How do Non-Vintage and Vintage Champagnes differ in terms of blending and aging requirements?

• A. NV blends across vintages; Vintage is from a single vintage and aged on lees for longer.
• B. NV is a single-vintage wine; Vintage blends vintages.
• C. NV requires no lees aging; Vintage requires 12 months on lees.
• D. NV uses aged wine from old stocks; Vintage uses only new wine.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is how blending strategy and aging on the lees shape each style. Non-Vintage Champagne is made by blending wines from multiple harvests to create a consistent house style from year to year; because it combines wines from various years, it’s not focused on one particular vintage. It is aged on the lees to develop character, but the lees aging is typically shorter than that of a Vintage Champagne.

Vintage Champagne, by contrast, uses wine from a single harvest and aims to express that specific year. It is aged on the lees for a longer period, which builds more complexity, texture, and aging potential.

So, the best description is that Non-Vintage blends across vintages and is aged on lees for a shorter period, while Vintage comes from one vintage and is aged on the lees longer. The idea that Non-Vintage requires no lees aging or that Vintage uses only 12 months on lees doesn’t align with how traditional-method Champagnes are produced.