🍷 Champagne chalk cellars (crayères)
Miles of underground tunnels in chalk where bottles of sparkling wine mature.
The chalk cellars of Champagne are kilometres of underground passages in soft white chalk where bottles of sparkling wine mature. Most of them are in the cities of Reims and Épernay. Many were dug as early as Roman times, when chalk was quarried for building. The passages were later used to store wine.
The cellars keep a steady cool temperature all year, around 10–12 degrees Celsius, and high humidity. This is needed for the wine to mature slowly on its lees. Chalk absorbs moisture and blocks swings in heat. Bottles lie on racks and in niches and are turned from time to time.
The cellars are tied to the chalk in which they are cut and to the cave cellar as a type of storage. Together with the vineyards and houses of Champagne they were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015 as the Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars. Some cellars are open to visitors, while the rest work as storage for the houses.
How it connects to Wine
🍷 Champagne chalk cellars (crayères) → kind of → 🍷 Cave cellar → kind of → 🍷 Wine cellar → stores → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Previous step
- 🪨 Chalk
- Part of
- 🍷 Cave cellar, 🏛️ Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars
Frequently asked questions
What are the chalk cellars of Champagne?
Underground passages in soft chalk where bottles of Champagne mature at a steady temperature.
What is the temperature in the cellars?
Around 10–12 degrees Celsius all year.
Are they on the UNESCO list?
Yes, since 2015, together with the hillsides and houses of Champagne.