Ever Wonder? What is Blanc de Blancs?

Have you ever seen a bottle of sparkling wine that has “Blanc de Blancs” on the label and wondered what it is?

Well, Blanc de Blancs is a term from the Champagne region in France. It is used to refer to champagne produced entirely from white grapes, most commonly Chardonnay. Other grapes such as Pinot Blanc and Arbane are also permitted to be used, as well as a number of other varieties, but they are less common.

Blanc de Blancs is different from the majority of champagnes that are made with a traditional blend of white and red grapes, usually Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.

It is also different from Blanc de Noirs champagne, which is produced exclusively from black (noir) grapes such as Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Blanc de Blancs champagnes are typically lighter, drier, and fruitier than Blanc de Noirs while Blanc de Noir wines can be richer with a fuller body.

Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines are produced in two sub-regions of Champagne France - Cote des Blanc and Cote de Sezanne.

Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines are made in the Champagne region of France using the traditional ‘Methode Champenoise’ where the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle.

So, next time you see Blancs de Blancs you’ll know it’s made entirely from white grapes! Cheers!

Wine Fun Fact: Blanc de Blanc versus Blanc de Noir

Having just wrapped up the holiday season when a lot of Champagne and sparkling wines are enjoyed, I came across a Blanc de Blanc Champagne. At first it seems that ‘Blanc de Blanc” is just a fancy name for a French Champagne. But, this is just another example of something in the wine world that is seemly complex or confusing that is really rather simple.

If you took high school French, which I didn’t, you’d know that ‘Blanc de Blanc’ literately translates as ‘White from White.” Okay, you might ask, but what does that have to do with Champagne? The answer to that question requires a very quick review of how Champagne is produced. French Champagne is traditionally produced from three grapes - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (Pee-noh Mehr-n'yay). The Chardonnay is a white grape, while the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes are black.

So, you may have already gotten ahead of me. A ‘Blanc de Blanc’ or ‘White from White’ means that this type of Champagne is made solely from white grapes, namely Chardonnay.

Conversely, a ‘Blanc de Noir’ simple translates as ‘White from Black.’ Thus, it is a Champagne made from black grapes - Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. And, as we’ve learned, the juice from all grapes is clear - it’s the grape skins that give it the red color. So, in a ‘Blanc de Noir’ the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes are pressed but the juice is not given any time in contact with the dark grape skins and therefore remain ‘white.’

So, in summary, you can have Champagne in three different styles:

  • Traditional Champagne - Produced with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier

  • Blanc de Blanc Champagne - Produced with Chardonnay

  • Blanc de Noir Champagne - Produced with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier