Cru classifications in Champagne are allocated a completely unique way. Here the village itself is given a classification in lieu of individual vineyards as is the case in other regions. Each village is ranked based on the quality of wines it produces - Grand Cru being the highest, Premier Cru being the next highest, followed by the standard Cru Champagne classification. The village of Ville-Dommange pictured here is a Premiere Cru village that produces some terrific wines.

You may ask what really is the difference between these ranked villages? It is the terroir of course! Soil plays an essential part in good Champagne. Grand Cru villages typically contain soils that are almost completely chalk, as can be observed in this soil sample from Bouzy. Premier Cru villages have chalk too, but it is typically found beneath loam & sand and may even have some limestone mixed in as seen in the next sample from Ecueil Coteaux. Regular Cru champagne should still have some chalk but it will not be as concentrated. Next time you are picking out a bottle of Champagne, pay close attention to its Cru classification as this will usually be a direct reflection of how mineral and chalky the wine tastes!