Winemaker Notes
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
An appellation in the cooler, elevated, southern Languedoc and internationally recognized for its sparkling wines, Cremant de Limoux by definition must be comprised predominantly of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc with only miniscule amounts of the indigenous white variety, Mauzac.
This is in contrast to the more regional sparkler, Blanquette de Limoux, created from mainly Mauzac with tiny amounts of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc.