Champagne Flashcards

1
Q

Average temp of Champagne is

A

52F

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2
Q

t/f: sunlight in Champagne is abudant

A

false. scarce

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3
Q

What did Dom Perignon do to advance Champagne quality?

A

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

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4
Q

Why do so many Champagne houses have German founders? (eg, Krug, Mumm, Deutz)

A

Champagne was a wealthy area known for expensive textiles. Many Champagne houses were founded by wealthy German accountants of textile firms

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5
Q

What did British merchants begin doing at the end of the 17th century?

A

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

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6
Q

french term for riddling

A

remuage

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7
Q

why is “brut” drier than “extra dry”

A

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”

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8
Q

What did Champagne producers do at the end of the 19th century?

A

Began marketing operations aimed at aristocrats, the elite, etc. very successful

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9
Q

the “other grapes” of Champagne

A

Arbane
Petit Meslier
Pinot Blanc
Fromenteau (Pinot Gris)

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10
Q

What does Pinot Meunier contribute?

A

fruitiness and body

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11
Q

The classifcation of Champagne villages

A

echelle des crus

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12
Q

How are the Champagne villages classified?

A

Grand Cru
Premier Cru
Cru

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13
Q

t/f: every vineyard in a village holds the same ranks as the village itself

A

true

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14
Q

The soil of Champagne is famously this color

A

white

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15
Q

what is chalk?

A

soft limestone

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16
Q

benefits of chalk soil

A

root systems can penetrate easily, great drainage, good with high acid grapes

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17
Q

why is chalk soil so valued in Burgundy and Champagne?

A

grapes here are high acid, and lots of rainfall requires good drainage

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18
Q

Chalk pits known as _____ are used by Champagne houses to age their wines

A

crayeres

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19
Q

The most lauded Champagne village

A

Ay

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20
Q

Where are the 3 main grapes planted?

A

Pinot Noir - warmer sites
Chardonnay - the chalkiest sites
Pinot Meunier - in humid areas (resistant to rot and frost)

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21
Q

the 5 main vineyard sites in Champagne

A

Montagne de Reims
Cote des Blancs
Vallee de la Marne
Cote de Sezanne
The Aube

22
Q

Montagne de Reims is mostly planted with…

A

PN and PM

23
Q

Cote des Blancs is mostly planted with…

A

Chardonnay

24
Q

Vallee de la Marne is mostly planted with..

A

PM

25
Q

Cotes de Sezanne is mostly planted with…

A

Chardonnay

26
Q

The Aube aka

A

Cote des Bar

27
Q

The Aube is mostly planted with…

A

PN

28
Q

What would you expect from a Champagne that has been fermented in oak barrel?

A

slight nuttiness and a fuller mouthfeel as a result of slight oxygen exposure. always neutral oak, never new oak

29
Q

t/f: maloactic fermentation is banned in Champagne

A

false, though it is rare, especially as the climate warms (acidity needs to be preserved)

30
Q

the first prestige Cuvee

A

Roederare in 1876. Made specifically for a Russian Czar who wanted an exclusive Champagne - dictated bottle be shipped in leaded crystal bottles - hence, “Cristal”

31
Q

how is “bollinger” pronounced?

A

bow-lahn-zhay

32
Q

how is “mumm” pronounced?

A

moom

33
Q

how is moet et chandon pronounced?

A

mo-ette ay shan-don

34
Q

what is liquer de tirage?

A

sugar + wine + yeast

35
Q

What happens after assemblage?

A

liquer de tirage is added

36
Q

Champagne must be aged sur lie for minimum ___ mo, however most producers age their wines sur lie for…

A

15 months… 3 years

37
Q

How many GC villages are there?

A

17

38
Q

What vineyards for houses use for their NV?

A

good vineyards, though no GC and only sometimes is Premier Cru blended in

39
Q

What vineyards do houses use for their vintage?

A

good to great vineyards, many Premier Cru and / or Grand Cru

40
Q

What vineyards do houses use for their prestige cuvee?

A

the greatest vineyards, mostly if not all GC vineyards

41
Q

minimum sur lie aging for vintage

A

3 years

42
Q

minimum sur lie aging for prestige cuvee

A

no minimum, usuually 4-10 yrs

43
Q

gyropalette speed vs hand riddling

A

1-2 weeks vs 2 months or more

44
Q

french term for yeast removal

A

degorgement

45
Q

What happens after disgorgement?

A

liqueur d’expedition is added

46
Q

what is liqueur d’expedition?

A

wine + sugar

47
Q

the typical bottle of Champagne has _ atmospheres of pressure

A

6

48
Q

the amount of grams of sugar in the liqueur d’expedition is known as the …

A

dosage

49
Q

different levels of sweetness for champagne and the amount of sugar

A

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+)

50
Q

during the time a Champagne ages sur lie, it is aging _____, because yeast cells bind to oxygen

A

reductively

51
Q

tiny bubbles are the result of..

A

lengthy sur lie aging and cool temperature in the aging cellar

52
Q

the two methods for making rose champagne?

A

saignee (maceration)
d’assemblage (blending)