The Côte des Blancs is an area of Champagne whose name testifies to the unquestionable reign of Chardonnay, a white grape variety that flourishes on soils composed of sand and clay on chalky subsoil. Further south, however, around the village of Vertus, the Pinot Noir is close to the Chardonnay on the podium of king grape varieties, without dethroning it, since almost all the champagnes of the Côte des Blancs are made from Chardonnay only, the most qualitative of which come from the six villages of the Côte des Blancs classified as Grand-Cru (Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry)