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Champagne Flashcards

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Introductory Sommelier Exam (CMS) flashcards
1
Q

What are the three primary grape varieties used in Champagne?

A

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier.

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2
Q

What is the climate of Champagne?

A

Cool continental.

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3
Q

What is the primary soil type in Champagne?

A

Chalk, with marl, limestone, and clay in some areas.

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4
Q

What are the five primary wine-producing districts in Champagne?

A
  • Montagne de Reims
  • Vallée de la Marne
  • Côte des Blancs
  • Côte de Sézanne
  • Aube (Côte des Bar)
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5
Q

What is the term for the secondary fermentation process in Champagne?

A

Prise de mousse.

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6
Q

What is the typical vine density in Champagne?

A

About 8,000-10,000 vines per hectare.

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7
Q

What is the maximum yield allowed in Champagne?

A

10,400 kg/ha for the base wine.

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8
Q

What is the name of the sparkling wine method used in Champagne?

A

Méthode Champenoise (Traditional Method).

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9
Q

What is the CIVC, and what is its role?

A

Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne; it regulates production, marketing, and distribution.

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10
Q

What is liqueur de tirage, and how is it used?

A

A mixture of wine, sugar, and yeast added to create secondary fermentation.

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11
Q

What year was the Champagne AOC established?

A

1936.

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12
Q

Who is credited with developing the modern Champagne method?

A

Dom Pérignon, though many techniques predate him.

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13
Q

What are the three quality levels of Champagne vineyards?

A
  • Grand Cru
  • Premier Cru
  • Autre Cru
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14
Q

How many Grand Cru villages are there in Champagne?

A

17.

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15
Q

How many Premier Cru villages are there in Champagne?

A

42.

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16
Q

What is Échelle des Crus, and what does it represent?

A

The former rating system for Champagne vineyards based on quality, now defunct.

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17
Q

What is a Maison in Champagne?

A

A Champagne house or producer.

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18
Q

What is a Récoltant-Manipulant (RM)?

A

A grower-producer who makes Champagne from their own grapes.

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19
Q

What is Négociant-Manipulant (NM)?

A

A large Champagne house that buys grapes and/or base wines to produce Champagne.

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20
Q

What is Coopérative-Manipulant (CM)?

A

A cooperative that produces Champagne from the grapes of its members.

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21
Q

What is the importance of chalk in Champagne soils?

A

Provides excellent drainage, reflects sunlight, and regulates vine temperature.

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22
Q

Which grape variety dominates the Côte des Blancs?

A

Chardonnay.

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23
Q

Which grape variety is most commonly planted in the Vallée de la Marne?

A

Pinot Meunier.

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24
Q

What is the dominant grape variety in the Montagne de Reims?

A

Pinot Noir.

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25
Q

What is Guyot training, and why is it used in Champagne?

A

A vine training system designed for higher yields and disease prevention.

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26
Q

What is taille Chablis, and why is it used in Champagne?

A

A vine training system that maximizes fruit exposure and reduces frost risk.

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27
Q

What is the permitted planting density in Champagne?

A

7,000-8,000 vines per hectare.

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28
Q

What is the maximum pressing yield for Champagne must?

A

102 liters from 160 kg of grapes.

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29
Q

What is the term for the first pressing in Champagne production?

A

Cuvée.

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30
Q

What is the second pressing called, and how is it used?

A

Taille; often used for demi-sec or extra-brut styles.

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31
Q

What is the minimum aging requirement for non-vintage Champagne?

A

15 months, with 12 months on the lees.

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32
Q

What is the minimum aging requirement for vintage Champagne?

A

36 months.

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33
Q

What is autolysis, and how does it influence Champagne?

A

The breakdown of yeast cells during aging, imparting toasty and nutty flavors.

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34
Q

What is remuage (riddling), and why is it done?

A

Gradual turning of bottles to move sediment into the neck for removal during disgorgement.

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35
Q

What is dégorgement, and how is it performed?

A

The process of removing sediment; traditionally done by hand or mechanically.

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36
Q

What is liqueur d’expédition, and how is it used?

A

A mixture of wine and sugar added after disgorgement to determine sweetness level.

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37
Q

What are the sweetness levels of Champagne from driest to sweetest?

A
  • Brut Nature
  • Extra Brut
  • Brut
  • Extra Dry
  • Sec
  • Demi-Sec
  • Doux
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38
Q

What is the typical pressure inside a Champagne bottle?

A

About 5-6 atmospheres.

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39
Q

What are prestige cuvées, and give an example.

A

Top-tier Champagnes from a producer; e.g., Dom Pérignon by Moët & Chandon.

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40
Q

What is rosé de saignée, and how is it made?

A

A rosé Champagne made by allowing skin contact during maceration.

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41
Q

What is the significance of Krug’s “Clos du Mesnil”?

A

A single-vineyard, 100% Chardonnay prestige cuvée.

42
Q

Who produces “Cristal,” and what is its historical significance?

A

Louis Roederer; originally created for Tsar Alexander II of Russia.

43
Q

What is notable about Bollinger’s “RD” Champagne?

A

Stands for “Recently Disgorged,” emphasizing freshness and extended lees aging.

44
Q

Who produces “La Grande Dame”?

A

Veuve Clicquot.

45
Q

What makes Salon unique as a Champagne producer?

A

Produces only vintage, Blanc de Blancs Champagne from a single vineyard.

46
Q

Who produces “Comtes de Champagne”?

A

Taittinger.

47
Q

What is the flagship cuvée of Laurent-Perrier?

A

“Grand Siècle.”

48
Q

Who produces “Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill”?

A

Pol Roger.

49
Q

What is the only Champagne house with the status of monopole?

A

Champagne Philipponnat with “Clos des Goisses.”

50
Q

What is the significance of “Dom Ruinart”?

A

A prestige cuvée from the oldest Champagne house, established in 1729.

51
Q

What is the approximate annual production of Champagne?

A

About 300 million bottles.

52
Q

What percentage of Champagne vineyards are planted to Pinot Noir?

A

Approximately 38%.

53
Q

What percentage of Champagne vineyards are planted to Pinot Meunier?

A

Approximately 31%.

54
Q

What percentage of Champagne vineyards are planted to Chardonnay?

A

Approximately 30%.

55
Q

What is the sixth permitted grape variety in Champagne, used rarely today?

A

Petit Meslier.

56
Q

What are the other ‘forgotten’ varieties allowed in Champagne production?

A
  • Arbane
  • Pinot Blanc
  • Pinot Gris
57
Q

What is the maximum residual sugar allowed for Brut Champagne?

A

Up to 12 g/L.

58
Q

What is the name for the legal bottle sizes larger than Jeroboam in Champagne?

A
  • Rehoboam
  • Methuselah
  • Salmanazar
  • Balthazar
  • Nebuchadnezzar
59
Q

What is the Champagne term for harvesting by hand?

A

Vendange manuelle.

60
Q

Why is mechanical harvesting prohibited in Champagne?

A

To prevent oxidation and damage to the grapes.

61
Q

What are the main subsoil types found in the Côte des Bar?

A

Kimmeridgian marl.

62
Q

What is the distinguishing characteristic of chalk soil?

A

Its ability to retain water while providing excellent drainage.

63
Q

What role do marl soils play in Champagne?

A

They contribute richness and body to the wines.

64
Q

What is the average age of productive vines in Champagne?

A

Around 25-30 years.

65
Q

What is ébourgeonnage, and why is it practiced?

A

The removal of excess buds to manage yields and improve grape quality.

66
Q

What is the significance of debudding in Champagne vineyards?

A

Helps reduce yields and focus vine energy on fewer clusters.

67
Q

What is enherbement, and why is it used in Champagne?

A

Cover cropping; used to prevent erosion and improve soil biodiversity.

68
Q

How many hours after harvest must Champagne grapes be pressed?

A

Within 4 hours to prevent oxidation.

69
Q

What is rebeche, and how is it used in Champagne?

A

The third pressing; used for distillation or vinegar production.

70
Q

What are the pruning methods approved in Champagne?

A
  • Taille Chablis
  • Cordon de Royat
  • Guyot
  • Vallée de la Marne
71
Q

What is the term for aging Champagne bottles neck-down?

A

Sur pointe.

72
Q

What is tirage, and when does it occur?

A

The addition of liqueur de tirage; it occurs before secondary fermentation.

73
Q

What is the purpose of a gyropalette?

A

Automates the riddling process to move sediment to the neck.

74
Q

What is the minimum time spent on lees for Champagne labeled as Vintage?

A

36 months.

75
Q

What is bâtonnage, and is it used in Champagne?

A

Lees stirring; rarely used in Champagne production.

76
Q

What is block disgorgement, and how does it work?

A

Multiple bottles are disgorged simultaneously, often in automated facilities.

77
Q

What is the purpose of a bidule in Champagne production?

A

A plastic insert in the bottle neck to trap sediment during riddling.

78
Q

What is jetting, and why is it used in Champagne bottling?

A

A jet of wine used to remove oxygen from the bottle neck after disgorgement.

79
Q

What is non-malo Champagne, and how does it differ stylistically?

A

Champagne that skips malolactic fermentation, resulting in higher acidity and freshness.

80
Q

What is brut nature Champagne?

A

Champagne with no dosage added (less than 3 g/L residual sugar).

81
Q

What is the flagship cuvée of Bollinger?

A

La Grande Année.

82
Q

What makes Jacques Selosse unique in Champagne production?

A

Focuses on biodynamic practices, oxidative winemaking, and terroir expression.

83
Q

What is the prestige cuvée of Ruinart?

A

Dom Ruinart.

84
Q

What is the significance of ‘Les Enfants de la Côte’ in Champagne?

A

A grower initiative focused on promoting single-vineyard expressions.

85
Q

What is the prestige cuvée of Perrier-Jouët?

A

Belle Epoque.

86
Q

What is the significance of ‘Substance’ by Jacques Selosse?

A

A solera-aged Blanc de Blancs Champagne.

87
Q

What is the flagship wine of Egly-Ouriet?

A

Brut Tradition Grand Cru.

88
Q

What is the prestige cuvée of Henriot?

A

Cuvée des Enchanteleurs.

89
Q

What is ‘Clos des Goisses,’ and who produces it?

A

A monopole single-vineyard Champagne produced by Philipponnat.

90
Q

What is the significance of Veuve Clicquot’s ‘Yellow Label’?

A

One of the most recognized non-vintage Champagnes worldwide.

91
Q

What characterizes the 2008 vintage in Champagne?

A

High acidity, excellent structure, and age-worthy wines.

92
Q

What is notable about the 2012 Champagne vintage?

A

A balanced vintage producing powerful, concentrated wines.

93
Q

What are the challenges associated with the 2011 vintage in Champagne?

A

A wet and challenging year with lower yields and inconsistent quality.

94
Q

What is the Champagne vintage of the century, and why?

A

1996; praised for its balance of high acidity and ripeness.

95
Q

What is the typical aging potential of vintage Champagne?

A

10-30 years, depending on the producer and style.

96
Q

What are the aging regulations for Champagne labeled as Réserve Perpétuelle?

A

There are no strict regulations; it refers to a solera-style aging system.

97
Q

What is the average base wine composition for non-vintage Champagne?

A

60-80% current vintage, with 20-40% reserve wines.

98
Q

What is the role of reserve wines in Champagne blending?

A

To maintain consistency in non-vintage wines.

99
Q

What are the characteristics of the 2013 Champagne vintage?

A

High acidity and freshness, with long-term aging potential.

100
Q

What is the impact of extended lees aging on Champagne?

A

Adds complexity, richness, and autolytic flavors like brioche and hazelnut.

Advanced Sommelier (9 decks)

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