Champagne and Sparkling Wine Flashcards
What is autolysis?
Gradual breakdown of yeast cells in the bottle
What is liqueur de tirage?
Mixture of wine, sugar, and yeast added to start secondary fermentation during the Classic Method
What is Liqueur d’expedition?
Solution of sugar and wine added to the wine after disgorgement
Level of dosage, or the amount of sugar added determines the category of sparkling (Extra Brut, Brut, ect.)
What is the legal minimum that NV Champagne must be aged?
15 months
12 months on the lees and an additional 3 months in the bottle
What is the legal minimum that Vintage Champagne must be aged?
36 months on the lees
What is degorgement?
Process of removing the yeast from the bottle
Typically the neck of the bottle is frozen with the collected sediment and then the sediment is ejected
What is the Transfer Method?
Identical to Classic Method up to completion of second fermentation
Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank, filtered and rebottled
What are the advantages of the Transfer Method?
Potential for lees contact
Eliminates riddling
Used for bottling large and extra small formats
What is the Charmat Process?
Wine pumped into pressurized tanks with liqueur de tirage
Fermentation complete in 4-5 days
Wine filtered and bottled
What are the advantages of the Charmat Process?
Saves time
As little as 90 days from harvest to final bottling
Less costly
Eliminates riddling
For what varietals is the Charmat Process best for?
Moscato d’Asti
Prosecco (Glera)
What is another name for the Prosecco grape?
Glera
What are the three primary grape varieties used in Champagne production and what do they contribute to the final wine?
Chardonnary - finesse
Pinot Noir - structure
Pinot Meunier - fruit character
Name the styles of Champagne
Non-Vintage
Vintage
Blanc de Blancs
Blanc de Noirs
Rose
Single vineyard (Clos)
Cuvee de Prestige/Tete de Cuvee
Name the 6 Dryness/Sweetness levels of Champagne
Brut Zero/Brut Natural = Bone Dry
Brut = Dry
Extra Dry = Off-dry
Sec = Semi-Sweet
Demi Sec = Sweet
Doux = Very Sweet
Name the Large Format Bottle Sizes
Magnum (2)
Jeroboam (4)
Rehoboam (6)
Methuselah (8)
Salmanazar (12)
Balthazar (16)
Nebuchadnezzar (24)
Primat (36)
Name the 5 Champagne Regions
Montagne de Reims
Vallee de la Marne
Cote de Blancs
Cote de Sezanne
Cote des Bars (Aube)
Recent Highly Regarded Champagne vintages
1996
2002
2004
What is a Cremant?
Any French sparkling wine produced by Classic Method not from Champagne
What is Blanquette de Limoux?
Cremant wine from Languedoc
What does Spumante mean?
Generic term for fully sparkling
What does Frizzante mean?
Semi-sparkling
What country makes the most sparkling wine?
Spain (most produced in Catalonia)
What grapes are traditional are traditionally used to make Cava?
Xarel-lo
Parellada
Macabeo
Where is Asti DOCG and what happens there?
Piedmont
Moscato d’Asti is produced using the Charmat process
Where is Franciacorta DOCG and what happens there?
Lombardy
Wines are made using the Classic Method from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir
Tete de Cuvees
