The Grand Cru designation, which represents the highest level in the Champagne appellation classification system, and Premier Cru, have their origins in a historical system called the Echelle des Crus. This system was established in 1919, on the initiative of the Syndicat Général des Vignerons de Champagne, in the context of structuring and protecting the Champagne appellation (AOP). Originally, the main objective of this system was primarily economic: it was used to set the price of grapes paid to winegrowers during the harvest, while promoting the communes producing the grapes considered to be of the highest quality.

Unlike other French wine regions, such as Burgundy or Bordeaux, where classification is based on plots, climates, lieux-dits, or châteaux, the Champagne system is built on a radically different approach. In Champagne, classification does not concern individual plots or producers, but is based exclusively on the classification of wine-growing communes as a whole. It is therefore a collective rather than an individual recognition, based on the average wine quality of a village. This approach reflects the very history of Champagne, a region of blended wines, where the concept of terroir is expressed at the level of the village and its overall environment.

The Echelle des Crus is therefore a historical and collective recognition of the wine quality of Champagne villages, based on observation of harvests, consistent quality, and long-term reputation. This classification is neither temporary nor subject to annual review; it is based on decades of observation, winemaking practice, and qualitative feedback, which gives it particular legitimacy and stability.

To establish this ranking, each municipality was assigned a quality percentage, determined on the basis of several key criteria. These included the geographical location of the village, the exposure of the vineyards, the nature and composition of the soil, and the consistency of the quality of the grapes produced over successive vintages. These factors were combined to assess the ability of a terroir to consistently produce grapes suitable for making great champagnes.

On this basis, villages that scored 100% were classified as Grand Cru. Those with a score between 90 and 99% were classified as Premier Cru, while municipalities with a score between 80 and 89% were classified as Autres Crus. The latter nevertheless benefit fully from the Champagne AOC appellation, reflecting the fact that the entire Champagne vineyard meets demanding and rigorous specifications.

Thanks to this methodical, demanding approach based on long-term observation, very few villages have achieved the highest levels of this classification. Today, Champagne has only 17 Grand Cru classified communes, representing around 5% of the Champagne vineyards. Among them, 11 are located on the Montagne de Reims and 6 on the Côte des Blancs, two areas renowned for the exceptional quality of their terroirs. These include iconic villages such as Aÿ, Verzenay and Chouilly.