Champagne: Blanc de Blancs vs Blancs de Noirs

Squeeze a white grape or a black grape and the juice that comes from it will be clear which leads us to understanding better the terms Blanc de Blancs and Blancs de Noirs. If you spot either of these phrases on a bottle of Champagne you can be certain it will be white wine over rosé.

What does ‘Blanc de Blancs’ mean? A French term which translates in English to ‘White of Whites‘. In wine terms we are speaking about white juice from white grapes and the variety will be Chardonnay.

What does ‘Blanc de Noirs’ mean? A French term which translates in English to ‘White of Blacks‘. In wine terms we are speaking about white juice from black grapes and the varieties will be Pinot Noir and / or Meunier. Additionally, specific to 100% Meunier Champagne, you will see ‘Blanc de Meunier‘ labels which translates in English to ‘White of Meunier (grape)‘.

Which style is best? This will all be down to your personal preferences so what works for you over any formula to follow. Chardonnay will give you freshness with citrus and floral characters, Pinot Noir gives you a structure with elegance along with red fruits and lastly Meunier is the balance between the other two offering a sweeter, punchier, rounded character.

If you prefer acidic style and fresh characters then choose a Blanc de Blancs.

If you prefer fruity characters, with complexity and depth without so strong acidity then choose a Blanc de Noirs.

If you prefer an easy to drink Champagne with less profile / character then choose a Blanc de Meunier.