Champagne Flashcards
What are the seven levels of sweetness of Champagne?
From driest to sweetest: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra-Sec (or Extra-Dry), Sec (Dry), Demi-Sec, Doux
How many standard bottles of wine are contained in a Nebuchadnezzar?
20
How many standard bottles of wine are contained in a Magnum?
2
How many standard bottles of wine are contained in a Jeroboam?
4
How many standard bottles of wine are contained in a Rehoboam?
6
How many standard bottles of wine are contained in a Methuselah?
8
How many standard bottles of wine are contained in a Salmanazar?
12
How many standard bottles of wine are contained in a Balthazar?
16
What does the abbreviation “NM” refer to?
Négociant-Manipulant. A producer of Champagne who buys grapes from others.
What does the abbreviation “RM” refer to?
Recoltant-manipulant. A producer vinifying only estate grown grapes.
What does the abbreviation “RC” refer to?
Recoltant-Cooperateur. grape grower affiliated with a wine making co-op cellar. An RC brings their grapes to the co-op which vinifies them. The RC then sells under their own private label.
What does the abbreviation “SR” refer to?
Societe de Recoltants. a group of growers who jointly vinify and sell one communal or several communal brands.
What does the abbreviation “CM” refer to?
Cooperative de Manipulation. co-op cellar which vinifies the grapes of its member growers.
What does the abbreviation “MA” refer to?
Marque Auxiliaire. a private label registered by any individual, group or society (rest., store etc)with the source of the label from any type of negotiants.
What does the abbreviation “ND” refer to?
Negociant-Distributeur. a wine buyer who purchases finished wines and gives them their own private label.
What does the abbreviation “NM” refer to?
The traditional disgorgement of Champagne by hand
What was Dom Pierre Perignon’s most important contribution to Champagne?
Creating the cuvée (blend) of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
What is the primary grape of Vitry-le-François?
Chardonnay
What are the three AOCs in Champagne?
Rosé des Riceys, Coteaux Champenois and Champagne
What are the four principal sub-regions of Champagne?
Montagne and Val de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, and Côte des Bar
What is the primary grape of the Côte des Blancs?
Chardonnay
What was the first Champagne house?
Ruinart (1729)
What is a “chaufrette”?
A smudge-pot, or oil-burning device used to prevent grape vines from freezing during a sudden cold snap.
What is a “pupitre”?
An A-frame rack used for riddling Champagne bottles
What is “transversage”?
The process of using 750 ml bottles of champagne to fill large (bigger than magnums) and small format bottles after disgorgement.
What does the term “sur lattes” refer to?
The practice of storing Champagne bottles on horizontal strips of wood
What is the primary grape of the Vallée de la Marne?
Pinot Meunier
Why is Belamite chalk preferred over Micraster chalk?
Because of its location. Belamite is found at the upper to mid slope, where there is more sun and better water retention.
What was Louise Pommery’s contribution to Champage?
She initiated the trend for dry styles of Champagne
What is the meaning of the term “tirage”?
Bottling
What is a “Tête de Cuvée”?
A Champagne house’s prestige bottling.
Which Champagne region is included in the Kimmeridgian Ring?
The Côte des Bar
What are the two types of chalk found in Champagne?
Belemite (preferred) and Micraster
What is Champagne’s most widely planted grape?
Pinot Noir (38%)
What were the two principal grapes of Champagne in the 9th to 16th centuries?
Gouais and Fromenteau
Crayeres
Defunct chalk quarries dug by the Romans, now used as wine cellars.
What are the three principal grapes of Champagne today?
Pinot Noir (38%), Pinot Meunier (34%), Chardonnay (28%)
What is France’s northernmost wine region?
Champagne
What is the difference between AOC Coteaux Champenois and AOC Champagne?
AOC Coteaux Champenois is 100% still, while AOC Champagne is 100% sparkling. Both AOCs cover the same area and use the same grapes.
What are the three levels in the Echelle des Crus?
Grand Cru: 100% (17 villages). Premier Cru: 90–99% (42 villages). Cru: 80–89% (255 villages)
What are the aging requirements for Champagne (vintage and non-vintage) versus crémant?
Non-Vintage Champagne: 12 months on lees + 3 more months in cellar. Vintage Champagne: 12 months on lees + 24 more months in cellar. Crémant: 9 months on lees.
What is the meaning of the term “prise de mouse”?
“Seizing of the foam” or the second alcholic fermentation in the making of Champagne
What is the primary grape of the Côte des Bar?
Pinot Noir
What was the contribution of Veuve Cliquot (Ponsardin) to Champagne making?
The process of riddling (remuage)
What is the “liqueur d’expédition”?
The mix of sugar and still reserve wine added to Champagne after dégorgement and before the cork is inserted
What is the primary grape of the Montagne de Reims?
Pinot Noir
What is the Echelle Des Crus
recognizes different terroirs, it ranks the wine producing villages and the vineyards that surround them as one entity.
What is the Echelle Des Crus
recognizes different terroirs, it ranks the wine producing villages and the vineyards that surround them as one entity. It was a way to set prices for the grapes.
meaning of campagna
unforested land or open country
What century did scientific discovery take place how to control the sparkling wine process?
end of 17th, beginning of 18 century
Describe the emergence of Champagne as a wine/region.
Champagne became a crossroads for the merchants of Europe in the middle ages, large fairs-buyers/sellers drank the local wine
Champagnes association with wealth, royalty, celebration…
27 French Kings were crowned in Cathedral of Reims. Reims was famous for textiles and wealthy textile barons began gifting their customers cases of sparkling wine and the customers returned for the wine…champagne houses were established.
Describe transition from cask to bottle
The King decree allowed for the transport and trade of champagne in bottle (1728) prior it was only transported in cask.
Allowing wine to be sold in bottle capitalized on the sparkling phenom!
What century were the wines of Champagne referred to as “vins de champagne”?
17th century
What is Champagne’s climate?
The climate is dual: strong continental and Atlantic (maritime) influences.
What is “dry Champagne”?
Champagne was an open expanse because the thin topsoil that rested upon chalk couldn’t support higher plant life as the soil drains moisture like a sponge. (Reims, Epernay, Ay, Ambonnay, Verzenay and sub-region of Cote des Blancs)
What is “dry Champagne”?
Champagne was an open expanse because the thin topsoil that rested upon chalk couldn’t support higher plant life as the soil drains moisture like a sponge. (Reims, Epernay, Ay, Ambonnay, Verzenay and sub-region of Cote des Blancs)
What is “wet Champagne”?
Limestone-rich marl, found only in the Cote des Bar, does not have the water-retention capacity of chalk. The subsoil is not pulling all moisture from the topsoil.
The contributions of Dom Perignon…
cuvee blends and being credited for the first to recognize the usefulness of strong English glass in the champagne method.
The contribution of Veuve Cliquot
Riddling or remuage is attributed to Nicole Barbe Ponsardin, Veuve Cliquot widow.
The contribution of Madame Pommery
Trended toward drier styles of sparkling, targeting the English market.
List the four sub-regions of Champagne:
Montagne & Val de Reims PN, CH (4), Vallee de la Marne PN, CH, PM (6), Cote des Blancs (5), Cote des Bar PN (2)
The Montagne & Val de Reims: 4 Terroirs
1) Massif de Saint-Thierry: (Pinot Meunier), sand, clay, marl 2) Vesle and Ardre Valleys: (Pinot Meunier) sand, clay, marl
Levels of sweetness:
- Brut Nature:
- Extra Brut:
- Brut:
- Extra-sec (Extra-Dry):
- Sec (Dry):
- Demi-Sec:
- Doux:
- Brut Nature: no dosage added, 0-0.3%
- Extra Brut: 0-0.6%
- Brut: 0-1.2%
- Extra-sec (Extra-Dry): 1.2-1.7%
- Sec (Dry): 1.7-3.2%
- Demi-Sec: 3.2-5%
- Doux: over 5%
Define Tete de Cuvee
a champagne houses prestige bottling. ex for Moet et Chandon it is Dom Perignon
What are the three AOCS?
AOC Rose des Riceys - 100% rose
AOC Coteaux Champenois - 100% still
AOC Champagne - 100% sparkling
List the 5 river valleys in the Cote Des Bar and the terroir they reside
Barsequanais (PN): L’Arce, L’Ource, Seine, Laignes and Sarce
What sub-region is called the Kimmeridgean ring?
Cote Des Bar
List grape varietal and desired soil type
Chardonnay = chalk
P. Meunier = sand, clay, marl
P. Noir = limestone
Name the terroir that is in the heart of “Dry Champagne”
Vitryat CH in the Cote Des Blancs
Which Terroir has 5 river valleys?
Barsequanais (PN) in the Cote des Bar
Gauche vs Droite
Vallee de la Marne Rive:
Gauche: Left bank of Marne river
Droite: Right bank of Marne river (bisected by Chatillon River)
Describe the champagne process
1) Vin Clair
2) Assemblage
3) Liqueur de Tirage
4) Prise de Mousse
5) Remuage
6) Degorgement
7) Liqueur de Dosage
Cellar time for NV, V champagne, cremant
NV: 12 mos lees + 3 mos cellar
V: 12 mos lees +24 mos celler
Cremant: 9 mos lees
When was Champagnes “Golden Age”?
20th century…roaring 20’s
Echelle des Crus: number of Grand Cru and Premier Crus rated
17 Grand Cru and 42 Premier Cru
