Champagne Flashcards
Main vineyards North to South
Montagne de Reims Vallee de la Marne Cote de Blancs Cote de Sezzane Cote des Bar
Main soil type?
Kimmeridgian
Main grape varieties
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
What is Non-Vintage?
Blend of vintages
Minimum 1 year on the lees in the bottle
15 months in cellar
3/4 of all Champagne
What is Vintage?
Minimum 3 years on the lees in the bottle
Only best years
Champagnes: Dry to Sweet
Brut Nature-Sans Dosage Extra Brut Brut Extra Dry/Extra Sec Sec Demi-Sec Doux
VIllage Classification System
Eschelle des Crus
Grand Cru - 17
Premier Cru - 44
296 of the rest
Methode Traditionale Steps
Blending Secondary Fermentation - Liqueur De Tirage Lees Aging - Sur Lie Riddling - Remuage Disgorging - Desgorgement Dosage - Liqueur D' Expidition Bottle Aging
Liqueur de Tirage?
Yeast and sugar used to start secondary fermentation.
Liqueur de Expedition?
Replace lost wine and determine sweetness.
Tank Method/Charmat
Blending Secondary Fermentation( IN TANK)Liqueur De Tirage Lees Aging - Sur Lie Wine racked and filtered Dosage - Liqueur D' Expidition No Bottle Aging
Champagne Bottle Sizes
Quarter/Split Half Bottle/Demi Bottle Magnum Jerobaum Rehobaum Methuselah Salmanzar Balthazar Nebuchadnezzar
3 grades of juice?
Cuvee - First Pressing
Taille - Later Pressings
Rebeche - Left overs
Assemblage…
Blending
Debourbage…
Juice Settling
Pupitre…
Riddling Rack
Mousse…
Foam
Petillant…
Slightly Sparkling
Saignee
Bleed
Run off juice from red grapes to make a rose
Transversage
Transfer between bottles
Prise de Mousse
setting the foam second fermentation
Reserve
Still wine earlier vintage
Prestige Cuvee, Tete de Cuvee, Cuvee Speciale…
Exceptional Fruit, Best of Press
Blanc de Blancs…
Wine from White Grapes only
Blanc de Noir…
White wine from Red Grapes, Pale Hue used red grapes only
Rose…
Saignee, or red wine in blend or red in wine Liqueur d’Expedition Dosage
Champagne Apellation
only ONE sparkling wine; Champagne AOC
Champagne Trade
Traditional winemaking properties “Houses”
Produce 2/3rds of Wine
Own grapes, but mostly buy grapes from many independent growers
Make and Sell 1/4 of Market “Grower Champagne”; RM on label “Recoltant Manipulant”
Remainder Cooperatives Own No Vineyards
Produce and Sell for Grower Members
Still wines of Champagne
Rose des Riceys AC (Pinot Noir) far south
Coteaux Champenois AC (Red, White or Rose) covers most of Champagne
17 Grand Cru Vineyards
Montagne de Reims (9 Grand Crus)
Vallee de la Marne (2 Grand Crus): mostly planted to Pinot Meniuer and some Chardonnay
Cotes des Blancs (6 Grand Crus): mainly Chardonnay
Montagne de Reims (9 Grand Crus)
Ambonnay Bouzy Louvois Mailly Verzenay Verzy Beaumont-sur-Vesle Puisieulx Sillery
Vallee de la Marne (2 Grand Crus): mostly planted to Pinot Meniuer and some Chardonnay
Tours-sur-Marne
Ay
Cotes des Blancs (6 Grand Crus): mainly Chardonnay
Avize Chouilly Cramant Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger Oger Oiry
