Champagne Flashcards
What factors make Champagne different from other Sparkling wines?
- Marginal Climate - grapes rarely ripen fully
- Geologically part of Paris Basin, once covered by inland seas
- Soil - 18” of loam on top of 800 feet of chalk
- The grapes used and cost of grapes
- Aging requirements
What are the categories (e.g. vintage, etc.) of Champagne and how do they differ?
- Natural: no sugar added
- Brut: 0-1.5% sugar
- Extra Dry - 1.5-3% sugar
- Sec or Dry - 1.7-3.5 % sugar
- Demi Sec - 3.5-5% sugar
- Doux or Sweet - 5-10% sugar
What are the specific age requirements for the different categories of Champagne?
- Non-vintage: a minimum of 15 months; bottling done after January 1st following the harvest
- Vintage - a minimum of 3 years (usually just Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
- Prestige Cuvee - longer than vintage - highest wines from the best houses
What are the three approved grape varieties used to make Champagne?
- Pinot Noir (38%)
- Pinot Meunier (35%)
- Chardonnay (27%)
What are the different styles of Champagne available?
- Blanc de Blancs - 100% Chardonnay
- Blanc de Noirs - Pinot Noir, Meurnier
- Prestige Cuvee
How is the sweetness level indicated on the label?
- Natural or Brut Nature - no sugar added
- Brut - 0 to 1.5% sugar
- Extra dry - 1.5% to 3%
- Sec or dey - 1.7 to 3.5% sugar
- Demi sec - 3.5 to 5% sugar
- Doux or Sweet - 5 to 10% sugar
Methode Champenoise:
The traditional bottle-fermented method for producing sparkling wines, including fermenting, aging en Tirage, riddling and disgorging – all in the same bottle that will eventually reach the consumer.
only method used for the very highest quality
sparkling wines of the world.
Liqueur di tirage
A syrupy mixture of wine, sugar and yeast that is added to sparkling wines to cause a secondary fermentation that induces carbonation
Remuage/riddling
In this stage, the bottles are placed on special racks called pupitres that hold them at a 45° angle, with the crown cap pointed down.
Once a day (every two days for Champagne), the bottles are given a slight shake and turn, alternatively on right then left, and dropped back into the pupitres, with the angle gradually increased.
Gyropalette
performs the same task as riddling automatically on many bottles at the same time, and in a shorter period of time.
Mousse
foam at the top of the bottle
Bead
A colloquial term referring to the bubbles that float in groups on top of a fermenting wine or champagne/sparkling wine in the glass.
Charmat Process
A process for producing sparkling wine or champagne cheaply and in large quantities by conducting the secondary fermentation in large tanks rather than individual bottles
Dosage
The few ounces of wine is added to each bottle of champagne after disgorging to make up for the liquid volume lost by disgorging.
Disgorging (degorgement)
act of removing the frozen plug of ice
Cuvee
A given lot or batch of wine usually held in a single tank or large cask. Cuvee often refers to a specific blend of still wines that was blended purposely for later champagne making in France.
Cava:
from Spain; made in the traditional method, usually from Spanish grapes
Prosecco
sweet to dry; from Veneto, Italy
Asti:
sweet; from Piedmont, Italy; made from Moscato grapes
Frizzante
Italian term meaning “slightly sparkling”
Spumante
Italian term meaning “sparkling:
Sekt:
from Germany, mostly produced in the charmat process
How does the production of sparkling wine differ from that of still wine?
Sparkling wines undergo a second fermentation during which carbon dioxide, released as yeast converts sugar into alchol, is trapped in the wine effectively forming bubbles. There are four methods to make sparkling wine:
- Method Champenoise
- Transfer Method
- Charmat Process
- Carbonated Wine
Transfer Method
Second Fermentation occurs in the bottle then transferred under pressure to tank and filtered into another bottle
Less labor/time intensive
