Aÿ

Aÿ is the historic wine-growing settlement within the present-day commune of Aÿ-Champagne in the Marne department in the Champagne region Champagne. The commune was formed on 1 January 2016 through the merger of Aÿ, Bisseuil and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The historic slopes of Aÿ are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars”.

The vineyards lie to the south of the Montagne de Reims. To the north, the slopes are bounded by woodland, and to the south by the Marne valley. Numerous parcels follow the slopes around the village. The calcareous subsoil enabled the construction of underground cellar facilities.

Aÿ is documented as a 100% Grand Cru commune. In the local vineyards, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, among others, are grown. The name of the commune, Aÿ, may be linked, under the rules of the Champagne appellation, with the designation “Grand Cru” if the grapes come from the approved area. The wines of the Champagne appellation are white or rosé sparkling wines, created by blending base wines and a second fermentation in the bottle.

Winegrowing in Aÿ has ancient and Gallo-Roman origins and developed in the 18th and 19th centuries into a centre of Champagne. In 1911, Aÿ was a central location in the winemakers’ uprising to define the Champagne appellation. Traditional cellars are linked to the houses of the winegrowers; beneath the slopes, galleries run with main and cross paths, which are used for the production and ageing of Champagne. Ventilation shafts between the vineyards point to these underground networks.