Karen MacNeil
WINESPEED
January 21, 2026
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Karen: I recently saw the words Coteaux Champenois on a wine list. What is Coteaux Champenois?The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.

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Dear Kayleigh:

Coteaux Champenois is still Champagne. (There are no bubbles).  It’s the way Champagne was before it began to be made as a sparkling wine in the 18th century. Coteaux Champenois can be white, rosé, or red. Coteaux Champenois red, which is becoming popular in the US, is often made 100% from Pinot Noir. As such, it’s rather like the basic red wines of Burgundy which are made from vineyards that aren’t that far away.

The name “Burgundy” comes from: The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.

A. The medieval French word for a small village, similar to the Old English “burg” 

B. A nomadic German tribe which once settled in the area

C. The Latin word Burgarius which was the name for a Roman province that once extended over most of central France

D. The name for early French rural governing bodies which were made up of noble councilmen who were known as Burrs

“The wine one drinks from one’s glass depends on a vast number of thingsThe following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.