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The existence of the Champagne vineyard dates back to the early history of the Middle Ages. Conversely, the AOC and in its extension limit has been defined only in 1927. The location of this vineyard, which is the northernmost part of Europe, the harsh weather conditions, the uniqueness of its soil and subsoil, with vineyards planted mainly in hilly areas, give the wines of Champagne and their utter typicality inimitable . The nature of the subsoil has guided the selection of the three grape varieties typical of this region: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay Pinot Meuniere. The wine region Champagne is divided into three main areas: Valley of the Marne; Montagne de Reims; Cote desBlancs. Each of these areas prefer a variety in particular: Valley of the Marne: Pinot Meunier; Montagne de Reims: Pinot Noir; CòtedesBlancs: Chardonnay.

Information about Champagne region

Region	Champagne region
Country	France
Climate and soil	Champagne is the northernmost wine-growing area of France with a maritime climate, fresh and humid. The cold winds of the Atlantic bring rain and fog. Summer temperatures are quite low and frost can cause serious damage in both spring and autumn.
History	It is said that it was the monk Dom Pérignon who invented champagne, but this is perhaps a truth to be taken with some reservations. In these districts, originally, it was mainly produced red wine, but in 1600 they began to produce with black vines, white wines, freshly rosé or colored onion peel vin gris. These wines become slightly sparkling due to the long uninterrupted fermentation. During the winter the fermentation remains steady, to then start again with the highest temperatures in spring, giving an extra touch of sparkling to the wines. Dom Pérignon (1638-1715) in the monastery of Hautvillers, became interested in the sparkling property of the wine and, in the same period, some pilgrims returned from Spain with a new fantastic material to seal the bottles - the cork. At the same time, in England, it was beginning to produce bottles with thicker glass, able to withstand the high pressure that is formed in the bottles during the second spring fermentation. These two technical innovations were certainly the conditions for champagne to be born, but Dom Pérignon was certainly the first who succeeded in producing a completely white wine with black grapes, and he was the first to cut the wine in different years, origins and variety, thus making the first champagne curvées.
Typical products	The noble vine, Pinot Noir, gives rich, structured wines of good texture and roundness. The best vineyards are located on the slopes of the Reims Mountains. The Pinot Meunier is more rustic, and being resistant to cold, moisture and mold, prosperous where the pinot noir does not grow well, but the pinot meunier gives wines with less aromas and finesse and with a more simple, fruity and with a mineral note. Chardonnay is grown mainly in the Côte de Blanc area, where it gives splendid wines for its lightness, finesse and elegance. Here are a number of excellent grand crus, where wines acquire a touch of concentration and wealth. The wines that are produced only with chardonnay, the so-called blanc de blancs, are light in color and have softly fruity aromas, with the elegant note of the grape itself. The wines made exclusively with black vines, blanc de noirs, have a deeper, golden color and a more intensely fruity character. However, blanc de noirs is very little and almost all the champagne is produced from a blend of all three vines.
Typical dishes	In terms of good food, the pâté of Reims, the lard salad or the trendy Ardenne potato fricassee accompany traditional dishes such as the Sainte-Menehould legs, the potée champenoise (large boiled meats and vegetables) l 'andouillette, the typical Troyes sausage or the Ardennes boar. Typical cheeses, such as the goat cinders of Les Riceys and the Argel cendré, a cow's cheese matured in ashes, the cheese from Chaource, a village where the Cheese Museum is located, adds a touch of character to the table. The desserts of Champagne-Ardenne delight the greedy ones, from the grandmother, based on orange jam and honey, to the pain d'épice, the gingerbread, from the pink cookies of Reims to the marzipan.
Red grape varieties	Pinot Meunier, Pinot Nero
White grape varieties	Chardonnay
AOC	Champagne, Coteaux Champenoise