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French Wine Scholar > Champagne > Flashcards

Champagne Flashcards

1
Q

What are the parents of Chardonnay

A

Pinot x Guais Blanc

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2
Q

Which was the first Champagne house founded?

A

Ruinart 1729

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3
Q

Where does the name Champagne come from?

A

Latin: campagna

Unforested land / open country

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4
Q

Under what names were Champagne wines known in the 9th century, what was the wine style?

A

Vins de la montagne, vins de la rivière

Still wines, mostly red

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5
Q

Climate Champagne

A

Continental with maritime / atlantic influence

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6
Q

What were the traditional grapes in Champagne (9th - 16th century)?

A

Gouais (blanc & noir)

Fromenteau (Pinot Gris)

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7
Q

What are the main grape varieties in Champagne today?

A 
Pinot Noir (38%)
Pinot Meunier (34%)
Chardonnay (28%)
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8
Q

Which grape variety contributes the most acidity and alcohol in the Champagne blend?

A

Chardonnay

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9
Q

4 principal sub regions of Champagne

A

The Montagne & Val de Reims
Vallé de la Marne
Côte de Blancs
Côte de Bar

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10
Q

4 Terroirs of Montagne / Val de Reims and dominating varieties

A

Massif de Saint-Thierry: Pinot Meunier
Val de Reims (Vesle & Ardre Valleys): Pinot Meunier
Monts de Berru: Chardonnay
Grande Montagne de Reims: Pinot Noir

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11
Q

2 Valleys in Val de Reims

A

Vesle Valley

Ardre Valley

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12
Q

6 Terroirs of Vallé de la Marne and dominating varieties

A

Grand Vallée de Marne: Pinot Noir
Coteaux Sud d’Epernay: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Vallée de la Marne Rive Gauche: Pinot Meunier
Vallée de la Marne Rive Droite: Pinot Meunier
Condé: Pinot Meunier
Vallée de la Marne Ouest: Pinot Meunier

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13
Q

Côte de Blancs 5 Terroirs and dominating varieties

A 
Côte de Blancs: Chardonnay
Val du Petit Morin: Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Côte de Sézanne: Chardonnay
Vitryat: Chardonnay
Montgeux: Chardonnay
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14
Q

2 Terroirs of Côte de Bar and dominant varieties

A

Bar sur Aubois: Pinot Noir

Barséquanais: Pinot Noir

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15
Q

Name the 2 primary types of chalk found in Champagne. Which is preferred and why?

A

Belemnite
Micraster

Belemnite is preferred, as found in upper and mid slopes, optimal sun exposure and moisture retainance.

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16
Q

What is chalk?

A

Type of porous limestone

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17
Q

Characteristics of wine grown on Chalk

A

High acidity, lean with reserved aromatics

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18
Q

Crayère

A

Underground quarries dug out by romans, serve as wine cellars today

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19
Q

‘Wet Champagne’

A

Limestone rich marl, subsoil is not pulling moisture from topsoil as chalk

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20
Q

Soil of Côte des Bar

A

Limestone rich marl (Kimmeridgean Marl) = Virgulien Marl

Preferred soils of Pinot Noir, aromatic, earthy

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21
Q

Echelle de Crus, what is ranked and rating scale

A

Rates villages and surrounding
80% to 100%

100% Grand Cru
90-99% Premier Cru
80-89% Champagne AOC eligible

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22
Q

What is the rating scale of Echelle de Cru?

A

100% Grand Cru -
90-99% Premier Cru
80-89% Champagne AOC

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23
Q

Echelle de Crus, how many Grand Cru and how many Premier Cru?

A

Grand Cru - 17

Premier Cru - 42

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24
Q

Historical impact of Echelle de Crus

A

Used to establish prices for grapes, since 2003 per individual contract

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25
Q

Tête de Cuvée

A

Prestige bottling of Champagne house

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26
Q

Recently Disgorged (R.D.) / Late Disgorged

A

Prolonged aging sur lee

Aged Champagne without oxidative effect or loss ogf effervescence

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27
Q

Dosage Levels Champagne

A 
Brut Nature 0-0.3% RS
Extra Brut 0-0.6%
Brut 0-1.2%
Extra-Sec 1.2 - 1.7%
Sec 1.7 - 3.2%
Demi-Sec 3.2 - 5%
Doux > 5%
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28
Q

3 Champagne AOC’s

A

AOC Champagne (Sparkling)
AOC Coteaux Champenois (still)
AOC Rosé de Riceys

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29
Q

NM

A

Négociant-Manipulant

Icorporate purchased grapes, all big Champagne houses

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30
Q

RM

A

Récoltant-Manipulant

Producer that only vinifies own grapes

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31
Q

Remuage

A

Riddling

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32
Q

Juponé

A

Mushroom shaped, young cork

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33
Q

Chevillé

A

Peg-shaped older cork

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34
Q

Which city in Champagne hosted the coronation of 27 french kings

A

Reims

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35
Q

Tirage

A

Bottling

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36
Q

Disgorgement

A

Removing the yeast

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37
Q

AOC Rosé de Riceys

A

Pinot Noir Rosé

Produced in 3 villages of Les Riceys, Aube

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38
Q

Which is the preferred soil type in Champagne

A

Belemnite Chalk

39
Q

Liqueur de tirage

A

Yeast and sugar mix added in order to start second fermentation

40
Q

Ageing requirements Champagne

A

12 months sur lie
Non-vintage: 15 month from tirage to release
Vintage: 3 years in total

41
Q

Liqueur de dosage

A

Mix of reserve wine and sugar, defines sweetness level

42
Q

Who are credited to make the first sparkling wines?

A

The monks of Saint Hilaire, near Limoux 1531 - Blanquette de limoux

43
Q

When did wines of Champagne become deliberately sparkling?

A

End of 17th century

44
Q

What tecnical advances made sparkling production / trade possible

A

Re-discovery of cork seal
Stronger Glass
Uniform bottle openings

45
Q

Which variety adds the most acidity and alcohol?

A

Chardonnay

46
Q

Which variety adds the

  • least acidity
  • least alcohol
A

least acidity: Pinot Noir

least alcohol: Pinot Meunier

47
Q

What is “dry Champagne”?

A

Treeless, open, rests on chalk, can’t support higher plant life

48
Q

Coteaux Champenois AOC

A

Still wine AOC within zone of Champagne

Mostly Non Vintage and white

49
Q

Massif de St Thierry - variety

A

Pinot Meunier

50
Q

Ardre & Vesles valley / Valle de Reims - variety

A

Pinot Meunier

51
Q

Vallé de la Marne Ouest / West Marne - Variety

A

Pinot Meunier

52
Q

Condé - Variety

A

Pinit Meunier

53
Q

Vallée de la Marne Rive Gauche / Rive Droite - Variety

A

Pinot Meunier

54
Q

Grande Vallée de la Marne - Variety

A

Pinot Noir

55
Q

Coteaux Sud d’Epernay - variety

A

Chardonnay / Pinot Meunier

56
Q

Montagne de Reims - Variety

A

Pinot Noir

57
Q

Mont de Berru - Variety

A

Chardonnay

58
Q

Côte de Blancs - Variety

A

Chardonnay

59
Q

Val du Petit Morin - Variety

A

Pinot Meunier / Chardonnay

60
Q

Côte de Sézanne - Variety

A

Chardonnay

61
Q

Montgeux - Variety

A

Chardonnay

62
Q

Vitryat (Vitry-le-François) - Variety

A

Chardonnay

63
Q

Côtes de Bar:
Bar sur Aubois
Barséquanais

Variety

A

Pinot Noir

64
Q

Rosé de Riceys - Variety

A

Pinot Noir

65
Q

The Echelle des Crus ranked the vineyards of Champagne. T/F

A

False - Villages were ranked

66
Q

How many Grand Cru Villages are in Champagne?

67
Q

What percentage ranking did the Grand Cru villages receive?

68
Q

How many Premier Cru Villages and what % ranking do they have?

A

42

90 - 99%

69
Q

Grapes in Champagne are handpicked, why?

A

White wine from red grapes,

broken grapes bleed pigments and bitter phenolics

70
Q

Debourage

A

Must rests so particulates can settle

71
Q

How are rosé Champagnes made?

A

2 options:

  • Add Pinot Noir to white cuvée (blend undergoes 2nd fermentation); illegal in other regions
  • Vinify as rosé (saignée)
72
Q

Liqueur de Tirage

A

Mix of sugar and yeast to start second fermentation

73
Q

How many atm of pressure are captured in Champagne bottle?

A

4.9 - 6 atm

74
Q

Tirage - translation

75
Q

What is minimum time of NV Champagne on lees?

76
Q

What is minimum time NV Champagne has to be in cellar - tirage to release?

A

15 months (12 months of it on lees)

77
Q

What is the minimum cellar time (tirage to release) of vintage Champagne?

78
Q

Remuage

A

Riddling of bottles

79
Q

Name of chalk cellars found in Champagne

80
Q

Dégorgement à la volée

A

Disgorging by hand

81
Q

RM

A

Récoltant-Manipulant:

Producer only using own grapes

82
Q

What did Dom Pérignon contribute to Champagne?

A

Blends
Natural Cork
English glass

83
Q

Nicole Barbe Pinsardin

A

Veuve Cliquot

Invented riddling / remuage and disgorgement / degorgement

84
Q

Contribution of Madame Pommery to Champagne

A

Drier for english market

85
Q

What is the key difference between Rural/Ancestral and traditional method

A

Rural: One fermentation interrupted by winter cold temp

Traditional: Two fermentations in same bottle

86
Q

When did Champagne start to produce sparkling wine?

A

Late 17th century

87
Q

Where else in France are sparkling wines made according to Méthode Champenois?

A

Nowhere - trick question - Méthode Traditionelle

88
Q

2 Terroirs of Vallée de la Marne where Pinot Meunier is not the major grape

A

Grand Vallée de la Marne: Pinot Noir

Coteaux Sud d’Epernay: Chardonnay/Pinot Meunier

89
Q

Only Terroir in Côte de Blancs where Chardonnay is not the major grape

A

Val du Petit Morin: Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay

90
Q

2 Terroirs in Vallé de la Marne that do not have Pinot Meunier as main variety?

A

Grand Vallée de la Marne: Pinot Noir

Coteaux Sud d’Epernay: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

91
Q

4 principal subregions Champagne

A

Montagne & Val de Reims
Vallée de la Marne
Côte des Blancs
Côte de Bar

92
Q

Only terroir in Vallé de la Marne where Pinot Meunier is not major variety, which grape is?

A

Grand Vallé de la Marne

Pinot Noir

93
Q

2 Terroirs in Vallée de la Marne where Pinot Meunier is not major grape.

A

Grand Vallée de la Marne - Pinot Noir

Coteaux Sud d’Epernay - Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier

94
Q

What is Virgulien Marl?

A

= Kimmeridgean Marl

limestone rich clay, fossilized marine deposits

French Wine Scholar (14 decks)

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