What is Grower Champagne?
- Posted on
- By David Samples
What is Grower Champagne?
You’ll have an opportunity to taste 28 Champagnes and sparkling wines at the annual Champagne Blowout! on Friday, November 21st, 2025 from 7:00PM-9:00PM. It’s likely you’ll recognize a number of the producers we’ll be showcasing, such as Drappier, Louis Roederer, and Bollinger. Additionally, there will be an emphasis on Grower Champagne.
What is Grower Champagne?
You’ll have an opportunity to taste 28 Champagnes and sparkling wines at the annual Champagne Blowout! on Friday, November 21st, 2025 from 7:00PM-9:00PM. It’s likely you’ll recognize a number of the producers we’ll be showcasing, such as Drappier, Louis Roederer, and Bollinger. Additionally, there will be an emphasis on Grower Champagne.
Types of Champagne Producers
There are several categories of Champagne producers. We’ll focus on two of these for simplicity and it all boils down to letters: NM and RM.
NOTE: NV stands for Non-Vintage and is not related to our current discussion.
Champagne Houses: NM - Négociant-Manipulant
A Négociant-Manipulant (NM) is a producer “who, in addition to the grapes sourced from their own vines, if they have any, buys grapes, musts or wines to make Champagne on their own premises.” (Comité Champage-FAQs)
Large Champagne Houses account for the overwhelming majority of Champagne imported into the United States. 27.4 million bottles of Champagne were imported into the United States in 2024 (Comité Champagne-Champagne at a Glance) and nearly 87% of it was from large Champagne houses (Brian Maletis).
These are the large, recognizable Champagne Houses. Drappier, Louis Roederer, Bollinger, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Krug, and Moet & Chandon are among these producers.
Grower Producers: RM - Récoltant-Manipulant
A Récoltant-Manipulant (RM) is a producer who makes Champagne from the grapes grown in their own vineyards. Put simply, the vineyards are tended, harvested, and owned by the producer of the Champagne.
Of the 27.4 million bottles of Champagne imported into the United States last year, only 5% of it came from Grower Producers (RM - Récoltant-Manipulant).
How Can I Tell the Difference?
As noted above, it’s all in the letters NM and RM (and a handful of others which don’t pertain to our current discussion) which can be found on every Champagne bottle. While it must be admitted that finding these letters on a bottle can be like finding a needle in a haystack and might require the use of a magnifying glass, rest assured they’re there.
Grower Producers occasionally can be a little easier to identify. For instance, Champagne Jean Vesselle proudly displays Récoltant-Manipulant on the front label under its name.
Is Grower Champagne (RM) Better than Champagne Houses (NM)?
First of all, let me admit that there are several Champagne Houses I thoroughly enjoy. Two of these, which can be found at Western Reserve Wines, are Pol Roger and Vilmart & Cie. And who would deny a glass of the barrel fermented, toasty excellence of Champagne Krug?
The attraction of Grower Champagne lies in its uniqueness. Using the same production methods as the large houses, its artisanal and limited production lends an air of distinction and authenticity to the finished product. It’s similar to the attraction people have for farm-to-table restaurants and small family businesses.
Another aspect of the uniqueness and attraction of Grower Champagne is the pure way it showcases the fruit and terroir of the vineyards. Large Champagne houses employ hundreds, if not thousands, of workers to tend the vineyards, make the wines, and then blend them into a house style that is recognizable to consumers. Grower Champagnes, on the other hand, “willingly celebrate whatever nature brings to their vineyards, but they maintain complete control over every step of the Champagne-making process from how they grow and harvest the grapes to when and if they blend…in order to let their grapes shine.” (Brian Maletis)
Conclusion
It’s a matter of both/and not either/or when it comes to Grower Champagne and large Champagne Houses. There’s a reason each one has a place at Western Reserve Wines. Most importantly, you’ll get to taste splendid examples of each category on Friday, November 21st!
Sources
Comité Champagne. FAQs: Answers to your questions https://www.champagne.fr/en/champagne-frequently-asked-questions#economy
Comité Champagne. Champagne at a Glance: Key Figures of the Champagne Industry in 2024
https://www.champagne.fr/en/find-out-more/champagne-at-a-glance
Maletis, Brian. Getting into Grower Champagne.
https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/grower-champagne-guide/
Maletis, Brian. (2024, February 21). Grower Champagne vs. Big House Champagne
https://fatcork.com/blogs/news/grower-champagne-vs-big-house-champagne?_pos=4&_sid=a80ad52bc&_ss=r