> Blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, assemblage, rosé: what these terms reveal about the grape varieties, colour and style of a champagne, and how to choose. *Source : https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/blanc-de-blancs-blanc-de-noirs/* --- Champagne wine tourism · Reims — Épernay — Côte des Bar Book your tours & tastings [Home](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/) › [Understanding Champagne](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/comprendre-le-champagne/) › Blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, rosé: reading a champagne through its grapes Understand # Blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, rosé: reading a champagne through its grapes Published on December 16, 2025 · The editorial team ![Blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, rosé: reading a champagne through its grapes](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/images/articles/cepages-champagne.webp) On a champagne label, the terms **blanc de blancs** and **blanc de noirs** often puzzle people. They say nothing about dosage or vintage, but about the **grape varieties** that make up the wine — and therefore its **style**. Understanding these words means knowing in advance whether your champagne will be lively and chiselled or full-bodied and vinous. Let’s decode them. ## Three grape varieties, two grape colours Champagne rests mainly on **three grape varieties**: **chardonnay** (a white grape), **pinot noir** and **pinot meunier** (black grapes with white juice). This is a key point: you can make a **white** wine from **black** grapes, provided you press gently and don’t let the skins colour the juice. All the “blanc de blancs / blanc de noirs” vocabulary flows from this. (We cover each variety in detail in our article on [champagne grape varieties](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/cepages-champagne/).) ## Blanc de blancs: 100% white grapes A **blanc de blancs** is made exclusively from **white grapes** — in Champagne, almost always **chardonnay**. The result: a **lively, fine, chiselled** champagne, marked by freshness, citrus and lovely minerality, especially when it comes from the **Côte des Blancs** (Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger). It is the style of choice for the **aperitif** and for lovers of tension and elegance. ## Blanc de noirs: 100% black grapes, vinified as white A **blanc de noirs** is produced solely from **black grapes** — pinot noir and/or meunier — pressed as white. The wine gains in **body, vinosity and generosity**: notes of ripe fruit and nuts, a fuller texture. It is enjoyed **at the table**, with poultry or a slightly richer dish. The terroirs of the **Montagne de Reims** (pinot noir) and the **Vallée de la Marne** (meunier) are fine sources of it. ## Assemblage: the most common case Most champagnes are **neither** blanc de blancs **nor** blanc de noirs: they are **assemblages** of the three grape varieties, proportioned to match the style the house is after. Chardonnay brings finesse, pinot noir brings structure, and meunier brings fruit and roundness. The assemblage — across varieties, across plots, and sometimes across years — is the great art of the cellar master. ## And where does rosé fit in? **Rosé** is not a matter of grape variety but of **colour**: it is obtained through **assemblage** (adding a little red wine from the region) or **saignée** (a brief maceration of the skins). It can therefore come from various grape varieties. We devote a full article to it: [rosé champagne](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/champagne-rose/). ## Summary table Term Grape varieties Grape colour Style **Blanc de blancs** Chardonnay (white grapes) White Lively, fine, mineral **Blanc de noirs** Pinot noir / meunier Black (pressed as white) Full, vinous, fruity **Assemblage** The three grape varieties White + black Balanced, versatile **Rosé** Variable (assemblage/saignée) — Fruity, generous ## In short - **Blanc de blancs** = 100% white grapes (chardonnay) → lively and chiselled. - **Blanc de noirs** = 100% black grapes vinified as white → full and vinous. - **Assemblage** = the three grape varieties, the most common case. - **Rosé** = a matter of colour, not of grape variety. To go further, discover the [champagne grape varieties](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/blog/cepages-champagne/), the [glossary](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/glossaire/), or find the style that suits you with our [taste quiz](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/en/simulateur/). Read next ## In the same topic [![Crémant or Champagne: What's the Difference (and When to Choose Which)?](https://champagne-discovery-tours.com/images/articles/cremant-ou-champagne.webp) comprendre le champagne ### Crémant or Champagne: What's the Difference (and When to Choose Which)? Crémant and Champagne: same method, different terroir and rules. 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