Champagne Flashcards
What are the 3 main grape varietals used to make Champagne?
chardonnay
Pinot noir
meunier
Where is the region of Champagne located in relation to Paris?
90 miles NE of Paris
What is the climate of Champagne?
Does anything influence this climate?
Cool Continental
The Atlantic Ocean
On what parallel is the Champagne region located?
49th parallel
What are the soils of Champagne?
Chalk
Limestone
What 2 benefits do Champagne winegrowers have with the limestone and chalk soils?
- They’re permeable with good drainage, roots can grow deep
- They retain a fairly constant temp throughout the year
What are the weather threats Champagne faces?
Rain
Spring frost
Summer hail
Are most champagnes bottled as single varietals or as blends? Why?
Blends
Weather varies greatly vintage to vintage, the regions northerly latitude makes it difficult to ripen grapes consistently. Blending is prioritized to produce harmonious Champagne
True or False:
Champagne can be composed of many different vineyard sites.
True
Different vineyard sites add different characteristics to the finished wine, from acidity to ripeness to fruit flavors.
True or False:
Champagne is allowed to be made from a single vintage.
True.
Vintage champagnes are only produced in the best vintages, usually 4-5 time per decade. Vintage champagnes are meant to show the favorable characteristics of the vintage and are never blends of different vintages.
What winemaking method is used to make Champagne?
Method champenoise
What are synonyms for methode champenoise?
Methode classique (term used for wines made outside of Champagne region but are made the same way)
Classic Method
Traditional Method
Methode Traditionelle
What is the 1st step in making Methode Champenoise?
Making the base wine
* grapes pressed quickly to avoid skin contact and oxidation
*grape must go through primary fermentation resulting in a low alcohol, high acid, lightly colored wine. (base wine)
What is the 2 step of making Methode Champenoise (after creating the base wine)?
Blending, aka assemblage
Once the base wine is made, the winemaker will blend the different base wines (different vintages, villages…)
What step in Methode Champenoise comes after blending?
Secondary fermentation
The blended base wine is bottled with liqueur de tirage (mixture of yeast and sugar)
the tirage ignites the secondary fermentation
Bottle gets a crown cap, is laid on its side and secondary fermentation begins.
The CO2 created by the tirage is trapped and dissolves in the wine.
What are the 2 things tirage creates?
CO2
Alcohol
What step in Methode Champenoise comes after tirage?
Aging on the lees
As the yeast cells from the tirage expire, they settle onto the bottom of the bottle
The wine rests on these expired yeast cells, called lees, for at least 12 months.
What is autolysis?
A process when yeasts decompose
These dead yeast cells release proteins and flavor compounds redolent of bread
This sur lie aging will create flavors of biscuit, brioche and toast.
Champagne must spend a minimum of _____ months aging sur lie and at least _____ months of total aging prior to release.
12 months sure lie
15 months prior to release
What is the name of the process that moves lees from bottle to neck post aging?
Riddling
It’s the first part of the process of removing the spend lees
What is the French term for riddling?
Remuage
Describe the process of riddling.
Each bottle is turned about 45* every day to gently cajole the lees into the neck of the bottle.
Riddling is done until the bottle is standing upside down and all the lees have settled into the bottle’s neck.
Is riddling done by hand or machine?
can be done by both
