Ever Wonder Why Most Champagne is Not Vintage Dated?

Last time we learned that the word ‘Cuvée’ means a blend. And, with Champagne it’s not only made from a blend of grapes but most often it is also a blend of wines made in different years. Therefore, these are non-vintage (NV) dated Champagnes.

By blending wines from different years, the winemaker is given the flexibility to make a more consistent wine from year to year. This significantly helps to smooth out any issues that are caused by the weather during any one particular growing season.

Non-vintage wines aren’t lesser wines at all, and it’s a common practice to do multi-year blends. The blended vintages ensure that your favorite bottle of Champagne will usually taste the same from year to year.

Champagnes that are vintage dated are rarer and generally finer bottles. So, if you’re a really big fan of Champagne, splurge sometime on a vintage dated bottle. Otherwise, you can rest assured that your next bottle of your favorite non-vintage Champagne will be just as good as the last one. Cheers!

Ever Wonder What 'Cuvée' Means on a Wine Label?

Have you ever come across the word ‘Cuvée’ (kü-vā) in the wine world and wondered what it really means? Well, you’re not alone. It gets tossed around on wine and Champagne labels a lot. And, it seems quite impressive when you see it. But, what exactly does ‘Cuvée’ mean?

Simply put, it refers to a blend.

When it comes to Champagne, the term ‘Cuvée’ can make a bottle of bubbly seem even more impressive. But, Champagnes are both a blend of grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay) and, most often, a blend of vintages (more on this later). So, the term ‘Cuvée’ on a Champagne label is just a French term (a.k.a fancy term) for a blend.

In addition to seeing the term on a bottle of bubbly, the other place you’ll see the word ‘Cuvée’ is on a standard wine label. And, once again, this simply tells you that that it’s a blend of wines. It may be a red blend or it may be a white blend. Either can have the word ‘Cuvée’ on the label.

Like so many other wine terms “Cuvée” is used to imply some additional prestige or enhanced quality. But, unfortunately, it is not officially regulated, and therefore can appear on the labels of some very ordinary wines.

So, there you have it. Cuvée. A blend. Cheers!