Champagne Flashcards
What are the oldest houses in Champagne for still/sparkling?
Still: Gosset f. 1584
Sparkling: Ruinart f. 1729
What are the categories of champagne based on their dosage?
brut nature: >3g residual sugar/liter extra brut: 0-6g rs/l brut: >12g rs/l extra dry: 12-17g rs/l sec: 17-32g rs/l demi-sec: 32-50g rs/l doux: <50g rs/l
What are the departments of Champagne?
Marne Aube Aisne Seine-et-Maine Haut Marne
Which Grand Crus of Champagne were added after 1985?
Verzy Chouilly Cramant Oiry Oger Les Mesnil-sur-Oger
Échelle de Crus
A percentile system by which the villages, or crus, of Champagne are rated
100 (max)= Grand Cru
99-90=Premier Cru
>90= Cru
What are the permitted grapes of Champagne?
Pinot Noir Chardonnay Meunier Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris Arbane Petit Meslier
What are the five main vineyard areas of Champagne?
Montagne de Reims Côtes de Blancs Vallée de la Marne Côte de Sézanne Côte des Bar
What are the permitted training methods for Champagne?
Chablis
Cordon de Royat
Vallée de la Marne (meunier only)
Guyot (single or double)
Clos des Goisses
Monoparcel of Philipponnat in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
70% pinot noir 30% chardonnay
What are the Grand Cru villages of Montagne de Reims?
SIllery Puisieulx Beaumont-sur-Vesle Verzenay Mailly-Champagne Verzy Louvois Bouzy Ambonnay
How many communes of production, Grand Crus, and Premier Crus are there in Champagne?
17 Grand Crus
42 Premier Crus
357 Communes of production
Verre Anglais
Coal-fired reinforced bottles. Higher in iron than wood-fired bottles, giving them a green color and the ability to withstand the pressure of champagne production. Invented c. 1630 by Admiral Sir Robert Mansell
Debourbage
The settling of pressed juice in order to remove solids (bourbes=skins/pips) via racking before fermentation. Occurs at a cool temperature for 8-15 hours.
Bouvreux
A second crop, one that rarely ripens, and is left on the vine. Occurs in Champagne when rain interrupts flowering.
What are the Grand Cru villages of Côtes des Blancs?
Chouilly Oiry Cramant Avize Oger Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
What are the Grand Cru villages of Vallée de la Marne?
Aÿ
Tours-sur-Marne
Name six appellations in France that may be mousseux or petillant and are produced by the traditional method
Vouvray Montlouis-sur-Loire Saumur Vin de Savoie Seyssel (Savoie) Blanquette de LImoux
Rebeche
A third and final pressing of grapes required by law after the vin de cuvee and vin de taille. Must comprise 1-10% of the total and can only be used for distillate.
Which regions of France produce Crémant?
Bordeaux Burgundy Loire Limoux Die Jura Alsace
Prisse de Mousse
Second fermentation. Takes up to eight weeks for the yeast to convert sugar to alcohol and CO2. The ABV rises 1.2-1.3 % and the CO2 creates a pressure inside the bottle of five to six atmospheres
RD (Récemment Dégorgé)
A designation used by Bollinger and other producers to signify a bottling that has been stored sur pointe for a number of years and is only degorged upon order
Clos St. Hilaire
Monoparcel of Billecart-Salmon in Maureuil-sur-Aÿ
100% pinot noir
Commission de Châlons
Formed in 1935, a consortium of growers and merchants developed in Champagne to develop quality standards and regulate prices. A precursor to the CIVC
Name 4 producers that degorge late
Bollinger: RD (Récemment Dégorge)
Jacquesson: DT (Dégorgement Tardif)
Dom Pérignon: Oenetheque
Bruno Paillard
Vin de Cuvée
The first 2,050 liters to be extracted from 4,000kg of grapes
Comité Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne
CIVC
Formed from the Commission de Châlons by Robert-Jean de Vogüé of Moët et Chandon in 1941 to represent Champagne industry and protect interests during Nazi occupation.
- regulates size of harvest
- authorizes blocage/deblocage
- safeguards the designation of Champagne
ND
Négociant Distributeur
A middleman company that distributes champagne it did not make
SR
Société de Recoltants
A firm set up by a union of often related growers who share resources to make their wines and collectively market several brands.
MA
Marque d’Acheter
A buyer’s own brand, often a large supermarket chain or restaurant sold under its own label
NM
Négociant Manipulant
A house that purchases grapes or base wine from other growers or other smaller houses
RM
Récoltant Manipulant
A grower/producer who makes champagne from estate-grown fruit. 95% must originate from producer’s vineyard
RC
Récoltant Coopérateur
A grower whose grapes are vinified at a co-operative but sells the wine under their own label
CM
Coopérative Manipulant
A grower’s co-operative that produces the wine under a single brand
