Recently, Ideal Wine Company revealed
how to read a Champagne label. Within this
article, we pointed out that on the label you will see a two letter code, which
refers to the type of Champagne producer that made the product. Delving deeper
into this subject, here we outline the seven different types of Champagne
producer you may encounter when consuming this luxury tipple.
Récoltant Coopérateur (RC)
Referred to on bottles with ‘RC,’
this code means that the grower-producer behind the Champagne in question made
the product at a Co-Op facility, but sells it under their own label. Co-Ops are villages in the Champagne region of
France which provide growers with the necessary sparkling wine making
equipment, if they don’t have these tools to hand in order to produce their
vintage.
Négociant Distributeur (ND)
These Champagnes, noted on
bottles with the code ‘ND,’ refer to a buyer. In these cases, some other party
grows the grapes and makes the final product. Afterwards the buyer purchases
the product and labels it, before distributing the vintage to the general
public.
Marque d’Acheteur (MA)
Otherwise known as “buyer’s own
brand,” Marque d’Acheteur is shortened to ‘MA’ on Champagne labels. This code
refers to a large retail chain or restaurant that buys a fully made Champagne
from another producer. However, they sell the product under their own label.
Société de Récoltants (SR)
The term Société de Récoltants is
used to describe a union of Champagne growers. Here, the union shares resources
to make their products, but they are not a Co-Operative. The growers within
this association sell their products, with the marker ‘SR’ on bottles, under
their own private labels.
Récoltant Manipulant (RM)
If you see the code ‘RM’ on a
Champagne label, the product in question is a Récoltant Manipulant. Otherwise
known as ‘grower Champagne’ this code refers to growers who make Champagne from
their own grapes. Typically, at least 95% of an RM’s grapes will come from the
grower’s estate.
Coopérative Manipulant (CM)
In many ways, a Coopérative
Manipulant shares similarities with a Récoltant Manipulant and a Récoltant
Coopérateur. These Champagnes, marked out with the code ‘CM’ on labels, are
made by Co-Operatives comprised of growers, with all the grapes they produce
pulled together to make bottles released under a joint CM label.
Négociant Manipulant (NM)
The majority of major brands,
such as those behind many of our Champagnes, are Négociant
Manipulant producers. Referred to as ‘NM’ Champagnes, these describe producers
who buy all or some of their grapes from other growers. Anything less than 94%
estate fruit must be labelled an NM.
Try out your knowledge
If you know the type of producer
behind your Champagne, you can find out more about how the final product was
made and marketed, allowing you to cultivate a deeper understanding of your
purchase. Now you know how to interpret Champagne producer codes, why don’t you
put your new knowledge to the test? Buy the Salon
1999 from Ideal Wine Company and use the label to find out which kind of
producer was behind this brilliant bottle of Champagne!
