Origin and Organisation
Champagne De Saint-Gall is produced at the facilities of Union Champagne in Avize in the Champagne, France. Union Champagne was founded in 1966 by several champagne cooperatives and was formed in Avize from four founding cooperatives. Today, the organisation comprises 15 wine-growing cooperatives.
Sites and Grapes
The grapes come mainly from the Côte des Blancs, with additional grapes from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne. Vineyards from the classifications Grand Cru and Premier Cru are used. In the Côte des Blancs, chalk soils with underground water and heat reserves shape the terroir.
The most important grape varieties are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; Pinot Meunier is added to some cuvées. More than 50 percent of Union Champagne’s vineyard area is certified according to Viticulture Durable en Champagne and/or Haute Valeur Environnementale, level 3.
Cuvées and Style
The range includes Blanc de Blancs, cuvées made from different grape varieties, rosé, Demi-Sec and vintage champagnes. The cuvées Le Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru, Le Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut Grand Cru, Le Blanc de Blancs Millésimé Grand Cru and Orpale are made up of 100 percent Chardonnay.
Le Rosé Premier Cru is made from 60 percent Chardonnay, 24 percent Pinot Noir and 16 percent red wine. Le Grand Cru Rosé consists of 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Maturation
Each member cooperative vinifies its grapes itself. The wines are then assembled in Avize by the cellarmaster; the fermentation and storage rooms there were inaugurated in 2013.
Orpale is a vintage Blanc de Blancs from Chardonnay from the Grand-Cru villages of Cramant, Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. The cuvée is produced only in years with exceptionally high harvest quality and matures for over a decade in the cellars of Avize. Part of the grapes used for this undergoes no biological malolactic fermentation in order to preserve freshness and a mineral character.
