Tête de cuvée

Tête de cuvée is a French term that can be loosely translated as top batch or top blend. This is the term the Champenois use to describe their very best bottlings.

A tête de cuvée is a champagne house’s top drop. It is made from grapes that have been nurtured and cultivated from its best grand cru and premier cru vineyards. It is made only in extraordinary years, when the cellar master deems the grapes to be of outstand­ing quality; most houses will not produce more than three vintages in a decade.

These wines spend more time in the cellar than other cham­pagnes; at least seven years (non-vintage champagnes are usually aged for two to three years), which gives them time to develop their special character. Tête de cuvée bottles have extra detailing, to signify luxury and indicate covetability.