Champagne Flashcards
What did Dom Perignon contribute to champagne?
He blended different vintages or “assemblage” and making the cuvee. Also he was the first to separate skins during pressing. and finally he invented the champagne cork and the style of glass.
What is remuage and who invented the process?
a procedure that allows sediment to be easily removed from a bottle during disgorgement
Madam Ponsardin
What is the most southerly region of Champagne?
the Aube
What parallels is champagne located between?
48-49
what is the common soil content of champagne?
porous, belemnite chalk - derived from fossilized remains of millions of cephalopods.
What are the 3 principal grapes allowed in Champagne?
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier
What are the 5 districts of Champagne?
Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne, Cotes de Blancs, Cote de Sezanne, Cote de Bars (Aube)
Where is pinot noir most prevalent in Champagne?
montagne de reims and the Aube
Where is Chardonnay most prevalent in Champagne?
Cote de Sezanne and Cote de Blancs
Where is Pinot Meunier most prevalent in Champagne?
Valle de la marne
How many grand crus are in Champagne?
17 villages
How man 1er crus are in champagne?
42 villages
what is the CIVC?
the Regulatory body, created by Robert-Jean de Vogue of Moet and Chandon, responsible for mediating relations between growers and producers, oversees production methods and promotion.
What does NM mean in Champagne?
negociant manipulant: A house that purchases grapes and or base wines from growers and other smaller houses. Some NM houses own a significant portion of their own vineyards; others own none at all. Large Champagne houses with the most international presence are invariably in this category
What does RM mean in Champagne?
Recoltant manipulant: A grower-producer who makes Champagne from estate-grown fruit. 95% of the grapes must originate in the producer’s own vineyards.
What does CM mean in Champagne?
Cooperative Manipulant: A grower’s coop that produces the wine under a single brand
What does RC mean in Champagne?
Rocoltant Cooperateur: a grower whose grapes are vinified at a co-op, but whose wines are sold under the grower’s own label
What does SR mean in Champagne?
Societe de Recoltants: A firm, not a co-operative, set up by a union of often related growers, who share resources to make their wines and collectively market several brands.
What does ND mean in Champagne?
Negociant Distributeur: A middleman company that distributes Champagne it did not make
What does MA mean in Champagne?
Marque d’Acheteur: A buyer’s own brand, often a large supermark chain or restaurant, that purchases Champagne and sells it under its own label
What is the extracted juice after pressing divided into in the Traditional method?
vin de cuvee and vin de taille
what is debourbage?
the settling of the remaining solids in the must so they can be removed prior to fermentation
What is liqueur de tirage?
a mixture of still wine, yeasts, sugar and fining agents that will serve to ignite the second fermentation
What is prise de mousse?
the secondary fermentation in bottle
what is the minimum required amount of time on lees for NV champagne?
12months
What is pointage?
each bottle would be shaken in order to prevent the sediment from sticking to the sides of the bottle.
What are the two allowed practices of disgorgement?
degorgement a la glace: dipping the neck of the bottle in a freezing brine solution
degorgement a la volee: similar principle but doesn’t freeze the sediment
What are the sweetness designations in champagne from driest to sweetest
Brut Nature: 0-3g/L Extra Brut: 0-6g/L Brut: 0-12g/L Extra Dry: 12-17g/L Sec: 17-32g/L Demi Sec: 32-50g/L Doux: 50g/L
What is the minimum time spent in bottle before release for NV champagne?
15months
when is the transfer method allowed
for bottles larger than a Jeroboam and for piccolo bottle
what are the still wine appellations in Champagne?
Coteaux Champenois Rose de Riceys
What is the max % of the year’s total harvest allowed to be sold as vintage champagne?
80%
What is the name for the wire cage?
muselet
how many bottles does a gyropalatte hold?
504
what is deblocage?
the release of older vintages of base wine for use in assemblage
