42. Sparkling Wines of the World Flashcards
Champagne - appellations and classification - based on? conclusion?
- one single appellation AC: Champagne
- cru and grand cru exist
- villages not vineyards, not lower yields required
- concl: within lower graded village you can find outstanding wines
Champagne - 3 main regions - review?
- Montagne de Reims
- Vallée de la Marne
- Côte des Blancs
- currently reviewing delineation of appellation (is there additional land that could be included?)
Champagne - climate - why challenging (3)? conclusion for grapes
- cool continental
- winter freeze, spring frost, rainy/cloudy weather
- grapes - even in warm years - will be low sugar and high acid –> ideal
Champagne - frost - action? soil?
- frost is a major threat
- vineyards on slopes to avoid
- soil: mostly chalk, good drainage but retains some water in case of drought
Champagne - grape varieties - where?
- Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Pinot meunier
- Côte des Blancs/Sezanne: Chardonnay, light-bodied, high acid
- Montagnes de Reims, Côte des Bar: Pinot Noir, structure, greater body
- Vallée de la Marne: Meunier, late budding, good against winter frost, which is a challenge there
Champagne - winemaking - cuvée? taille?
- cuvée: first juice (very pure) after press
- taille: remainder juce
- best Champagnes only from cuvée
Champagne - fermentation vessels? blending? minimal ageing?
- stainless steal or oak or mixture
- MLF possible
- blending important because of variability in weather, concl: keep dozens of wines for blending
- non-vintage: aged for 15 months, 12 months on lees
- vintage: aged for 36 months
Crémant - where (3)? method? grapes (Alsace!)? months on lees?
- Alsace, Bourgogne, Loire
- traditional
- same grapes as for still wines
- Alsace: no aromatic grapes (Muscat, Gewurztraminer), but Chardonnay ok
- at least nine months on lees
Crémant - largest after champagne for sparkling? 2 appellations? method? months on lees?
- Loire
- Saumur: different varieties
- Vouvray: majority only from Chenin Blanc (more used for sparkling than still)
- traditional, 9 months on lees
Cava - where? method? varieties? controversy? vs Champagne? lees ageing?
- One DO but several regions in Spain
- mostly in Catalan vineyards but also Navarra, Rioja, Valencia
- traditional
- traditional grape varieties but now also Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (causing controversy)
- lower acidity than Champagne
- rare extensive lees ageing
Asti - where? grapes? characteristics?
- Piemont
- Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains
- fruity, peach, grape, floral, sweet, 7% alcohol, no autolytic character
Prosecco - where? delimited regions? exceptional vineyards? grape? method? sugar and styles?
- north-east Italy
- 2 regions: Prosecco DOC, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG (better)
- Cartizze, Rive
- grape: originally called Prosecco, now Glera
- typically tank method
- brut, extra-dry, dry - in general more residual sugar than Cava and Champagne
Sekt - highest? grapes origin? method? Deutscher Sekt? best grapes? Deutscher Sekt bA?
- Germany highest per capita consumption of sparkling wine (mostly Sekt)
- most grapes from France or Italy
- method: mostly tank
- Deutscher Sekt: grapes from Germany
- best: from Riesling
- Deutscher Sekt bA: grapes from one quality wine region such as Mosel
Australia - 3 regions? method? red (grapes)?
- Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Tasmania: traditional method, excellent quality
- red sparkling big commercial success, mostly from Shiraz but also Merlot and C. Sauvingnon
New Zealand - method? climate? where? Sauvignon Blanc - method?
- excellent, traditional
- South island, maritime climate with cool sea breezes allow traditional varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to grow slowly enough
- all regions but largest volume in Marlborough
- S.V. also works but carbonation or tank
