into the premier or grand cru division.
Grand cru villages 100%
Ambonnay. Avize. Ay. Beaumont-sur-Vesle. Bouzy. Chouilly. Cramant. Louvois. Mailly. Le Mesnil-sur.Oger. Oger. Oiry. Puisieulx. Sillery. Tours-sur-Marne. Verzenay. Verzy.
Premier cru villages 90-99%
99%-- Mareuil-sur-Ay. Tauxieres.
95%-- Bergeres-les-Vertus. Billy-le-Grand. Bissueil. Chouilly. Cuis. Dizy. Grauves. Trepail. Vandemanges. Vertus. Villeneuve-Renneville. Villers-Marmery.Voipreux.
94%-- Chigny-les Roses. Ludes. Montbre. Rilly-la-Montagne. Taissy. Trois-Puits.
93%-- Avenay. Champillon. Cumieres. Hautvillers. Mutigny.
90%-- Bergeres-les-Vertus. Bezannes. Chamery. Coligny. Cuis. Ecueil. Etrechy. Grauves. Jouy-les-Reims. Les Mesneux. Pargny-les-Reims. Pierry. Sacy. Tours-sur-Marne. Villedommange. Villers-Allerand. Villers-aux-Noeuds.