Champagne: The Fine Print

My husband and I have been vetting a gift of DVDs about wine that we have purchased in order to determine if the contents are suitable for gifting or not. We have learned a few things in today's lesson. For example, Champagne (and tis the season for this libation!) can have on it's label, NM or RM. NM stands for négociant-manipulant, they constitute the large champagne houses such as Moët, Veuve, and Bollinger.

The NM on these labels may be very tiny. I had to prove it to myself by looking at a label of one of the champagnes that we already drank and have on our wall of fame. It was not visible to my naked eye. I took my camera with my macro lens and was able to finally make out the NM on this label.
RM, on the other hand, stands for récoltant-manipulant, a grower who makes champagne from his own grapes.¹ After today's lesson was over, I saw my husband go to our wine cabinet and check one of the champagnes that we have. It was an RM.

In doing some reading on the Internet, there is a small debate taking place regarding NM and RM Champagnes. In this day and age where a lot of stock is placed in handmade, artisanal anything, the RM Champagnes are getting some traction. You can read an article written by Bill Ward in the Star Tribune called Champagne: Tiny bubbles from tiny operations, he gives an even handed treatment of NM and RM Champagnes and suggests many RM Champagnes worth a try!
References:
1. Jancis Robinson, RM champagne no shortcut to quality.
2. The Beast, Champagne: Houses vs Growers.