Champagne Flashcards
What part of France is Champagne located in?
The north-east, just south of the 50th parallel and directly east of Paris
What is the CIVC? What does it do?
The Comité Interprofessionel du Vin du Champagne, also known as the Comité Champagne. It is responsible for ensuring that wines labelled ‘Champagne’ are made in the traditional method from grapes grown in the Champagne region.
What are the styles of Champagne?
Non-vintage Vintage Rosé Blanc de Blancs Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Premier Cru Prestige Cuvée Late Release/Recently Disgorged
In what style is the majority of Champagne produced in?
White, non-vintage, fully sparkling, and brut from the three principle Champagne varieties
What are the three main Champagne varieties? Are they black or white grapes?
Pinot Noir (black)
Meunier (black)
Chardonnay (white)
What is the typical character of the majority of Champagne?
Brut
High acid
Medium alcohol
Medium intensity green apple, lemon, and biscuity autolytic notes
What is the typical quality and pricing of Champagne?
Good to outstanding quality
Mid- to premium priced
What is the usual pricing for Vintage and Prestige Cuvée Champagne?
Premium and super premium
Describe non-vintage Champagne.
A fully sparkling wine made from multiple vintages that adheres to a house style.
Why is non-vintage Champagne a viable product? What does it allow Champagne producers to achieve?
The blending of multiple vintages of wine helps to smooth out vintage variation, allowing Champagne houses to deliver a product with consistent aroma and flavor components. The consistency offers market security and product identity.
Describe Vintage Champagne.
A fully sparkling traditional method wine that comes entirely from the declared vintage.
How are vintages determined in Champagne?
Each producer decides if the vintage was good enough to declare. Some vintages are universally declared, while most are left to each producer’s discretion.
What are two vintages of the 21st century that were universally declared in Champagne?
2002 and 2008
Describe Rosé Champagne.
A fully sparkling traditional method rosé wine made by blending red and white wine (rosé d’assemblage) or, far less often, through short maceration (rosé de saignée
What is rosé de saignée? What is its significance in Champagne?
A rosé wine made by short maceration. In Champagne, this method is rarely used and requires a great deal of expertise as yeast absorbs color pigments.
What is rosé d’assemblage? What is its significance in Chanpagne?
A rosé wine that is made by blending red wine with white wine. This is the typical process of producing rosé styles of Champagne.
Describe Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
A fully sparkling traditional method white wine made entirely from white grapes.
Describe Blanc de Noirs Champagne.
A fully sparkling traditional method white wine made entirely from black grapes
What is the popular opinion on the ageability of Blanc de Blancs versus Blanc de Noirs produced in Champagne?
Blanc de Blancs are believed to age slower than Blanc de Noirs
True or False
Blanc de Blancs are fuller bodied than Blanc de Noirs.
False
What aromas do Champagne Blanc de Blancs typically develop from aging?
Biscuit and hazelnut
Describe Grand Cru Champagne.
A fully sparkling trarditional method wine with grapes that have grown within one of the Grand Cru villages.
How many Grands Crus of Champagne are there? What are they?
17
Ambonnay Avize Ay Beaumont-sur-Vesle Bouzy Chouilly Cramant Louvois Mailly Champagne Le Mesnil sur Oger Oger Oiry Puisieulx Sillery Tours-sur-Marne Verzenay Verzy
Describe Premier Cru Champagne.
A fully sparkling traditional method wine made from grapes grown within Premier Cru and/or Grand Cru villages.