The party wine par excellence, Champagne is actually quite complex. Despite the unique ‘Champagne’ appellation, there are a great number of different champagnes. It can be a ‘blanc de blancs’ (made from Chardonnay), ‘blanc de noirs’ (made from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or both), a blend of the three grape varieties, one cru or several, white or rosé, vintage or not, and given dosages of varying proportions. Also, the Champagne region is comprised of three AOCs: Champagne, Coteaux-Champenois and Rosé-des-Riceys. One on each side of the Marne, Reims and Epernay share the role of the Champagne capital. Several areas make up the Champagne appellation: Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs, the Marne Grande Vallée and the two banks of the Marne valley, extended by Aisne and the Surmelin Valley. The Aube vineyards are found in the south-east of the appellation, separated by a zone of 75 vineless kilometres.