Label Codes Explained
Every Champagne bottle carries a two-letter code in small print that reveals who made it:
- RM (Récoltant-Manipulant) — grower who makes wine from their own grapes
- NM (Négociant-Manipulant) — a house that buys grapes or juice from multiple growers (Moët, Veuve Clicquot, Krug)
- CM (Coopérative de Manipulation) — a cooperative that vinifies members' grapes
- RC (Récoltant-Coopérateur) — a grower who has a cooperative make the wine, then sells it under their own label
- MA (Marque d'Acheteur) — a buyer's own brand (supermarket labels)
Understanding these codes is one of the most valuable skills for Champagne buyers, as the same village's grapes can produce radically different wines depending on who makes them.
The Grower Champagne Revolution
Since the 1990s, a wave of small RM producers has challenged the dominance of the grandes maisons. These vignerons farm specific terroirs — often single villages or single vineyards — and craft Champagnes that express place rather than a consistent house style. Lower dosage, organic farming, and parcel-by-parcel vinification are hallmarks of the movement.
Key RM Producers
- Egly-Ouriet — Ambonnay; powerful, Pinot Noir-driven Champagnes with minimal dosage
- Pierre Gimonnet & Fils — Cuis; elegant, Chardonnay-focused grower from the Côte des Blancs
- Bérêche et Fils — Ludes; biodynamic farming, single-vintage bottlings
- Jérôme Prévost — La Closerie; cult-status, single-vineyard Champagne from Gueux
- Cédric Bouchard — Roses de Jeanne; micro-cuvées from individual parcels in the Aube
Grower Champagnes typically cost less than grande marque prestige cuvées while offering greater individuality and terroir transparency.