Champagne

Question 1

What are the two major cities in Champagne?

Answer 1

Epernay
Reims

Question 2

What er the 5 main vineyard areas in Champagne?

Answer 2

-Montagne de Reims
-Côte de Blancs
-Vallée de la Marne
-Côte de Sezanne
-Côte des Bai

Question 3

How many Grand Crus are in Champagne?

Answer 3

17

Question 4

Where are all of the Grand Crus located?

Answer 4

Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs & Vallée de la Marne

Question 5

How many Premier Cru Villages are in Champagne?

Answer 5

43

Question 6

What are the minimum aging requirements for a nonvintage Champagne?

Answer 6

15 months, 12 months on the lees

Question 7

What are the minimum aging requirements for vintage Champagne?

Answer 7

36 months

Question 8

What are the different styles of Champagne?

Answer 8

Rosé
Blanc de Blancs
Blanc de Noir

Question 9

What is “liquer d’expédition”?

Answer 9

-mixture of wine and sugar
-added at the end of the “dosage”
-determines the style of Champagne

Question 10

What is “liquer de triage”?

Answer 10

-yeast + sugar
-added during secondary fermentation

Question 11

What are the different production methods for rosé Champagne?

Answer 11

-Saignée - letting some of the base wine sit on pinot skins
-Blending Pinot Noir in before secondary fermentation

Question 12

What is the dominant soil type in Champagne

Answer 12

Limestone (75%)

Question 13

What are the 7 steps of “Méthode Champenoise”?

Answer 13

1. Make Base Wine
2. Assemble Cuvée
3. Secondary Fermentation
4. Sur Lie Aging
5. Riddling
6. Disgorging
7. Dosage

Question 14

What is the equipment needed for riddling by hand? How many bottles does it hold? How long does the process take?

Answer 14

-pupitre
-holds 60 bottles
-takes 8 weeks

Question 15

What is the equipment needed for riddling by machine? How many bottles does it hold? How long does the process take?

Answer 15

-gyropalatte
-holds 504 bottles
-takes 8 days

Question 16

Sweetness level of Champagne - Lowest to Highest

Answer 16

-Brut Nature
-Extra Brut
-Brut
-Extra Dry
-Sec
-Demi Sec
-Doux

Question 17

% of sugar in Brut Nature

Answer 17

<.3% or <3g/L
(Non-Dosé)

Question 18

% of sugar in Extra Brut

Answer 18

0% to .6%

Question 19

% of sugar in Brut

Answer 19

<1.2%

Question 20

% sugar in Extra Dry

Answer 20

1.2% to 1.7%

Question 21

% of sugar in Sec

Answer 21

1.7% to 3.2%

Question 22

% of sugar in Demi-Sec

Answer 22

3.2% to 5%

Question 23

% of sugar in Doux

Answer 23

5%+

Question 24

Best recent vintage years for Champagne

Answer 24

2015
2013
2012
2008
2005

Question 25

Types of Champagne Special Cuvées and other bottlings

Answer 25

-Single Vineyard
-Clos or Mono Parcel
-Cuvée Prestige or Tête de Cuvée

Question 26

What is a Growers Champagne?

Answer 26

Producer owns the vineyard and is part of the process from start to finish