CHAMPAGNE Flashcards
Champagne location
What three grapes are used in making champagne?
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Meunier
- Chardonnay
How many miles north is champagne of Paris?
90 miles
49th parallel
How far is bordeaux from chablis? Chablis to Reims?
- Boredeaux to Chablis: 400 miles southwest of chablis.
- Chablis to france: Picture
Bordeaux is right next to spain actually (about the drive to austin)
What is the weather like in Champagne, which parallel
- Cloudy, upredictable weather
- Cool continental, one of the coldest wine production regions
- 49th parallel, no protection from the atlantic ocean.
Bordeaux is at the 45Th
What is the soil type for Champagne?
- Limestone
- Chalk
- Vine roots can dig deep in these soils, which provide good drainage
while also retaining moisture - The soils maintain a relatively constant temperature throughout the year
What is meant by the term Couvee
- Blend of grapes, vintages, regions, villages or vineyards
What is the name of the method which champagne is made?
- Methode Champenoise or Methode Classique
Step 1: Methode Champenoise
- Make a base still wine and gently press to avoid skin contact
Fermentation
can occur in either stainless-steel tanks or oak barrels.
Step 2: Methode Champenoise
- Assemblage of the “Cuvée”: Assembling the Blend
Champagne can be a blend of grapes, vintages (seen on the label as nonvintage), regions, villages, or vineyards. The blend is made at this early stage.
Step 3: Methode Champenoise
1.Secondary Fermentation: liquere de tirage (mix of yeast and sugar)
2.Bottle is sealed with a crown and cap.
The bottle is sealed with a crown cap and, over time, the
yeast metabolizes the sugar, creating a small amount of alcohol and carbon
dioxide (CO2
) gas. The CO2
is trapped in the bottle and creates the bubbles.
Step 4: Methode Champenoise
- Sur Lie Aging: yeast cells gradually break down (autolysis)
- This now sparkling wine is left to age on the lies.
What flavor does sur lie aging impart to champagne?
- Yeast, dough, fresh baked bread
think of making bread at home
How many months must champagne stay on lees?
12 months
How long must champagne age?
15 months total
What does riddling mean?
- Removing lees from the neck of the bottle
What is the name of the machine which removes lees today?
- Gyropalette: gentle shaking of bottles to collect the lees at the stem
What is disgorgement?
- Freeze the neck of the bottle to remove lees which has been riddled into that place.
What are the corresponding categories
What is the liquere d’expedition?
- Mix of wine and sugar
- This process is called Dosage
- Defines how sweet the wine will be made as
What are the Three sub-regions in france
What are the three other Champagne styles?
- Rose
- Blanc de Blanc
- Blanc de Noirs
What are some good vintage years for champagne?
- 2005
- 2008
- 2012
- 2013
- 2015
everything after has not been super ideal
What is meant by “Cremant”
- “champagne” grown outside of champagne, France.
- Cremant d’Bourgogne: famously made in Rully
Which AOC famously makes cremant d’bourgogne?
- Within Chalonnaise the AOP: Rully
Where is Lambrusco made?
- Emilia Romagna
- Charmat/Tank method
Where is Prosecco Made?
- Veneto
- Charmat/Tank Method
Where is Cava made?
- Catalonia, Spain
Grapes: Xarel-lo, Parellada, Macabeo
Where is Frianciacorta made?
- Lombardy, Italy
Montage de Reims focuses primarily on what grape in thier blend?
- Pinot noir
The Pinot Noir provides power, body, and aromas of red fruits to the blends.
In what style is Montage de reims?
- lighter red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, cherry)
- bolder in style, some layered spice and earthiness.
Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzy, Verzenay, and Mailly (many are classified as Grand Cru villages).
What are some famous producers from Montage de Reims
1.Bollinger
2. Krug
3. Egly-Ouriet
Krug: Known for powerful, age-worthy Champagnes. (king krug)
Bollinger: A Pinot Noir-heavy house, producing rich and complex wines.
Egly-Ouriet: A grower-producer focusing on terroir-driven, Pinot Noir-dominant Champagnes.
While Montage de reims has a chalky and limestone forward soil, explain Valle de la marne’s soil.
- Valley floor, so chalk with sand, marl, clay
Some areas have no chalk
What is the fruit character and body of Valle de la Marne champagne?
- Fruity + Aromatic
- Ripe pear + apple + stone fruit
- Chalk, Clay, Sand and marl
soft and approachable when young
Famous producers from Valle de la Marne? (3)
- Billecart-salmon (beel Kahr sahl-mon
- Moet & Chandon
- Dom Perignon
Moët & Chandon: The world’s largest Champagne producer, with vineyards throughout the Vallée de la Marne.
Billecart-Salmon: Known for its elegant and fruit-forward style.
Dom Pérignon: Technically from Moët, but its production reflects the traditions of Hautvillers.
Which champagne sub-region only grows chardonnay?
- Cote des Blancs
Montage de Reims and Cotes des B lancs are known for what style of champagne compared to Valle de la Marne
- Reims and Blancs focus on body and minerality
- Marne soil type creates a more fruit forward character.
What is the soil type for Cotes de les blancs?
- Chalk: wine feels pure and mineral forward
C(chalk)otes de les blancs
Cotes de les blancs wine style: fruit, non-fruit, structure, description
- fruit: Citrus + Green apple
- non-fruit: toast, brioche, white flowers, minerality
Description: light, elegant and mineral driven
Famous Blanc de blancs producers (3)
- Salon
- Peters
- Taittanger
Salon: Iconic for its single-vintage, 100% Chardonnay Champagne.
Pierre Péters: Renowned for terroir-driven Blanc de Blancs.
Taittinger: Known for Chardonnay-heavy blends, especially in their flagship Comtes de Champagne.
