Champagne Flashcards
What contribution did Sir Kenelm Digby contribute to Champagne’s advancement?
Introduced the modern wine bottle from England, coal-fired ovens that produced glass stronger and superior to the French glass of the time.
What contribution did Dom Perignon contribute to Champagne’s advancement?
assemblage (blending)
What contribution did Louis XV contribute to Champagne’s advancement?
Removed the restrictions on transporting wine in bottles that had previously held back Champagne sales. This moment marked the beginning of the modern Champagne trade.
What contribution did Antoine Müller contribute to Champagne’s advancement? Where did he work at the time?
Discovered the process of remuage or riddling to remove unwanted yeast deposit in the bottle following secondary alcoholic fermentation. Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin.
What contribution did Jean-Baptiste François contribute to Champagne’s advancement?
He invented the sucre-oenomètre (wine-sugar meter) allowing Champagne makers to more accurately add the right amount of sugar to the wine to make its sparkle, with less risk of the bottle exploding because of too much pressure.
What contribution did Louis Pasteur contribute to Champagne’s advancement?
His work elucidated the truth behind fermentation and the relationship between sugar and yeast during this process.
What contribution did Madame Pommery contribute to Champagne’s advancement?
Introduced the first widely successful brut style Champagne.
What contribution did Robert-Jean de Vogüé contribute to Champagne’s advancement?
Established the CIVC, a broad consortium of growers, producers, and shippers representing Champagne and protecting the region’s interests in the face of Nazi occupation. (1941)
What parallel does Champagne align with?
48th
What are the 5 departments of Champagne Viticole? What is the major grape of each?
Aube (Pinot Noir) Aisne Marne (Pinot Noir) Haute-Marne Seine-et-Marne
How many communes (villages) produce Champagne?
357
What are the two still wine appellations in Champagne?
Rosé de Riceys
Coteaux Champenois
What district is the more localized, pertaining to one area, still wine appellation in Champagne?
Rosé de Riceys
What is the average temperature in Champagne?
50F
What kind of climate does Champagne have?
Atlantic-influenced and continental.
What are the major viticultural hazards of Champagne? How do they affect the vine?
Frost can affect the vine during bud break and flowering limiting yields
Excessive rain can dilute grapes and/or promote the spread of fungal disease and can also interrupt flowering which can result in a bouvreux, or second crop that rarely ripens
Hail damages the leaves and grapes disrupting photosynthetic cycle of vine and rupturing grape skins leaving the fruit vulnerable to fungal infection and spread of disease
What are the four major soil types of Champagne? What is the most desirable for Chardonnay? Pinot Noir? Meaunier?
Belemnite (chardonnay)
Micraster chalk
Turonian chalk
Clay (Pinot Noir)
What attributes or qualities do each of the major three grapes contribute to the wines of Champagne? Which ages the longest? Which is most available when young?
Pinot Noir contributes structure, richness, depth of fruit, and body
Chardonnay contributes elegance, freshness, fine fruitiness, and longevity. Has the greatest aging potential
Pinot Meunier contributes youthful fruitiness and approachability as it is the most available when young. The most early-maturing of the three.
What four grapes other than the big three are allowed in some parts of Champagne?
Pinot Blanc Vrai (Pinot Blanc)
Arbane
Pinot Gris
Petit Meslier
What does CIVC stand for? Who founded it? Why was it founded and what is its function today?
Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne
Governing body that mediates between the large Champagne houses and the numbers small growers from whom they source grapes.
What does the Échelle es Crus translate to in English and what was its original purpose? Purpose today?
Ladder of Growths
Originally rated Champagne villages and regulated the value of grapes produced in each village which represented the maximum price a grower could be paid for their grapes.
Originally every grower in a village would be paid the same price for their grapes, but today the CIVC supervises the exchange between growers and Champagne houses on an individual basis to promote fairness.
Describe the permitted pruning methods in Champagne and which grape they are most appropriate for.
Cordon de Royat is used for Pinot Noir. Requires the short pruning of spurs on one long cordon with the ambition of helping the vine retain a higher degree of permanent wood which will help it resist frost more effectively
Taille Chablis is used for Chardonnay most of the time though the grape will also be trained in Cordon de Royat in Grand Cru villages. Promotes longer canes with more fruit buds encouraging a good balance of vigor and productivity. Also promotes retention of a higher degree of wood to protect against frost
Vallée de la Marne is used exclusively for Meunier. Similar to Guyot
Guyot is commonly used for all grapes in the most highly frost-prone areas.
What is the maximum planting density allowed in Champagne? Maximum Yield (kg/ha)? Minimum must weight? Maximum press yield?
2.5 square meters per vine for density
10,400kg/ha
102L per 60 kg for press yield.
The following are a list of producer types by their abbreviation. What does each abbreviation stand for and how do they function as a producer?NMRMCMRCSRNDMA
Negociant-Manipulant (NM) - house that purchases grapes and/or base wines from growers and other small houses, but may own some of their own vineyards.
Récoltant-Manipulant (RM) - A grower-producer who makes Champagne from estate-grown fruit. 95% of the grapes must originate in the producer’s vineyards.
Coopérative Manipulant (CM) - A growers’ co-operative that produces the wine under a single brand.
Récoltant Coopérateur (RC) - A grower whose grapes are vinified at a co-operative, but sells the wine under his own label.
Société de Récoltants (SR) - A firm, not a co-operative, set by a union of often related growers, who share resources to make their wines and collectively market several brands.
Négociant Distributeur (ND) - A middleman company that distributes Champagne it did not make.
Marque d’Acheteur (MA) - A buyer’s own brand, often a large supermarket chain or restaurant, that purchases Champagne and sells it under its own label.
What is the traditional press of Champagne and how many L/kg can it hold?
Coquard basket press
2,550L / 4,000kg
Pressing of Champagne grapes occurs in three separate steps. What are the names of the three pressings? How are they different than each other in regards to volume? How are they used in the production process?
Vin de Cuvée represents the first 2,050L and is mostly free run juice. (there are three pressings of this as well with the middle being the most desirable, “cœur de cuvée”)
Vin de Taille represents the following 500L after the Vin de Cuvée. Usually richer in pigment and tannin with less malic and tartaric acid, which form the skeleton of all great white wines. This part of the press is usually either sell this off or include it as a minor proportion in a blend.
Rebêche represents the final pressing which is required by law and must comprise 1-10% of the total. Typically used for distillate only, not for Champagne AOP. Used for Ratafia!
What is the minimum potential alcohol for Champagne base wines? Maximum RS?
9% min alcohol
10g/L
Place the following steps of Method Champenoise in order.Primary fermentationLiqueur de tirageAssemblageClarificationBottling Malolactic FermentationDébourbagePressingRemuageDégorgementAutolysisLiqueur d’ExpeditionSecond Alcoholic Fermentation
Pressing Débourbage (settling) Primary fermentation (base wines) Malolactic fermentation (base wines) Clarification Assemblage Liqueur de Tirage Second Alcoholic Fermentation (in bottle) Autolysis Remuage Disgorgement Liqueur d'Expédition Bottling
What are the different sweetness level classifications in g/L? What did they used to be?
Brut Nature/NonDosé (0-3g/L) Extra Brut (0-6g/L) Brut (0-12g/L) Extra Dry (12-17g/L) Sec (17-32g/L) Demi-Sec (32-50g/L) Doux (50+g/L)
Prior to 2010 Brut Nature (0-3g/L) Extra Brut (0-6g/L) Brut (0-15g/L) Extra Dry (12-20g/L) Sec (17-35g/L) Demi-Sec (33-50g/L) Doux (50+g/L)
What are 6 different styles of Champagne? Describe them in regards to fruit used, aging requirements, etc.
Non-Vintage - Generally brut. House’s signature style
Vintage - Generally brut. 100% blend must come from stated vintage. Only declared in best years. Max 80% of a year’s harvest may be sold as vintage Champagne. Only declared in the best years and good examples can age for a decade or more
Blanc de Blancs - 100% Chardonnay. May be vintage or NV. Represents some of Champagne’s most age-worthy bottlings. Austere in steely in youth that develop intense bouquet with maturity
Blanc de Noirs - White wine from only black grapes. Wine displays richness, intensity, and weight, although it can lack the supreme elegance and finesse of blanc de blancs
Prestige Cuvée - Usually the finest and most expensive bottling that a house offers. Typically, but not always, vintage-dated and can be made in Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and Rosé in style. Some houses don’t produce any, some produce several.
Rosé - Can be vintage or NV. usually created by blending red reserve wine or by using the saignée method which is less common. Rosé prestige cuvées are usually the rarest and most expensive bottlings a house offers.
Name the prestige cuvée(s) for Henri Billiot and what the dominant grape(s) are. What kind of producer are they? Where?
Cuvée Laetitia NV (mostly Chardonnay)
Cuvée Julie (50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
RM (Ambonnay)
Inaugural Vintage: 1999 (Julie)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for Delamotte and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
Nicolas Louis Delamotte (90% Chardonnay/ 10% Pinot Noir) - No longer produced
NM (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for Paul Bara and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
Comtesse Marie de France (100% Pinot Noir)
Special Club (2/3 Pinot Noir to 1/3 Chardonnay)
RM (Bouzy)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for Joseph Perrier and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
Cuvée Josephine (Pinot Noir and Chard)
NM (Châlons-en-Champagne)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for Drappier and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
Grande Sendrée (55/45 Pinot Noir Chardonnay) Single Parcel wine
Charles de Gaulle (80/20 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay)
NM (Aube)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for J.Lassalle and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
Special Club (60/40 Chard/Pinot Noir)
RM (Chigny-les-Roses)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for Canard Duchêne and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
Charles VII NV (made in Brut, Brut Rosé, Blanc de Blancs, and Blanc de Noirs)
NM (Ludes)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for Jacques Selosse and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
Substance (100% Chardonnay)
RM (Avize)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for Bollinger and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
La Grande Année (mostly Pinot Noir with Chardonnay)
R.D. (1952 was inaugural) (mostly pinot noir with Chard)(generally released 8-20 years after vintage)
Vieilles Vignes Françaises (100% Pinot Noir) 1969 was inaugural
NM (Äy)
What are the prestige cuvée(s) for Ployez-Jacquemart and what are the dominant grapes? What kind of producer are they? Where?
Liesse d’Harbonville (70/30 Chard/Pinot Noir)
NM (Ludes)