Pink Chardonnay is official grape variety

Champagne’s vineyards are evolving with the official addition of Pink Chardonnay to the list of authorised grape varieties. Experts have hailed these move as “a small revolution in the vineyard”.

Until now, Champagne’s AOC rules recognised seven grapes: Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay — the dominant trio — along with Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris (known locally as Blanc Vrai and Fromenteau). Pink Chardonnay, a natural mutation of Chardonnay Blanc discovered in the early 1900s, brings the count to eight traditional vinifera varieties. Voltis, a mildew-resistant PIWI hybrid is also permitted on a trial basis until 2032.

Pink Chardonnay owes its survival to ampelographer Rémi Couvreur-Périn, an expert in the study and classification of cultivated varieties of grape, who documented the Chardonnay mutation in 1926 and helped preserve its lineage. Officially ratified in August 2025, Pink Chardonnay is praised by Louis Roederer’s Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon as 'almost identical to white Chardonnay, but slightly more acidic and vibrant'.

Producers see both Pink Chardonnay and Voltis as adding resilience and biodiversity, helping Champagne adapt to changing climates without losing its finesse.