Champagne Flashcards
What are the major varieties in Champagne (3)
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
Chardonnay
Where is Champagne located
Between the 48th and 49th parallels
90 miles east of Paris
What are the 5 districts of Champagne
Montagne de Reims - PN dominant
Valee de la Marne - PM dominant
Cote de Blancs - Chard dominant
Cote Sezanne
Cote de Bars (Aube) - PN dominant
What are the major bodies of water that influence Champagne (2)
Atlantic Ocean
Marne River
What are the soils in Champagne
Chalk with high limestone content
Top layers of clay and sand with more clay in the south (PN)
What is the climate in Champagne
Cool continental
Who is credited with assemblage and viticulture in Champagne
Dom Perignon
When was Ruinart founded as the first sparkling wine house
1729
Who pioneered riddling and disgorgement to create a clear sparkling wine in the early 1800s
Madame Ponsardin of Veuve Cliquot
When was the first tete de cuvee released (Moet & Chandon’s Dom Perignon)
1921
When was the CIVC formed
1941
What is the CIVC
Comite Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne
What is the Vin de Cuvee
First press juice
What is Vin de Taille
Second press juice, more tannic
What is Rebeche
Last press, used for distillate
What is liquer de tirage
A mixture of yeast, sugar, and fining agents (kicks off secondary fermentation)
What is riddling
The process of shaking and turning bottles to loosen the lees
What is disgorgement
The neck of the bottle is frozen in a salt brine and the yeast plug is popped out
List Champagne Styles from driest to sweetest (7)
Brut Nature (0-3g)
Extra Brut (0-6g)
Brut (0-12g)
Extra Dry (12-17g)
Sec (17-32g)
Demi-Sec (32-50g)
Doux (50+g)
What is Couteaux Champenoise
Appellation for still wines