Everything You Need to Know About Clair Wine

What is Clair Wine?

After the initial fermentation, a Champagne wine is first a "still" wine, meaning it has no bubbles. Many Champagne producers emphasize that every fine Champagne is initially vinified just like a quality white wine. The effervescence only comes into play during the second fermentation, when yeast and sugar are added. This stage is referred to as Clair wine. In Champagne, it is customary to taste the Clair wine before it undergoes its sparkling transformation.

Clair Wine: Essential for Evaluating a Vintage

You might wonder why anyone would taste a Champagne without bubbles. According to many winemakers, this practice is crucial for assessing the quality of a vintage and for planning future blends. The regulations for Champagne production only permit the tasting of Clair wines starting from January following the harvest, so winemakers typically wait until April to sample them, allowing the aromas to fully develop.

Tasting Clair Wines: A Growing Trend Among Enthusiasts

By definition, Clair wine is unfinished and thus has a distinctive taste, characterized by noticeable acidity and very low alcohol content. To soften the acidity, some winemakers serve it at room temperature, around 18°C (64°F), which is quite different from the typical Champagne tasting experience. Once reserved primarily for professionals, this type of tasting is becoming more accessible to the public. Several Champagne houses, like Champagne Berthelot-Piot, now offer Clair wine tastings to enthusiasts.