2 Champagne

Question 1

What is Champagne?

Answer 1

• A protected region and wine style
• a traditional method sparkling wine made from grapes grown within the appellation
• most champagne is white, fully sparkling, NV Brut from blend of PN, Meunier & Chardonnay
• typically med intense aromas/flavours of citrus and apple with biscuit autolytic notes, high acidity, med alcohol and dry finish. Good to outstanding, mid to premium prices.
• Vintage & prestige cuvées command super-premium prices

Question 2

What grapes can make champagne?

Answer 2

1. Pinot Noir (2017 38%)
2. Meunier (31%)
3. Chardonnay (30% - rising: higher price/demand, yields better)
4. Pinot Blanc (<1%)
5. Arbanne (<1%)
6. Petit Meslier (<1%)
7. Fromenteau (<1%)

NB Laherte’s Les 7 niche cuvée uses all 7

Question 3

Describe (Petit) Meunier (old name called by Comité Champagne)

Answer 3

• Mutation of Pinot, white hairs on leaves “floury” (meunier = “miller”)
• Buds early, but later than PN, so less prone to spring frosts/coulure in cool Vallée de la Marne, where it dominates
• Does better on heavier clay soils than C or PN.
• Ripens earlier than PN - good if rain at harvest
• Sensitive to botrytis infection
• Reliable fruity wine, adds softness to blend: important for NV wines aged shorter on lees and drunk on release
• Less used in long-aged wines (though Krug like it and growers Egly-Ouriet)

Question 4

List 9 champagne styles

Answer 4

• Most: White, fully sparkling, non vintage,
  
  • Chard+PN+Meun. brut style ​
  • med int aroma, apple, lemon, biscuit autolytic
  • high acid, med alc
  • g/os, mid to prem price
  • Vintage and Prestige Cuvee - prem - sprem price
• NV - consistent through blending - house style
• Vintage - 100% from year. Only “best” years, but varies by producer
• Rosé - either blended or saignee method (maceration)
• Blanc de Blancs - cb austere in youth, brilliantly age to biscuits/hazelnuts
• Blanc de Noirs - white from black grapes, fuller bodied than BdB but age more quickly
• Grand Cru - all grapes from Grand Cru Vineyard or Villages
• Premier Cru - all grapes from Premier Cru /Grand Cru Villages
• Prestige Cuvée - us top wines, best grapes, nv or v. meticulour winemaking techniques. Some houses, e.g. Krug, specialise in range
• Late Release/ Recently disgorged - Extended lees ageing, ready to drink from release. Age quicker after disgorgement. eg Bollinger RD

Question 5

What does ‘blocage” mean

Answer 5

• ‘blocage’ system initially set aside some young wine as insurance in case of disaster that reduced yield
• today it is the method of storing parcels of reserve wines for blending to reduce vintage variation.
• provides quality wine to add depth & complexity, raised standard of NV

Question 6

When was the current AOC boundary of Champagne set and why was it particularly important?

Answer 6

• 1927
• Critical in Comité Champagne’s later defence of the Geographical Indication “Champagne only comes from Champagne”

Question 7

Contribution of Dom Perignon, and Madam Clicquot to champagne

Answer 7

• Dom Pierre Pérignon (d.1715)
  
  • first white from black grapes
  • invented Coquard press (still widely used)
  • started blending (assemblage) grapes from diff areas to make superior wine
• Veuve Cliquot developed riddling remuage in pipitres

Question 8

What is the échelles des crus and what is its relevance today?

Answer 8

Historically a rating system used to determine grape prices

Now the ratings of the echelle des crus define the grand and premier cru villages. (in line with the quality of fruit produced.

Grape prices are determined by the market.

Fun fact M& C are the biggest buyers - set the trend, and GC fruit is still the most expensive.

Question 9

Describe the Location and sub-regions of Champagne, with respect to climate

Answer 9

• N-E France just south of 50th parallel
• 5 sub regions. 3 around Epernay in N
  
  • Montagne de Reims (to E of Epernay)
  • Vallée de la Marne (W to slight E Epernay)
  • Cote des Blancs (to S)
  • Cote de Sézanne (S of Cote de Blancs)
  • Cotes de Bar (100km S, closer to Chablis than Epernay)
• Cool continental : 700mm rain p.a. spread throughout yr,
  
  • some cool ocean infl. low ave ann temp 11ºC
  • suits lo alc & hi acid base wine (ideal for SW)
  • hazards - rain during flowering/fruitset reduces yields
  • rain during harvest spreads fungal disease, dilutes crop
• Climate change : climate warmer, dates moved fwd by ave 18 days, acidity has dropped, and pot alc inc 0.7%abv
  
  • as Champagne is a cool region - this is positive - more consistently ripe grapes, and fewer poor vintages

Question 10

Topography & Soils of champagne

Answer 10

• Chalk and limestone subsoil , and old seabed (Kimmeridgian calcereous marls)
• Chalk highly porous and stores water - steady supply if dry period
• Best base wines made on chalky hillsides of N champagne. Chalk esp good for chardonnay.
• Most vineyards 90-300m on well-drained slopes:
• Rainfall sufficient for the vines, but soil structure and hills avoid waterlogging.

Question 11

What are the five main production sub-regions of Champagne?

Answer 11

• Montagnes de Reims - Black Grapes
  
  • mainly black grapes, some good chard.
  • 6 Grand Crus villages on chalky soil: some north facing
    
    • Ambonnay, Bouzy, Mailly, Verzenay, Verzy
  • frost prone
  • Wines: High acid, austere young.
  • Soils vary, but grand crus on chalky soil, excellent balance water retention-drainage
• Vallée de la Marne -Fruity Meunier​
  
  • Frost prone valley
  • So late bud/early ripe Meunier dominates
  • Soils clay, marl & sand.
  • Chardonnay to blend for early drinking wines
  • Gr Cru Village Ay
• Côte des Blancs :95% Chardonnay (hence name)
  
  • Wines with longevity; austere in youth
  • Purest form of chalk; retention/drainage balance.
  • 4 Grand Crus
    
    • Cramant, Avize, Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
• Côte de Sézanne
  
  • continuation South of Cote de Blancs,
  • mostly clay and silt , pockets of chalk
  • most Chardonnay on warmer SE facing slopes
  • riper, fruitier grapes, rated lower in Q than above regions
• Côte des Bar - Pinot Noir
  
  • 25% Pinot Noir, ripens well on steep slopes/drainage
  • Kimmeridgian calcareous marl (like Chablis & Sancerre), stony, limestone - excellent drainage
  • Important source of fruity Pinot Noir for NV blends, mainly bought by merchants

Question 12

Planting regulations in champagne

Answer 12

• Inter-row 1.5, intra row 0.9 - 1.5 and combination not more than 2.5m
• Ave density 8000 vines p/Ha : competition between vines optimises quality
• Sparkling wine grapes don’t need ripe tannins or concentrated flavours, so can be grown at high yields

Question 13

What are the four training systems approved in Champagne since 1938?

Answer 13

• Taille Chablis
  
  • ​best for chardonnay.
  • Cane pruning but with lots of permanent wood (cordons) to protect against frosts.
  • Max 5 cordons (us. 3-4) old wood. Each cordon has spur of up to 5 buds.
  • Spurs grown annually, trained to max 0.6m to ensure fruit gets reflected solar (heat and light) from chalk.
• Cordon du Royat -
  
  • ​PN & Meunier. Single cordon, spur-pruned, VSP.
• Guyot
  
  • single or double replacement cane pruned with VSP: permitted for all varieties in lesser-rated vineyards
• Vallée de la Marne
  
  • like Guyot (cane-pruned) but more buds per cane. On decline.
• No more than ave 18 fruiting buds per square metre - for all the above
• http://www.winewisdom.com/articles/taille-chablis/
• https://www.champagne.fr/en/from-vine-to-wine/vine-husbandry/pruning
• https://www.pinterest.de/pin/456552480947873023/
• *

Question 14

Hazards, Pests and Diseases in Champagne

Answer 14

1. Winter frost (can kill (parts of) vines
2. Spring frosts destroy new buds, reduce yields
3. Cold & wet weather in June disrupts flowering/fruit set, reducing yields/ripe & unripe grapes together
4. Downy mildew, reduces crop levels
5. Violent storms/hail in summer, damage grapes & vines
6. Hot, humid sun after rain - rapid spread of botrytis
7. Generally, downy & powdery mildew always a risk
8. Dagger nematode spreading fanleaf virus also common

Question 15

What is the Comité Champagne’s approach to sustainable viticulture?

Answer 15

• One of the first regions to promote it at a regional level
• Reduced pesticides - sexual confusion increasingly used
• Soil protection via
  
  • management of groundwater on slopes
  • increased cover cropping to promote biodiversity
• In winery - water management schemes, recycling waste & by-products
• 2010 60g lighter bottle for NV cuvées estimate annual CO2 reduction of 8000 metric tonnes. (Many producers use heavier, unique bottles for vintage/prestige cuvées)

Question 16

How is the Champagne harvest date set?

Answer 16

• The Comité Champagne sets dates & yields - to prevent over-cropping (dilution), maintain quality, price, regulates supply and demand
• Grape samples from 450 control plots from time of véraison:
  
  • measures rate of colour change,
  • av weight,
  • sugar concentration,
  • acidity,
  • incidence of botrytis.
• Determine dates, yields & min required pot alcohol*
  
  • ​objective: manage quality, avoid over-cropping/dilution of flavour
  • protect price of champagne; control supply vs demand
• Harvest dates are only start date producers can start later
• Or, can apply to INAO (institut national de’origine et de la qualité) for village to pick earlier eg botrytis threat & need to pick below level set

* Reserve Wines

• In good vintage years a portion of the crop cb set aside as reserve
• Reserve wines are a precaution against future crop failure or lower quality
• Comite Champagne manages reserve wine stock
• EU sets limits of 15,500 kg/ha (=yields achieved in big prod yrs 2006/7)

Question 17

How is champagne harvested?

Answer 17

• Champagne AOC regulations specify whole-bunch pressing: grapes are hand-picked - preserve fruit quality
• Avoids crushing/oxidation/microbial spoilage
• +- 3 weeks, 100,000 people (travelling workforce, return each yr, paid by quality not just weight)
• Grapes collecte in perferoated bins 50kg capacity
• 1900 pressing centres across region keep transportation times to minimum

Question 18

Describe pressing in méthode champenoise (traditional method)

Answer 18

• Whole bunches, gradual inc in pressure
• Aim to extract high quality, low phenolics (no extraction of tannins from skin/seeds) to make white from black grapes
• Traditionally 4000kgs - a marc - loaded onto basket press
• Or pneumatic / hydraulic horizontal
• Limit 79hl/ha - cb raised to 98hl/ha with surplus to reserve stock if agreed by Comite Champagne.
• Juice separated strictly into two fractions
  
  • The cuvée (first 2050L from 4000kgs) = free run juice & first pressing
    
    • rich in acid, prod wines of finesse + ageing potential
    • (100% for the best champagnes)
  • The taille (next 500L, no more, to limit phenolics)
    
    • lower in acid, richer colour + phenolics
    • useful in blends, higher proportion of taille used in nv rather than V or PCuvee.
• Limited pressing protects from over-extraction of phenolics & protects fruit flavours

*

Question 19

What can a producer do if natural sugar levels in the juice in champagne are too low?

Answer 19

• Chaptalisation (adding sucrose) is permitted to produce a wine with a min alcohol level of 11%
• EU law: final alcohol level no more than 13%

Question 20

Options in first fermentation in Champagne

Answer 20

• Temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks or
• Large oak foudres (increasing in quality producers, cos adds textural richness & mouthfeel)
• Selection of yeasts ( yeast story… EC1118)
• Temperature usually 14-20°C (warmer than trad white, as no need for primary fruit)
• Many (but not all) encourage malo to reduce/soften acidity in final wine (and less risk of malo in bottle) though if warmer harvest it’s less of an issue

Question 21

Explain the objective and process of blending

Answer 21

Blending (assemblage)

• Objective: create a wine greater than the sum of its parts
  
  • Blend may be from diff VY, Var, Vintage
• Master blender (Chef de Cave) must predict the development of wine over time before 2nd feremtation and maturation
• Blend NB for non-vintage - constant style, reduce variation of vintage, easier if wide range of base + reserve wines
  
  • Large champagne houses have > 100 base wines/ reserve wines. (Also reduces risk of no wine in poor vintage)
• Reserve wines important to style:
  
  • 10-15% of last 1 or 2 vintages is typical large brands
  • 30-40% older wine for complexity in premium brands
• How stored affects reserves
  
  • eg reductively in stainless steel for large brands - small but nb difference
  • old oak to add mildly oxidative notes
  • Bollinger stores reserves in magnums
  • Keeping a “perpetual reserve”
    
    • A blend of younger and older wines used as a reserve wine to add complexity in champagne
    • A proportion is drawn off each year for the blend, and replaced by young wine

Question 22

Who is the chef de cave?

Answer 22

• The master blender
• Aims to create a wine greater than the sum of its parts
• Combines diff vineyards, varieties and vintages
• Must predict the development of wine over time before second fementation and maturation has even begun

Question 23

How is rosé champagne made?

Answer 23

• Usually by blending small proportion of Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier with white base wines to achieve desired colour/flavour
• A few (eg Laurent Perrier) make like still rosé eg skin contact with black grapes.
• NB yeast absorbs colour pigments from wine in 1st and 2nd fermentation - so achieving desired colour takes experience and expertise (may be adjusted prior to bottling in the Liqueur d’Expedition)

Question 24

Key options for the wmaker in the 2nd Fermentation - Champagne

Answer 24

Traditional Method: At start of 2nd fermentation Liqueur de Tirage added

• (from standard options)
• Lees ageing - toasty brioche autolytic character typical of all Champagne
  
  • may be more prominent in Champagne than wine from warmer climates (where fruit will be riper = more fruity char)
  • period of agein important and regulated
  • NV min 12 mth lees; total 15 mth ageing
  • Vintage: min 12 mth lees, may be released 3yrs after Tirage. In practice, lees ageing much longer
  • Lees ageing can continue many years, after 10 no further benefit
• Keeping wine undisgorged on lees
  
  • protects against oxidation
  • to produce “late disgorged” wines - attract prem prices (also higher prod cost), but should be drunk on release.
• Champagne Liqueur d’Expedition
  
  • determines final sugar level
  • cn youthful base wines currnet vintage / reserve wines adding aromas of baked apple and fruit
  • can correct colour of Rose
• Corks: Champagne corks must display name “Champagne” and date if vintage.

Question 25

What does the liqueur d’expédition do?

Answer 25

1. The amount of sugar in the liqueur d’expédition determines the sweetness of the champagne
2. Adds flavour:
   
   1. Young wine in the liqueur d’expédition can give light fresh flavours
   2. Aged reserve wine can provide aromas of baked apple, dried fruit
3. Corrects colour in rosé

Question 26

Describe the rules of Champagne Labelling

Answer 26

For Grand Cru or Premier Cru (village as whole)

• “Grand Cru - Village Name - “ can appear of label if all grapes from that village
• “Grand Cru” if all grapes from various GC villages
  
  • Controversial as VY within the village differ in Q due to aspect, soil or other factors - so all are not equal
• Because of the volumes in demand Champagne houses tend to focus on blended wines and emphasize quality of vintage or prestige cuvees rather than promoting names of individual villages or vineyards.

Question 27

Describe the structure of the Champagne industry

Answer 27

• 16000 growers (who own 90% of vineyards)
• 320 champagne houses
• Majority growers sell to champagne houses or co-operatives
• Coops bridge growers and Champagne houses who own 10% of VY but sell most Champagne
  
  • coops sell base wine to large houses
  • houses buying more directly from growers/ via agents
  • coops diversifying: making & promoting more own champagne
• Brokers also important in finding wine for houses
• Comité Champagne tries to manage the relationship(s) often via the one or more organisations which represent each of them
• Top 5 champagne groups = 2/3 all sales in value
• Biggest: LVMH owns Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart & Krug
• No 2: Vranken, Pommery, Monopole Heidsieck, Charles Lafitte, Bissinger

Question 28

What is the current demand for champagne?

Answer 28

• Domestic 50% of champagne low av bottle price, but rising
• Total sales 2018 302m bottles
• Houses /Co-ops / Growers - different strengths
  
  • Houses: biggest sales 73%, stronges in export 87%
  • Co-ops sales small and split evenly dom/export
  • Growers sell at home
• 2018 exports by vol: UK, USA, Japan, Germany, Belgium
• USA/Japan highest value, av price pb.
• UK highest vol, lowest price pb (of top 10 markets)
• Champagne is positioning itself away from volume market ilo growth of midprice sp e.g. Prosecco. focus on wines at higher price point.
• In decade to 2018 vol was down 10%, but value up 25%

Question 29

How is champagne supply controlled?

Answer 29

• Comité Champagne takes a/c of
  
  • current stocks
  • world demand
  • progress of current season, then in late July
• sets max yields (kilos/hectare) for coming harvest in 2 parts
  
  • i) grape yields for base wines
  • ii) allowance to go into reserve
• Av yield over last 10 yr = 10,500 kils/ha
• If producer needs more wine, can take it from reserves
• Ongoing review as to possibility of extending perimeter of land available to make champagne

Question 30

Cost of production of champagne?

Answer 30

• Broadly: grapes 50%, total production 30% and commercialisation 20%
• Grapes expensive: €6.10p/kg (1.2kg per 75cl bottle)
• GC/ Prem C grapes more expensive
• Vintage more expensive (Gc/ 1erC grapes, can’t release for 3 yrs): tough on cash flow for new businesses.
• Rosé champagne costlier to produce (as uses red base wine - lower yields to reach ripeness, concentration needed)
• oak for ageing/ fermentation also adds to costs

Question 31

Describe champagnes route to market

Answer 31

• Houses put significant resource into marketing and advertising - cb 20% of price.
• Many conglomerates and large houses own /run distribution systems, localised in diff markets as way of controlling price/ limiting grey (unauthorised) market trading
• Some use agents to distribute
• Grower champagnes often use specialist agents who champion grower champagnes to spec shops/ private clients and hospitality sector.
• Growers often visit key markets in person

Question 32

Newrends in the champagne market

Answer 32

1. Brut Nature (in spec shops/restaurants)
2. Dry - Brut Nature & Extra Brut doubled exports 2011-2016 (also grew in domestic hospitality)
3. Launches of sweet styles eg Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial demi-sec drink over ice/cocktails promoted to upmarket travel sector
4. Rosé generally. Up from 3% to 10% since 2000. Both Moet & Veuve C recently invested heavily in production/marketing.
5. Super-premium single-vineyard champagnes. (Not new Philipponnat’s Clos des Goisses since 1935, Krug’s Clos de Mesnil since 1989, but higher prices now)
6. Grower champagnes attract increasing interest
   
   • complete grow to wine process by same small co (artisanal)
   • grower free to allow marked variations (variety, blend, vintage, NV)
     
     • eg Domaines Vacques Selosse, Cote des Blancs
     • Champagne Jacquesson (Montagne de Reims)
     • Champagne Drappier (Cote des Bar)

Question 33

What do thes letters on a bottle of champagne mean?

NM

RM

SR

CM

RC

ND

MA

Answer 33

NM - Négociant-Manipulant (often shortened to Négociant)

• A Champagne House buys wine, must or grapes (rather than grow them) to make champagne on their own premises and sell it under their own name.
• eg Bollinger, Veuve Clicquot, Moet etc

RM - Récoltant-Manipulant aka Grower Champagne

• “Grower Maker” makes wine from his own grapes (up to 5% can be bought in) Eg Agrapart & Fils
• nb also includes co-operative members who take their bottles to be disgorged at the co-op

SR - Societe de Recoltants

• 2 or more growers in an association who share same winery to prod/market wine under own label making a shared Champagne, but who are not a co-op. Differs from CM in that the winemakers almost always have signif involvement in wmaking process.

CM​ Coopérative Manipulant

• A wine cooperative that makes wine from all its members (growers) grapes pooled together, eg Nicholas Feuillate
• Individual grower may/ may not have some involvement in the wine-making process.

RC Recoltant-Coperative

• A grower who sells wine (Champagne) made from his grapes that are made by a co-op under his own name/brand/label, had has little if any involvement in wmaking process.

ND - Negociant Distributeur

• A broker/merchant who buys and sells finished wines under his own name (labelling them in his own premises)

MA - Marque d’ Acheteur (or Marque Auxiliaire)

• The champagne is made and labelled in champagne; and the producer’s name appears on the bottle, but the brand name is owned by the client.
• eg M&S Champagne, Berry Bros Champagne