Cramant was classed as one of two grand cru villages in the Côte des Blancs in the original 1911 échelle des crus (along with Avize). The village is located north of Avize and south of Chouilly. To understand the complex terroir of Cramant, it helps to understand a bit about the geology of the Côte des Blancs. In geological terms, the Côte des Blancs is a cuesta within the much larger region of the Paris Basin. A cuesta is a hill that is formed where softer sedimentary rock is topped with a hard layer of rock known as the ‘capstone’. As the softer sedimentary rock erodes, it leaves a slope (‘côte’ in French) on one side of the formation, normally where the capstone has been fractured by geologic activity. This slope steeper slope is called an escarpment. Some of the vines in Cramant are planted on the east-facing escarpments of this cuesta.
Others vineyards in Cramant line the Butte de Saran. The Butte de Saran is what is known in geological terms as an ‘outlier,’ a freestanding hill that has been separated from the main part of a cuesta by erosion. The village of Cramant itself is nestled in the small valley that lies between the cuesta and the butte. At the risk of over-simplifying, we will divide the vineyards of Cramant into those on the western edge of the village, those east of the village, and those that wrap around the base of the Butte de Saran. The exposure of the vines in each of these places is varied, so there will be some further subdivisions.
The first section of vines is found mostly to the west of the D10 road. These are the vines that are on the slopes of the ‘Côte de Blancs proper’ which we will refer to by its geological name of of Cuis, where the slopes face northeast. These are cooler sites, and the wines can resemble those produced in Cuis. We will refer to these vineyards as ‘Cuesta North’ (Cuesta Nord). The second part of this section is also west of the D10, but further south, closer to Avize. Here the Côte swings around, and the vines face east-southeast, pro- ducing a warmer terroir. We will call these the ‘Cuesta South’ section (Cuesta Sud), where there are two fairly large lieux-dits here, Le Luth and Les Vignes de Mardu.
Both of these sections face the vineyards on the slopes above the village on the southwest-facing slopes of the Butte de Saran on the other side of the D10 road. Vines carpet the slopes of the butte all Chouilly and are not included here. The group that are behind and above the village of Cramant itself we refer to as ‘Saran Southwest’ face South (Saran), southeast (Blanchard) and more east (Rochelet and Vigneux), ‘Saran Southeast’ (Saran Sud-Est). Here we will also include the lieux-dits Bouron du Midi and Bouron Leroy that form the base for Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs. These have amore southern exposure, giving lovely ripeness to the fruit. Between Bourons du Midi and Les Busons is Bouron du Levant with a slightly more eastern exposure. This is the source of Larmandier-Bernier’s Vieille Vigne du Levant.
The largest section of vines lies to the east of the village, extending to the border of grand cru Oiry. Anselme Selosse, acclaimed pro- prietor of Champagne Jacques Selosse, pointed out to me that the chalk forms east-west ridges in this section as a result of the process while holding water and then thawed, causing it to fracture and break apart (gelifraction). This crushed chalk then moved slowly down the ridges run west to east, and thus have slopes that slightly tilted to the with the lieux-dits Le Gros Mont and Au-dessus du Gros Mont, and terminates in Sur les Gros Monts in Oiry. Guillaume Selosse (son of Anselme) produces a parcellaire from his vines in Au-dessus du Gros Mont. We also include in this section several lieux-dits north of this ridge that are on the border with Chouilly such as Le Bateau, where by Selosse includes Les Busons and Les Bionnes, and ends with Le Champ Braux in Oiry. Les Bionnes is one of the important vineyards for G.H. Mumm and is often included in their RSRV Cuvée Lalou. We will call this section ‘Centre-East’ (Centre-Est).
The largest section of vines east of the village we will simply call which stretches from the various ‘Pimonts’ lieux-dits and ends with Le Chemin de Châlons and La Haute Borne in Oiry. This is where Selosse owns the vines that produce his elusive Chemin de Châlons bottling, produced in minute quantities. At the risk of oversimpli- fying, we will also include in ‘South’ section a number of interesting lieux-dits, such as Les Gouttes d’Or and Les Grandes Plantes which face the ridge of the ‘Pimonts,’ and those on the other side, along the border with Avize, which include Les Cartelats and Les Robarts, where Suenen produces a parcellaire.
LIEUX-DITS
| NORTH-EAST « NORD-EST » | |
| AU-DESSUS DU GROS MONT | PLANTED |
| LE BATEAU | PLANTED |
| LES BUISSONS | PLANTED |
| LES BUISSONS DU COUCHANT | PLANTED |
| LES BUISSONS DU LEVANT | PLANTED |
| LES BUISSONS DU MIDI | PLANTED |
| LE GROS MONT | PLANTED |
| ROUGE PERTE | PLANTED |
| LES TERRES DES BUISSONS | PLANTED |
| CENTER-EAST « CENTRE-EST » | |
| LES BIONNES | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES BUZONS | PARTLY PLANTED |
| CUESTA NORTH « CUESTA NORD » | |
| LE BAS DE LA CÔTE | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES BAS MARTELOTS | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES BASSES CRAYERES | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LA CÔTE | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LA CRAYÈRE | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LE FOND DES CHARMIÈRES | PLANTED |
| LA GARENNE | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LE GRAND PRÉ | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES MARECHAUDES | PLANTED |
| LES MARTELOTS DU HAUT | PLANTED |
| MOYENS DU COUCHANT | PARTLY PLANTED |
| MOYENS DU LEVANT | PLANTED |
| LES PISSES LOUPS | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES PONGEONS | PLANTED |
| LES RICYS | PLANTED |
| CUESTA SOUTH « CUESTA SUD » | |
| LE LUTH | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LE PATIS DU CôTE DE CRAMANT | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES VIGNES DE MARDU | PARTLY PLANTED |
| SARAN SOUTH-EAST « SARAN SUD-EST » | |
| BLANCHARD | PLANTED |
| BOURON LEROI | PLANTED |
| BOURON DU LEVANT | PLANTED |
| BOURON DU MIDI | PLANTED |
| LA CROIX DE CRAMANT | PLANTED |
| ROCHELET | PLANTED |
| SARAN | PLANTED |
| VIGNEUX | PLANTED |
| SARAN SOUTH-WEST « SARAN SUD-OUEST » | |
| LE BAS DES ORMES | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES CHAMPS DU SOLEIL | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LA CROIX SABLONNIÈRE | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES LONGUES VERGES | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES MARAIS | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES MARMOUZES | PARTLY PLANTED |
| SOUTH « SUD » | |
| LES BAGRELLES | PLANTED |
| LES BARIOTTES | PLANTED |
| LES BAS BOURONS | PLANTED |
| LES BAS MARDUS | PLANTED |
| LES BASSES CROIX | PLANTED |
| LES BASSES FOURCHES | PLANTED |
| LE BATEAU | PLANTED |
| LES BAUVES | PLANTED |
| LES BERGERIES AU COUCHANT | PLANTED |
| LES BERGERIES AU LEVANT | PLANTED |
| LES BOURONS | PLANTED |
| LES CARTELATS | PLANTED |
| LES CHAMPS DU PREVOT | PLANTED |
| LE CHEMIN DE CHÂLONS | PLANTED |
| LES CHENELOTS | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES CHIQUÉES | PLANTED |
| LA CROIX DES BAYONNES | PLANTED |
| LES FOLIES | PLANTED |
| LA FONTAINE DES CROCHETS | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LES FOURCHES DU LEVANT | PLANTED |
| LES FOURCHES DU MIDI | PLANTED |
| LES FOURCHES DU NORD | PLANTED |
| LES FROMATTES | PLANTED |
| LES GOUTTES D’OR | PLANTED |
| LES GRANDES PLANTES | PLANTED |
| LES HAUTES BAUVES | PLANTED |
| LES HAUTES BERGERIES | PLANTED |
| LES HAUTS PIMONTS | PLANTED |
| LES MIREAUX | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LA NOUE DE GÉNIE | PLANTED |
| LES PAYENNES | PLANTED |
| LES PERTHES | PLANTED |
| LES PIMONTS DU LEVANT | PLANTED |
| LES PIMONTS DU MIDI | PLANTED |
| LES ROBARTS | PLANTED |
| LES ROUILLEES | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LE VILLAGE | PARTLY PLANTED |
| LA VOIE DE CHOUILLY | PLANTED |
| LA VOIE D’EPERNAY | PLANTED |
NEGOCIANTS
Of the larger négociants, Perrier-Jouët and Mumm both have important holdings in Cramant.
PRODUCERS BASED IN THE VILLAGE:
BERTIN & FILS
64 rue Saint Gibrien 51530 Cramant
06 07 67 00 26
BONNAIRE
120 Rue d’Epernay 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 50 85
BONNINGRE-DURAND
67 Rue Saint-Gibrien 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 59 99
BOULET-LEMAIRE
41 Avenue du 8 Mai 1945 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 99 61
BULLIER-COLLET
Rue du 8 Mai 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 56 54
POL-JACQUES COLLARD
312 Rue du 8 Mai 1945 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 93 55
COMTE-PELLERIN
8 Allée des Acacias 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 57 26
COURTOIS-CAMUS
270 rue du 8 Mai 1945 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 91 18
CRÉPAUX-COURTOIS
113 rue de la Noue 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 56 38
CRÉPAUX FILS
25 rue Ferdinand Moret 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 50 61
CAMILLE DESHAUTELS
130 Rue de La Garenne 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 50 40
DHONDT-GRELLET
Le Vieux Moulin 51190 Flavigny
03 26 57 97 09
DIEBOLT-VALLOIS
84 rue Neuve 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 92
BENOÎT DIOT (AND DIOT-LEGRAS)
105 rue de Carrouge 51530 Cramant
03 26 52 76 89
GASPARD-CRÉPAUX
69 Rue de la Noue 51530 Cramant
03 26 58 08 00
PHILIPPE GLAVIER
82 Rue Nestor Gaunel 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 58 86
GUIBORAT FILS
99 rue de la Garenne 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 08
HURET-COLAS
17 rue de la Libération 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 44
ERIC ISSELÉE
350, rue des Grappes d’Or 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 96
ISSELÉE PERE ET FILS
233 rue des Grappes d’Or 51530 Cramant
09 74 56 91 82
LANCELOT-COURTOIS
375 Rue de la Libération 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 51 25
PHILIPPE LANCELOT
(AND LANCELOT-WANNER)
155 Allée de la Garenne 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 55 95
LANCELOT-PIENNE
1 place Pierre Rivière 51530 Cramant
03 26 59 99 86
PIERRE LANCELOT-ROYER
540 Rue du Général de Gaulle 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 51 41
PAUL LEBRUN
65 Rue Nestor Gaunel 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 88
PIERRE LOUIS LESAGE
401 Rue du Moutier 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 95 58
LILBERT-FILS
223 Rue du Moutier 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 50 16
MALLOL-GANTOIS
290 Rue du Général de Gaulle 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 96 14
GILBERT MORIZET
255, rue du Moutier 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 50 92
JOËL MORIZET
350 Rue de la Libération 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 52 77
MARC MORIZET
72 rue du Carrouge 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 50 93
BRUNO OYANCE
75 Rue du Péan 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 93 43
FRANÇOIS R. PATURE
41 Place Puisard 51530 Cramant 03 26 57 53 55
PERTOIS-LEBRUN
399 rue de la Libération 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 25
PETITJEAN-LIÉGÉ
85, rue de la Libération 51530 Cramant
03 26 53 80 15
PETITJEAN-PIENNE
4, allée des Bouleaux 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 58 26
CHAMPAGNE POPULUS-CAZENAVE
83 Rue du Carrouge 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 53
M. RICHOMME
306 rue de Moutier 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 52 93
SAINTGYBRYEN (COOPÉRATIVE VINICOLE DE CRAMANT)
59 rue du Mont Félix 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 50 72
SIMON-MICHELOT
15 et 28 rue Léon Bourgeois 51530 Cramant
03 26 52 64 29
SUENEN
53 rue de la Garenne 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 94
NOËL TESSIER
101 Rue de la Grande Côte 51530 Cramant
08 99 23 97 10
J. VIGNIER
65 Rue Nestor Gaunel 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 54 88
VOIRIN-JUMEL
555 rue de la Libération 51530 Cramant
03 26 57 55 82
