Ch 2 part 1 Flashcards
Name of French Champagne wine organization
Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne CIVC
Comite Champagne
works to ensure traditional method sparking wine from grapes in the appellation
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
describe the most common style produced?
white, fully sparking, non vintage, Chard, PN, PM
med intensity
aroma and flavors, of apple, lemon fruit
biscuit autolytic notes
high acidity
med abv
typically good to outstanding – mid to premium prices
vintage & prestige cuvee command premium and super prem
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
name the range of style produced?
Non-vintage NV Vintage
Rose Blanc de Blanc
Blanc de Noir Grand Cru
Premier Cru Prestige Cuvee
Late released, recently disgorged wines
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Non- vintage NV
blend of a number of vintages
follows set house style
blend parcels of base wine to smooth out vintage variation
goal to create same profile each year
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Vintage
100% by law from that year indicated
produced in best growing condition years 2002, 2008
still reflect house style with characteristics of that year
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Rose
Rose d’assemblage blend of red and white
Rose de Saignee - skin maceration of black grapes is also permitted and bled off
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Blanc de Blanc
a white wine made from white grapes only
can be leaner and more austere in youth
does have age potential
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Blanc de Noir
white wine from black grapes only
fuller bodied
generally thought to age more rapidly
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Grand Cru
term mentioned on label as a quality statement
all grapes must have been grown within the vineyards that belong to grand cru villages
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Premier Cru
term mentioned on label as a quality statement
all grapes must have been grown within the vineyard belonging to premier cru and or grand cru villages
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Prestige Cuvee
wine is the product of strict selection of best grapes
meticulous wine making techniques
can be non vintage or vintage
usually top wine in champagne that producer make
Krug specialize in making a range of ____
STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE
Late released, recently disgorged wines
wine has seen extend lees ageing, disgorged just before released onto the market
ready to be consumed immediately
wine has different flavors from same wine disgorged earlier
rapid ageing more than stander occurs after disgorgement
eg: Bollinger’s R.D. Dom Perignon’s P2
Other AOCs in the Champagne regions include?
AOC Rose de Riceys- in the Cote des Bar
-PN Rose still wine
AOC Coteaux Champenois
- red, white, or rose
- mostly produced is light bodied, high acid, pale ruby PN
HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE
Mid 17th century contribution?
England contributed glass production from coal fired ovens which could reliably withstand the pressure
____ made from PN, and was pink
cold winters ferm halted and started again as temp rose resulting in sparking wine
slightly fizzy -became fashionable in the English market
HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE
Dom Pierre Perignon contribution?
died in 1715- development of white wine from black grapes
invented the Coquard press which delineated fraction allowing for blending resulting in superior wines
re-introduced cork stoppers into France
pioneered stronger English glass
Regarded fizz as fault
HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE
Madame Veuve Clicquot contribution?
19th century
developed controlled 2nd ferm in bottle using a measured amount of sugar and yeast
developed riddling (remuage) using pupitres
Riddling led into freezing neck in salty water for disgorgement
last quarter of century, dry style was created popular in the English Market
HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE
AOC Boundary set
in 1927 ____ - critical in the defense of the GI
HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE
Echelle des crus system
system used to define grand cru and premier cru villages
literally means Ladder of growths
a rating system to determine grape prices
HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE
Blocage system
latter called reserve wines
initially meant to save a portion of young wine as insurance policy for future disasters of reduced yields
became a system of storing reserve wine for blending purpose to reduce vintage variation
adding depth, complexity on non-vintage wines
LOCATION AND CLIMATE
where is champagne?
just south of the 50th Parallel, directly east of Paris
150KM north to south, 120KM east to west
five sub regions
3 around Epernay: Montage de Reims, Vallee del la Marne, Cotes des Blancs
South of Cotes des Blancs: Cots de Sezanne
Closer to Chablis: Cotes des Bar
LOCATION AND CLIMATE
What climate does Champagne experience?
cool continental with some oceanic influence
Rain 700mm/ year
low average temp results in low-alcohol, acidic base wines better for sparkling wines than still wines most years
90-300 M above sea level
LOCATION AND CLIMATE
What are the risk faced by growers concerning weather and climate?
Rain during flowering or fruit set can reduce yields and spread fungal disease and dilute crop
___ has warmed over last 30 years, harvest dates have moved forward on average 18 days
resulting in average acidity dropped and ABV potential rise .7%
TOPOGRAPHY AND SOILS
describe the Paris basin?
Chalky soils in N valuable for high quality Chard base wine wine
most common soil chalky with limestone subsoil & chalk alone
Chalk is porous & stores water for dry periods
well drained soil & plantings on slopes avoid negative health
PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS
Map:
PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS
Montagne de Reims
Verzenay, Mailly, Verzy, Bourzy, Ambonnay
Topography: a wide plateau (more than mountain)
Some top villages face N, cool climate, frost prone
Very high acidity and austere in youth
Best known for black grapes but important vineyards w/Chard
Soil type varices -grand cru is chalkey providing balance water/ drainage
PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS
Vallee de la Marne
Ay-Champagne
Major planting West of Epernay is Meunier on clay, marl, and sandy soil producing fruity PM
Bud break is later and ripening earlier than Chard or PN, less frost risk
Char also grown & used for blending into early drinking wines
PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS
Cotes des Blancs
Cramant, Avize, Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
Region is south of Vallee de la Marne
almost exclusively produces white grapes 95% Chard
purest from of chalk, balance between water & drainage
wine with great intensity and longevity, austere in youth
PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS
Cotes de Sezanne
region continueation of the Cotes des Blancs
Soil clay and clay/ silt with some pockets of chalk
Chard planted on the warmer SE facing slopes
resulting in fruitier, riper grapes
Fruit quality, in general, rated lower of the regions around
Epernay: Montage de Reims, Vallee del la Marne, Cotes des Blancs
PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS
Cotes des bar
South of Champagne region
¼ of vineyards are mainly planted in PN
Kimmeridgian Calcareous marls soils found near Chablis & Sancerre
Steep slopes & soils with stony limestone elements = High drainage
Relatively low plantings of PN in other regions
region important source of full flavored PN to blend into NV
Merchants based in N part buy much of wine
GRAPE VARIETIES
Principal Varieties?
____ for which 99% of nearly 35,000 H
PN= 38% PM= 32% Chard=30% and is increasing
tiny amounts of Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau are grown and either blended into wine or contribute to niche cuvees
GRAPE VARIRTIES
Chardonnay
30% of planting and increasing.
demand for it from big houses
commands slightly higher price per Kilo for growers and produces larger yields
GRAPE VARIRTIES
Meunier grows where?
Mutation of Pinot Noir that has white hairs on its leaves giving it a floury appearance (Meunier = miller in French)
Valle de la Marne
Does well on heavier soils (more clay)
GRAPE VARIRTIES
Meunier characteristics of varietal?
early budding (after PN and Chard)- less spring frost risk
ripens earlier than PN
helpful in season where harvest is interrupted by rain
contributes softness and fruitiness to blend
sensitive to botrytis infections
GRAPE VARIRTIES
Meunier production choices?
reliable producer of typically fruity wine
contributes softness to blend
good for NV blends which are aged on lees shorter and drunk young at released
tends not to be used in wines intended for long ageing
Champions at Krug
