I was intrigued earlier this month when Wine-Searcher mentioned a 
Champagne on Twitter that uses 6 permitted grape varieties in its blend. Wine-Searcher – apart from being a wine search engine (on which you can find suppliers, p
roducers and comparative prices) – also has useful information on grape varieties, wine regions, vintages, labels, storage etc. The Champagne in question comes from the Champagne House Moutard and is named Cuvée de 6 Cépages. The six grapes in the blend are Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Petit Meslier and Arbane. Wine-Searcher also pointed out that Moutard make a rare single variety Champagne from the Arbane grape (Cépage Arbane).
The Champagne AOC has 7 permitted grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris (sometimes known as 
Fromenteau), Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier and Arbane. However records show that in the past Pinot de Juillet, Pinot Rosé, Gamay, Sacy (also known as Tressallier), Chasselas, Savagnin Blanc and the extinct varieties Troyen and Morillon were also used.
Pinot Noir can be particularly prone to mutation and in 1919 CIVC (Le Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne) identified 39 varieties of Pinot – each village seemed to have its own slightly different variety. There are plenty of historical Pinots that are long forgotten: Pinot Vert Doré d’Ay, Pinot de Trépail, Pinot Mouret, Pinot Cioutat, Pinot Liebault, Pinot de Pernand, Pinot Maltais, Pinot Renevey, Pinot Giboudot, Pinot Pansiot, Pinot Carnot, Pinot Cendré, Pinot Crépet, Pinot de Coulanges and more.
The Moutard family have been making Champagne in the small village of Buxeuil, nestled in the Côte de
s Bar, just outside Troyes since 1642. At the turn of the 19th century their vineyards were planted with 11 authorised varietals of the time: Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Arbane, Petit Meslier, Gamay, Chasselas, Savagnin Blanc, Troyen and Morillon. Moutard is one of the rare winemakers to 
have replanted ancient and virtually extinct varietals such as Arbane and Petit Meslier. Only 2 hectares of Arbane can be found in Champagne and Moutard is the only House to make a monocepage from this grape.
There are a few Champagne Houses that have started to grow these forgotten grapes – Champagne House Duval Leroy created a single variety Champagne in their Authentis range from Petit Meslier. Champagne L Aubry et Fils in Jouy les Reims produce Le Nombre d’Or which uses all 7 varieties in the blend. Their plantings of Petit Meslier, Fromenteau (Pinot Gris) and Arbane were completed in 1989 to mark the 200 year anniversary of grape growing by the Aubry family. Le Nombre 
d’Or Millésimé Version Intégrale is an assembly of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier, Arbane, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The Le Nombre d’Or Sable Blanc de Blancs blends Petit Meslier, Arbane and Chardonnay.
Champagne Pierre Gerbais make a single variety Champagne from Pinot Blanc named L’Originale and Champagne Laherte produce Les 7 which includes all the permitted grape varieties. Thierry Laherte discovered the forgotten grape varieties in their old plots and decided to recreate a former plot in order to taste a wine of Champagne with the same taste as 250 years ago. Champagne Drappier produce Quattuor IV, a Blanc de Blancs Champagne, produced in limited quantities, from Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay.
I have read that Champagne Tarlant have planted some Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Blanc but I have not found any Champagne as yet being produced from their plot. If you know of any other Champagnes out there using forgotten grapes please let me know!
I have had Aubry’s Nombre d.Or also the Moutard Cuvée des 6 Cépages (of which I have just one left) and varietal Arbane Champagnes.The Arbanes were wonderful delicate ethereal wines.I was told by a Champagne grower/producer that it is forbidden to make new plantings of the heritage varieties except when replacing existing vines of that variety.A decision was taken in the 1930’s (AFAIR) to restrict the appellation to the main 3 varieties, PN,PM & Chardonnay for pragmatic reasons in that they were the best producers and more resistant to vine ailments.
I recently discovered an Australian sparkling wine called Irvine MV Meslier Brut. It is a Sparkling wine Méthode Traditionnelle from 100% Petit Meslier grapes.
More info at : www.irvinewines.com.au
Thanks for the heads up Peter, much appreciated!
Cheers
Nick
Hi Frank,
Thanks for your interesting comment – it’s good to know that these grapes are doing well in Australia . . . and thanks for the link to Irvine Wines, I will definitely check them out
Cheers
Nick
hello
I recently tryed a blanc de blancs Cuvée Perlée from Emmanuel Tassin
50%chardonnay 50%pinot blanc
for onely 15€ it is certainly worth a try
don’t hesitate to recommand any new discovery’s
kind regards
Thomas Duyck
Thanks Thomas
And likewise, if you discover any unusual or great champagnes please let me know!
Cheers
Nick
hello
long ago i’ve met something like “2005 Bouchard Roses de Jeanne La Bolorée Blanc de Blancs” – 100% of Pinot Blanc
alexie
Thanks Alexie for your comment – this is a super Champagne from a small producer, Cedric Bouchard. They make a Blanc de Noirs also, called Inflorescence.
Cheers
Nick
Hi Nick,
We are just about to launch in the UK the newly released Chassenay d’Arce Pinot Blanc Extra Brut 2005 Vintage Champagne. This Champagne is produced exclusively from Pinot Blanc and this produces an unusual and remarkable Champagne. The bouquet is fresh, elegant, complex and expressive. Contact me for more info!
Thanks,
Tom
www.firstclassproducts.biz
Hi Tom, thanks for the heads up and good luck with the new release in the UK
Cheers
Nick
Thanks so much for this post! I am sitting exams that include the ‘Sparkling’ unit of WSET Diploma in a week and the list of those grapes is very helpful for study.
FYI ‘Revue du Vin de France’ touched on the subject of those heritage grapes and producers in the February 2013 (LA RVF no 568) issue. Check it out if possible.
Post-exams I look forward to doing some Champagne-related illustrations on my new all-illustration blog:
http://theillustratedwine.wordpress.com/
Thanks!
Thanks Zelda
Good luck with your exams! I will check out the article in La Revue du Vin de France, it sounds an interesting read. I love your illustrations and have added a link to you on my blog 
Cheers
Nick
Nick, Thank you very much!
Post-exams I hope to finish construction of my new blog (and hope to build an audience), which will include a blogroll. I’ll return the favour (though I’m a tad far from your UK shop…)! You have a great site and blog to match. So comprehensive and professional.
Very Best,
Zelda
That’s very kind of you Zelda, thanks a lot! Please let me know when you have finished your exams and have time to work with your blog – perhaps we could collaborate? It would be great if you could do a Guest Post on my blog as I am sure my readers would love it
I note that Robert Parker has a Cartoon of the Week by Doug Pike over on TWA – have you thought about posting your illustrations on Twitter and Facebook? I think lots of folks will love your work and your Grape Meditations and Drink This themes are a superb way of summing up tasting notes, flavour descriptors etc. A picture tells a thousand words and yours are a visual story that folks can instantly relate to – and should prove to be very popular.
Cheers
Nick
Nick,
A guest spot sounds wonderful! Thank you for the invite and I will be in touch!
Cheers,
Zelda