Cave

French · cellar

Cave is the cellar where bottles age on their lees; Champagne cellars are kept at a steady 9-12 °C.1,2

In the cellar the bottles lie sur lattes through the prise de mousse and ageing on lees.2 The Comité Champagne cites a steady temperature of around 12 °C for ageing.3

According to some historians, many Champagne cellars began as chalk pits, crayères.2 The person who runs the cellar and decides the blend is the chef de cave.4 See ageing on lees and Champagne.

See also

CrayèreGlossaryAgeing on leesMethodsChef de caveGlossaryChampagneRegions

Sources

  1. Comité Champagne (champagne.education). Fiche Élaboration du Champagne (FR) (2024-05)
  2. Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC). Second fermentation: capturing the sparkle
  3. Comité Champagne (champagne.fr). Maturation
  4. Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC). Blending a Grande Marque cuvée

Facts checked on 2026-10-19