RichD > wrote:

> I see 'champagne grapes' at the grocery occasionally.
> They sure are sweet.
>
> But where does the name come from?
> Champagne is brewed from pinot noir, is it not?

"Champagne grapes" is just a marketing name; the cultivar is actually
Black Corinth, from what I gather.

Champagne may be made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Most of it is made with all three grapes in varying proportions, but
sometimes Pinot Meunier is omitted. Blanc de Blancs Champagne is made
entirely of Chardonnay. Blanc de Noirs Champagne is made with either
Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or a combination of the two. Rosé Champagne
is ideally made with black grapes, but more often some still red wine is
mixed into white Champagne.

Victor