Champagne Flashcards
Average temp of Champagne is
52F
t/f: sunlight in Champagne is abudant
false. scarce
What did Dom Perignon do to advance Champagne quality?
lowered yields, picked grapes early in morning, and had pressed built in the vineyard. first to keep wines from different vineyard lots seperate + then blend, first to utilize glass containers instead of wood for storage
Why do so many Champagne houses have German founders? (eg, Krug, Mumm, Deutz)
Champagne was a wealthy area known for expensive textiles. Many Champagne houses were founded by wealthy German accountants of textile firms
What did British merchants begin doing at the end of the 17th century?
British merchant imported barrels of Champagne. They would transfer the Champagne into bottles and add sugar (to satisfy their clientelle - they wanted sweet wines). yeasts would consume the sugar and restart fermentation - creating more fizz
french term for riddling
remuage
why is “brut” drier than “extra dry”
Champagne started out as a sweet wine. Over time, especially in the British market, consumers demanded drier wines. first came “demi-sec”, then “extra dry”- in english, specificially for the british market. then came “brut”
What did Champagne producers do at the end of the 19th century?
Began marketing operations aimed at aristocrats, the elite, etc. very successful
the “other grapes” of Champagne
Arbane
Petit Meslier
Pinot Blanc
Fromenteau (Pinot Gris)
What does Pinot Meunier contribute?
fruitiness and body
The classifcation of Champagne villages
echelle des crus
How are the Champagne villages classified?
Grand Cru
Premier Cru
Cru
t/f: every vineyard in a village holds the same ranks as the village itself
true
The soil of Champagne is famously this color
white
what is chalk?
soft limestone
benefits of chalk soil
root systems can penetrate easily, great drainage, good with high acid grapes
why is chalk soil so valued in Burgundy and Champagne?
grapes here are high acid, and lots of rainfall requires good drainage
Chalk pits known as _____ are used by Champagne houses to age their wines
crayeres
The most lauded Champagne village
Ay
Where are the 3 main grapes planted?
Pinot Noir - warmer sites
Chardonnay - the chalkiest sites
Pinot Meunier - in humid areas (resistant to rot and frost)
the 5 main vineyard sites in Champagne
Montagne de Reims
Cote des Blancs
Vallee de la Marne
Cote de Sezanne
The Aube
Montagne de Reims is mostly planted with…
PN and PM
Cote des Blancs is mostly planted with…
Chardonnay
Vallee de la Marne is mostly planted with..
PM
Cotes de Sezanne is mostly planted with…
Chardonnay
The Aube aka
Cote des Bar
The Aube is mostly planted with…
PN
What would you expect from a Champagne that has been fermented in oak barrel?
slight nuttiness and a fuller mouthfeel as a result of slight oxygen exposure. always neutral oak, never new oak
t/f: maloactic fermentation is banned in Champagne
false, though it is rare, especially as the climate warms (acidity needs to be preserved)
the first prestige Cuvee
Roederare in 1876. Made specifically for a Russian Czar who wanted an exclusive Champagne - dictated bottle be shipped in leaded crystal bottles - hence, “Cristal”
how is “bollinger” pronounced?
bow-lahn-zhay
how is “mumm” pronounced?
moom
how is moet et chandon pronounced?
mo-ette ay shan-don
what is liquer de tirage?
sugar + wine + yeast
What happens after assemblage?
liquer de tirage is added
Champagne must be aged sur lie for minimum ___ mo, however most producers age their wines sur lie for…
15 months… 3 years
How many GC villages are there?
17
What vineyards for houses use for their NV?
good vineyards, though no GC and only sometimes is Premier Cru blended in
What vineyards do houses use for their vintage?
good to great vineyards, many Premier Cru and / or Grand Cru
What vineyards do houses use for their prestige cuvee?
the greatest vineyards, mostly if not all GC vineyards
minimum sur lie aging for vintage
3 years
minimum sur lie aging for prestige cuvee
no minimum, usuually 4-10 yrs
gyropalette speed vs hand riddling
1-2 weeks vs 2 months or more
french term for yeast removal
degorgement
What happens after disgorgement?
liqueur d’expedition is added
what is liqueur d’expedition?
wine + sugar
the typical bottle of Champagne has _ atmospheres of pressure
6
the amount of grams of sugar in the liqueur d’expedition is known as the …
dosage
different levels of sweetness for champagne and the amount of sugar
Brut Nature (0-3 g/l)
Extra Brut (0-6 g/l)
Brut (0-12 g/l)
Extra Dry (12-17)
Sec (17-32)
Demi Sec (32-50)
Doux (50+)
during the time a Champagne ages sur lie, it is aging _____, because yeast cells bind to oxygen
reductively
tiny bubbles are the result of..
lengthy sur lie aging and cool temperature in the aging cellar
the two methods for making rose champagne?
saignee (maceration)
d’assemblage (blending)
