Champagne Flashcards
What is the soil type in Champagne, how was it created?
70 million years ago, in the Mesozoic era, a vast prehistoric sea covered northern France and Britain. As the water receded and the so-called Paris Basin sank, a great crescent of limestone (rich with minerals and marine fossils) was left behind. 75% limestone, and in many areas a specific type of limestone called chalk.
What is the average temperature in Champagne?
50 F
How many growers in Champagne?
15,000
How many houses in Champagne?
350
Wine has been made in Champagne since the Roman times, but it was only slightly effervescent. When did they find their first major audience?
By the Middle Ages, affluent locals starting drinking it. Champagne was a wealthy region known for its superb and expensive textiles.
What do the houses Krug, Heidsieck, Mumm, and Deutz all have in common?
They were all begun by wealthy German accountants of local textile firms.
When was Champagne first allowed to be shipped in glass bottles, and on whose authority?
In 1728 by French King Louis XV
What was the solution for the cloudy sediment of spent yeast cells being decanted from Champagne in the 1800’s
Remuage!
What is the English word for Remuage?
Riddling
Who invented remuage and when?
1816 by Antoine de Muller, chef du cave at what is now Veuve Clicquot
What is riddling?
The process of removing spent yeasts in one frozen clump from Champagne
Who was the first house to make Champagne with zero dosage, and when?
1846, Perrier-Jouet
How many acres is Champagne entirely?
85,000 acres
Name the seven grapes of Champagne?
Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Fromenteau, Pinot Blanc, Petite Meslier and Petite Arbanne
How many villages are in Champagne?
320 villages