Champagne

Question 1

What are the oldest houses in Champagne for still/sparkling?

Answer 1

Still: Gosset f. 1584

Sparkling: Ruinart f. 1729

Question 2

What are the categories of champagne based on their dosage?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What are the departments of Champagne?

Answer 3

Marne
Aube
Aisne
Seine-et-Maine
Haut Marne

Question 4

Which Grand Crus of Champagne were added after 1985?

Answer 4

Verzy
Chouilly
Cramant
Oiry
Oger
Les Mesnil-sur-Oger

Question 5

Échelle de Crus

Answer 5

A percentile system by which the villages, or crus, of Champagne are rated
100 (max)= Grand Cru
99-90=Premier Cru
>90= Cru

Question 6

What are the permitted grapes of Champagne?

Answer 6

Pinot Noir
Chardonnay
Meunier
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris
Arbane
Petit Meslier

Question 7

What are the five main vineyard areas of Champagne?

Answer 7

Montagne de Reims
Côtes de Blancs
Vallée de la Marne
Côte de Sézanne
Côte des Bar

Question 8

What are the permitted training methods for Champagne?

Answer 8

Chablis
Cordon de Royat
Vallée de la Marne (meunier only)
Guyot (single or double)

Question 9

Clos des Goisses

Answer 9

Monoparcel of Philipponnat in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ

70% pinot noir 30% chardonnay

Question 10

What are the Grand Cru villages of Montagne de Reims?

Answer 10

SIllery
Puisieulx
Beaumont-sur-Vesle
Verzenay
Mailly-Champagne
Verzy
Louvois
Bouzy
Ambonnay

Question 11

How many communes of production, Grand Crus, and Premier Crus are there in Champagne?

Answer 11

17 Grand Crus
42 Premier Crus
357 Communes of production

Question 12

Verre Anglais

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Debourbage

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Bouvreux

Answer 14

A second crop, one that rarely ripens, and is left on the vine. Occurs in Champagne when rain interrupts flowering.

Question 15

What are the Grand Cru villages of Côtes des Blancs?

Answer 15

Chouilly
Oiry
Cramant
Avize
Oger
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

Question 16

What are the Grand Cru villages of Vallée de la Marne?

Answer 16

Aÿ

Tours-sur-Marne

Question 17

Name six appellations in France that may be mousseux or petillant and are produced by the traditional method

Answer 17

Vouvray
Montlouis-sur-Loire
Saumur
Vin de Savoie
Seyssel (Savoie)
Blanquette de LImoux

Question 18

Rebeche

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

Which regions of France produce Crémant?

Answer 19

Bordeaux
Burgundy
Loire
Limoux
Die
Jura
Alsace

Question 20

Prisse de Mousse

Answer 20

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

Question 21

RD (Récemment Dégorgé)

Answer 21

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

Question 22

Clos St. Hilaire

Answer 22

Monoparcel of Billecart-Salmon in Maureuil-sur-Aÿ

100% pinot noir

Question 23

Commission de Châlons

Answer 23

Formed in 1935, a consortium of growers and merchants developed in Champagne to develop quality standards and regulate prices. A precursor to the CIVC

Question 24

Name 4 producers that degorge late

Answer 24

Bollinger: RD (Récemment Dégorge)
Jacquesson: DT (Dégorgement Tardif)
Dom Pérignon: Oenetheque
Bruno Paillard

Question 25

Vin de Cuvée

Answer 25

The first 2,050 liters to be extracted from 4,000kg of grapes

Question 26

Comité Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne

CIVC

Answer 26

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

Question 27

ND

Négociant Distributeur

Answer 27

A middleman company that distributes champagne it did not make

Question 28

SR

Société de Recoltants

Answer 28

A firm set up by a union of often related growers who share resources to make their wines and collectively market several brands.

Question 29

MA

Marque d’Acheter

Answer 29

A buyer’s own brand, often a large supermarket chain or restaurant sold under its own label

Question 30

NM

Négociant Manipulant

Answer 30

A house that purchases grapes or base wine from other growers or other smaller houses

Question 31

RM

Récoltant Manipulant

Answer 31

A grower/producer who makes champagne from estate-grown fruit. 95% must originate from producer’s vineyard

Question 32

RC

Récoltant Coopérateur

Answer 32

A grower whose grapes are vinified at a co-operative but sells the wine under their own label

Question 33

CM

Coopérative Manipulant

Answer 33

A grower’s co-operative that produces the wine under a single brand