Champagne Flashcards
What is the average annual temperature in Champagne?
50ºF (Growing season 58.4)
Champagne lies between which two parallels longitudinally?
48th and 49th
What is a bouvreux?
When rain interrupts flowering, a second crop may occur which rarely ripens and is left on the vine
What are the primary viticultural concerns in Champagne?
Frost
Rain
Fungal disease
Hail
What is Belemnite chalk and what are its viticultural effects?
Porous chalky soil containing fossilized remains of millions of cephalopods which sits on the surfaces of the slopes. It retains heat at night, provides drainage, and has a high limestone count which allows roots to dig deeply and gain acidity
What is Micraster chalk?
Chalky soil named for an extinct sea urchin which is more common in the valley soils
What is the dominant soil type in the Aube?
Clay
What are the five districts of Champagne and which grape are they each dominated by?
Montagne de Reims (Pinot Noir)
Vallée de la Marne (Meunier)
Côtes des Blancs (Chardonnay)
Côtes de Sézanne (Chardonnay)
Côtes des Bar (Pinot Noir)
What viticultural characteristics of Meunier make it valuable to growers?
Late-budding
Early-Ripening
What is the most planted grape in Champagne?
Pinot Noir
What does each of the three major grapes provide to a blend?
Pinot Noir - Structure, richness, body
Meunier - Youthful fruitiness, approachability
Chardonnay - Elegance, finesse, longevity
What other grapes are permitted although uncommonly used in Champagne?
Pinot Blanc Vrai
Arbane
Pinot Gris
Petit Meslier
True or false: permitted yields in Champagne are quite high in comparison to other regions
True
What are the four vine training methods permitted in Champagne
Cordon de Royat
Chablis
Vallée de la Marne
Guyot
What is the elevation of Reims?
298ft
What is the average annual rainfall in Champagne?
24.7in
What are the 8 districts of Champagne (per guildsomm)
Heart:
Montagne de Reims
Vallée de la Marne
Côte des Blanc
South:
Côte de Bar
Other:
Coteaux du Morin
Vitryan
Côte de Sézanne
Montegueux
What are the six subdistricts of Montagne de Reims?
Grande Montagne
Massif de Saint-Theirry
Monts de Berru
Arde Valley
Vesle Valley
City of Reims
What are the six subdistricts of Vallée de la Marne
Grande Vallée
Region d’Épernay
Terroir de Condé
Western Marne Valley
Right Bank
Left Bank
What are the subdistricts of Côte des Bar?
Bar-sur-Aube (Barsuraubois)
Bar-sur-Seine (Barséquenais)
What are the ten Grands Crus of Montagne de Reims?
Sillery
Puisieulx
Beaumont-sur-Vesle
Vezernay
Mailly-Champagne
Verzy
Louvois
Bouzy
Ambonnay
Tours-sur-Marne
What are the Grand Crus of Vallée de la Marne?
Aÿ
What are the six Grands Crus of Côte des Blancs?
Choilly
Oiry
Cramant
Avize
Oger
Le Menil-Sur-Oger
What are the different ways in which Champagne can be categorized?
Pressure
Style
Chronology
Prestige
Origin
Sweetness
What is the peak altitude of Montagne de Reims?
885ft
Which microzone of Grande Montagne is the most sought after and why?
Northern Montagne. Vines thrive somewhat surprisingly on the northern facing slopes due to the effect of the mountain’s thermal blanket. The cold air slips down the mountain and draws warmer air up which protects against frost
What vine training method is primarily utilized in the northern mountain microzone?
Cordon de Royat
What vine training method is primarily utilized in the eastern mountain microzone?
Chablis
Where was the first ever single vineyard champagne?
Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Philipponannat Clos de Goisses. (Marne Valley)
Where is Taittinger’s Chateau de la Marquetterie located?
Région d’Épernay
What is considered the best area of the Marne Valley?
Grande Vallée (followed by Rive Droite)
Where is the negociant Drappier located?
Bar-sur-Aube
What year was the Club Trésors de Champagne established?
1971
What geographic element separates Champagne from Belgium?
Forested hills of Ardennes
What are the five departments of Champagne?
Marne 66%
Aube 23%
Aisne 10%
Haut-Marne .002%
Seine-et-Marne 1%
What is the primary reason for blending across vintages in Champagne?
The high risk of viticultural hazards requires winemakers to store up wines in years of plenty in order to account for years in which harvests are not as strong
What are the classifications of sweetness in Champagne?
Brut-Nature 0-3
Extra-Brut 0-6
Brut 0-12
Extra Dry 12-17
Sec 17-32
Demi-Sec 32-50
Doux 50+
What are the spacing requirements for vines in Champagne?
0.9 meters to 1.5 meters
What are the yield requirements in Champagne?
96.9 hl/hc
What is the maximum annual yield in Champagne? How does it differ from the maximum usable annual yield?
The maximum annual yield is the combination of the maximum usable annual yield plus and (in small harvest years) some wine from the personal reserve. When combined, the two must still not exceed the maximum permitted yield (96hl/ht)
What harvesting technique is required by law in Champagne?
Hand harvesting
What is the traditional type of wine press is used in Champagne?
Coquard Press
What are the three categories of press wine in Champagne?
Cuvée (best) - first 2,050 liters
Taille - Next 500 liters
Rebêche - last 116 liters
When does assemblage usually take place?
In the first months of the year after the harvest
In general, about what percentage of a blend comes from the reserve wines?
Around 10-15% or none at all
What are two reasons why a producer would use a greater than average amount of reserve wine in a blend?
1) poor harvest
2) exceptional harvest with too much individual character
How long does Prise de Mousse generally take?
3 weeks to 3 months
What is the legal minimum élévage in Champagne?
15 months for nonvintage
3 years for vintage
How many bottles does a gyropalette hold?
504
During the second fermentation of sparkling wine, the bottles are usually stored horizontally in the ________ position.
Sur latte
What is the maximum percentage of a harvest that can be sold as vintage Champagne?
80%
