There is a battle going on in the Champagne region, as smaller grower-produces begin to attract attention usually reserved for larger brands like Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon.

Writing for Bloomberg, wine critic Elin McCoy says that smaller grower-producers from the region are creating quite a buzz in hip US restaurants.

However, Pierre-Emanuel Tattinger, president of the Tattinger vineyard, told her that the big champagne labels are more than just wine, they are icons akin to movie stars.

In addition, he believes that the bigger vineyards achieve a complexity in their wine that smaller grower-producers can only dream of.

"People are forgetting that champagne is classically a blend of vintages and vineyards - a painting with 25 colours," he said.

Demand for big champagne brands has certainly been rising. Sales of Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon have helped luxury retailer LVMH to increase revenue in the wines and spirits sector by 22 per cent in 2010.