The Champagne Grape: Not a Wine Grape

The champagne grape is the market name for the Black Corinth grape, a small, seedless, deep-purple grape variety native to Greece; despite its name, it plays no role in producing Champagne wine. Dried, these same grapes are sold as Zante currants; fresh, they are eaten as a snacking grape or used as a garnish.

The misleading name likely comes from the grape's appearance: tiny berries clustered tightly on a slender stem, resembling the bubbles rising in a glass of Champagne. The grapes actually used to make Champagne wine are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, entirely different varieties grown in the Champagne region of France.

In the kitchen, champagne grapes are prized for their small size, sweetness, and lack of seeds. They are used whole in fruit salads, as a garnish for cheese and charcuterie boards, roasted alongside meats and poultry, or baked into tarts and other desserts. Their mild, sweet flavor pairs well with soft cheeses, nuts, cured meats, and poultry.

Because the name so closely echoes the famous sparkling wine, champagne grapes are sometimes mistaken for a wine grape or a byproduct of Champagne production. They are not related to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier, the actual grapes of Champagne, beyond sharing a name.