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WSET Diploma D4 - Sparkling Wines > 3. Champagne > Flashcards

3. Champagne Flashcards

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1
Q

What professional body oversees the protection of Champagne?

A

Comite Champagne née The Comite Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne

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2
Q

What are the nine styles of Champagne?

A

1) Non-vintage
2) Vintage
3) Rosé
4) Blanc de Blancs
5) Blanc de Noirs
6) Grand Cru
7) Premier Cru
8) Prestige Cuvée
9) Late release/recently disgorged

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3
Q

What is rosé d’assemblage?

A

Rosé made by blending white and red varieties.

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4
Q

What is rosé de saignée?

A

Rosés made by skin macerating black grapes and drawing off the juice.

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5
Q

Which style is thought to mature faster: Bland de Blancs or Blanc de Noirs?

A

Blanc de Noirs.

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6
Q

What are two examples of late release/recently disgorged wines?

A

1) Bollinger R.D.
2) Dom Pérignon P2

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7
Q

What is a late release/recently disgorged wine?

A

A wine that has seen extended ageing on lees and disgorged just before release for immediate consumption.

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8
Q

In what year was Champagne’s AOC boundary set?

A

1927.

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9
Q

What is the French term for riddling?

A

Reumage.

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10
Q

Who invented riddling in pupetres?

A

Madame ‘Veuve’ Cliquot.

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11
Q

What is the ‘échelle des crus’?

A

The ladder of growths - a rating system used to determine premier and grand cru vineyards.

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12
Q

What is the ‘blocage’ system originally?

A

A system whereby a portion of young wines is set aside as an insurance policy against future yield reductions.

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13
Q

What is the modern day usage for the blocage system?

A

A system of storing reserve wines to enable vintage variation to be reduced and quality raised.

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14
Q

At what latitude is Champagne?

A

The 50th parallel.

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15
Q

What are the five sub-regions of Champagne (north to south)?

A

1) Montagne de Reims
2) Vallée de la Marne
3) Côtes des Blancs
4) Côte de Sézanne
5) Côte des Bar

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16
Q

What is Champagne’s climate?

A

Cool continental with some oceanic influence.

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17
Q

What is Champagne’s average annual rainfall?

A

700mm.

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18
Q

Because rain is spread throughout the year, what are two risks to viticulture?

A

1) Rain during flowering can reduce yields
2) Humid conditions at harvest can spread fungal disease or dilute fruit

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19
Q

What is Champagne’s most common soil type?

A

Chalk with limestone and chalk subsoil.

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20
Q

At what elevation are most Champagne vineyards?

A

90-300 MASL.

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21
Q

What is an advantage to Champagne’s soil profile?

A

It is highly porous and stores water for a steady supply even in dry periods.

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22
Q

What are the key five grand cru villages of Montagne de Reims?

A

1) Mailly
2) Verzenay
3) Verzy
4) Ambonnay
5) Bouzy

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23
Q

How many grand cru villages are in Montagne de Reims?

A

Nine

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24
Q

What is unusual about the aspect of some top vineyards in Montagne de Reims?

A

They are north-facing providing excellent cool climate sites.

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25
Q

What are the most planted varieties in Montagne de Reims?

A

Pinot Noir (40%)
Meunier (32%)

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26
Q

What variety is most prominent in Vallée de la Marne?

A

Meunier.

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27
Q

On what soils is Meunier planted in Vallée de la Marne?

A

Clay, marl and sand.

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28
Q

When does Meunier bud?

A

Later than Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

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29
Q

When does Meunier ripen?

A

Earlier than Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

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30
Q

What is the key grand cru village of Vallée de la Marne?

A

Aÿ

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31
Q

How many grand cru villages are in Vallée de la Marne?

A

Two (Tours-sur-Marne).

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32
Q

In which sub-region of Champagne is the purest form of chalk found?

A

Côte des Blancs.

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33
Q

What per cent of Côte des Blancs is planted to Chardonnay?

A

95%

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34
Q

What are the four key grand cru villages of Côte des Blancs?

A

1) Cramant
2) Avize
3) Oger
4) Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

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35
Q

How many grand cru villages are in Côte des Blancs?

A

Six.

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36
Q

What are the other two grand cru villages of Côte des Blancs?

A

1) Chouilly
2) Oiry

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37
Q

What soils can be found in Côte de Sézanne?

A

Clay and clay/silt with pockets of chalk.

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38
Q

What variety is most commonly planted in Côte de Sézanne?

A

Chardonnay on warmer south-east facing slops.

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39
Q

What soil type is common in Côte des Bar?

A

Kimmeridgian calcareous marls (limestone & clay)

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40
Q

Why do merchants in northern Champagne source much of their ripe, full-flavoured Pinot Noir from growers in the Côte des Bar?

A

The other sub-regions have comparatively small plantings of Pinot Noir.

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41
Q

What other four other grape varieties can be found in Champagne?

A

1) Pinot Blanc
2) Arbanne
3) Petit Meslier
4) Fromenteau

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42
Q

What is a wine that contains all seven permitted varieties?

A

Champagne Laherte’s Les 7

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43
Q

How much land is under vine in Champagne?

A

35,000 hectares

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44
Q

What is the per cent split of grapes grown in Champagne?

A

Pinot Noir 38%
Meunier 32%
Chardonnay 30%

45
Q

What three reasons explain why plantings of Chardonnay are increasing in Champagne?

A

1) Demand from big Champagne houses.
2) Commands a high price per kilo.
3) Produces larger yields.

46
Q

What gives Meunier its name?

A

Its white hairs on the leaves give it a ‘floury’ appearance. Meunier means miller en Francais.

47
Q

Why is Meunier suited to the Vallée de la Marne? (2)

A

1) It’s less prone to spring frosts as it’s later budding than Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
2) Grows well on heavier soils with more clay.

48
Q

What disease pressure is Meunier susceptible to?

A

Botrytis.

49
Q

What is the key characteristics of Meunier as a blending component?

A

It produces a typically fruity wine that contributes softness.

50
Q

What is the average planting density in Champagne?

A

8,000 vines per hectare

51
Q

Regulations specify a maximum 1) inter-row and 2) intra-row spacing of:

A

1) 1.5m
2) 0.9-1.5m
3) Combination must not exceed 2.5m

52
Q

Since what year has vine training, pruning and trellising been regulated?

A

1938.

53
Q

What are the four approved systems of vine training, pruning and trellising?

A

1) Taille Chablis
2) Cordon du Royat
3) Guyot
4) Vallée de la Marne

54
Q

For which variety is Taille Chablis best suited?

A

Chardonnay

55
Q

Explain the Taille Chablis system (4)

A

1) Each vine has 3-4 old wood arms/cordons with a maximum of 5
2) Each spur has up to 5 buds
3) Spurs are trained a maximum of 0.6m above ground to ensure the benefit of solar energy reflected from the soil
4) After about 10 years the oldest cordon reaches its allotted space and is removed making way for a younger cordon.

56
Q

For which varieties is Cordon du Royat best suited?

A

1) Pinot Noir
2) Meunier

57
Q

Explain the Cordon du Royat system (3)

A

1) Single cordon
2) Spur-pruned
3) VSP

58
Q

What is the Guyot sytem?

A

Single or double Replacement cane with VSP.

59
Q

For which varieties is Guyot permitted?

A

All three varieties in lesser-rated vineyards.

60
Q

What is the Vallée de la Marne training system?

A

Similar to Guyot but with a higher number of buds.

61
Q

What is the maximum number of fruiting buds per vine for any training system?

A

18 per square metre.

62
Q

What are the principal five climatic dangers in Champagne?

A

1) Severe winter frost
2) Spring frosts
3) Raining weather at flower and fruit set
4) Summer storms and hail
5) Botrytis after heavy rainfall

63
Q

What three other disease pressures are a concern in Champagne?

A

1) Powdery mildew
2) Downy mildew
3) Fanleaf virus (dagger nematode)

64
Q

How is the use of pesticides being reduced in Champagne?

A

Opting for sexual confusion techniques.

65
Q

How are Champagne producers better managing soil diversity? (2)

A

1) Management of groundwater on slopes
2) Cover cropping

66
Q

What three other methods of sustainability are being employed by Champagne producers in the winery?

A

1) Recycling of waste and by-products
2) Water management schemes
3) Lighter weight bottles

67
Q

How does the Comité Champagne determine harvest dates, minimum alcohol and yields? (5)

A

1) Takes grape samples from ~450 control plots
2) Measures the rate of colour change
3) Measures average weight
4) Measures sugar and acid concentration
5) Measures incidence of botrytis

68
Q

What is the Comité Champagne’s objective when setting yields?

A

To protect the quality and price of wine by avoiding over-cropping and regulating supply and demand.

69
Q

What is the upper limit of fruit yield as controlled by EU law?

A

15,500 kilos/hectare

70
Q

Champagne AOC regulations specify which two things in relation to harvest/pressing?

A

1) Handpicking
2) Whole bunch pressing

71
Q

At harvest fruit for Champagne is collected in perforated bins of what maximum capacity?

A

50kg

72
Q

What is the traditional way of pressing wine in Champagne?

A

Loading 4,000 kilos of grapes (aka a marc) into a basket press.

73
Q

What are the two other press types used in Champagne?

A

1) Pneumatic
2) Hydraulic horizontal

74
Q

What is the normal maximum yield of juice?

A

79 hL/ha up to 98 hL/ha with the surplus allowed to be put into reserve if agreed by the Comité Champagne.

75
Q

What are the two press fractions?

A

1) Cuvée - 2,050 litres per 4,000 kg of grapes
2) Taille - 500 litres

76
Q

What does the Cuvée consist of (relating to pressing)?

A

The free run juice and first pressing that’s rich in acid.

77
Q

What does the Taille consist of (relating to pressing)?

A

Harder pressings richer in colour and phenolics.

78
Q

What is the maximum alcohol level permitted in the final wine?

A

13%

79
Q

When is chaptalization permitted?

A

To produce a wine with a minimum alcohol level of 11%

80
Q

Why is rose d’assemblage more common than saignée?

A

For colour retention as yeast absorbs colour from the wine during each fermentation.

81
Q

Why might the brioche/biscuit flavours of autolysis be more prominent in Champagne compared with sparkling wine from warmer climates?

A

The lower intensity of primary fruit present.

82
Q

What is the minimum term of maturation for non-vintage Champagne?

A

15 months total; 12 on lees

83
Q

What is the minimum term of maturation for vintage Champagne?

A

12 months on lees and released no sooner than three years following tirage.

84
Q

What two things must the Champagne cork display?

A

1) The name Champagne
2) The vintage where appropriate

85
Q

What wine might make up the liqueur d’expédition?

A

1) Youthful base wine from the current vintage
2) Age wine matured in barrel, cask or magnum

86
Q

How many grand cru villages are there in total in Champagne?

A

17

87
Q

How many premier cru villages are there in total in Champagne?

A

42

88
Q

How many Champagne houses are there in Champagne?

A

360

89
Q

Champagne’s 15,000 growers own what per cent of vineyards in Champagne?

A

90%

90
Q

What does négociant manipulant mean?

A

A house that buys grapes, must or wine.

91
Q

What does récoltant manipulant mean?

A

A grower that makes and markets wine under their own label from fruit from their vineyards.

92
Q

What does coopérative de manipulation mean?

A

A co-operative that markets Champagne under their own label from members’ grapes.

93
Q

What are the two largest groupings of houses?

A

1) LVMH
2) Vranken Pommery Monopole

94
Q

What per cent of sales do the houses account for?

A

73%

95
Q

What per cent of exports do the houses account for?

A

88%

96
Q

What shift has occurred recently with respect to co-operatives?

A

They have moved also into making and promoting their own brands in addition to selling wine to large houses.

97
Q

What are the main five export markets for Champagne?

A

1) UK
2) USA
3) Japan
4) Germany
5) Belgium

98
Q

What are the two most valuable markets with highest price paid per bottle?

A

1) USA
2) Japan

99
Q

Which export market has the highest by volume but lowers average bottle price?

A

The UK

100
Q

What are the overarching sales trends of Champagne?

A

Volume is decreasing but value is rising.

101
Q

How many kilos of grapes are required on average for a 75cl bottle?

A

1.2kg

102
Q

What is the average price per kilo for Champagne grapes?

A

€6.10

103
Q

Why is Rosé Champagne marginally more expensive to produce?

A

Red wine is required, which generally yield lower to achieve required ripeness.

104
Q

What is the broad cost split for a bottle of Champagne?

A

20% commercialisation
50% grapes
30% production

105
Q

Why has there been a shift towards having more control over distribution by Champagne’s larger producers?

A

To control the price and where their wine is sold.

106
Q

What are five examples of current trends in Champagne?

A

1) Brut Nature & Extra Brut
2) Sweet styles to drink over ice or in cocktails
3) Rosé
4) Single vineyard
5) Grower

107
Q

What are two examples of single vineyard Champagnes?

A

1) Philipponnat Clois des Goisses (1935)
2) Krug Clos u Mesnil (1979)

108
Q

How many GDD does Champagne have?

A

1,650 (1/2 Languedoc-Roussilon)

109
Q

What are two advantages of the Taille Chablis vine training system?

A

1) The vine has a buffer of stored carbohydrates and nitrogen due to the high level of old wood used in reserve in case of climatically stressful times.
2) The system allows a higher yield to be achieved in the cool climate of Champagne, for Chardonnay, which is not a hugely productive cultivar in cool climates.

WSET Diploma D4 - Sparkling Wines (24 decks)

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