Champagne and Sparkling Wine

Question 1

What is autolysis?

Answer 1

Gradual breakdown of yeast cells in the bottle

Question 2

What is liqueur de tirage?

Answer 2

Mixture of wine, sugar, and yeast added to start secondary fermentation during the Classic Method

Question 3

What is Liqueur d’expedition?

Answer 3

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.)

Question 4

What is the legal minimum that NV Champagne must be aged?

Answer 4

15 months

12 months on the lees and an additional 3 months in the bottle

Question 5

What is the legal minimum that Vintage Champagne must be aged?

Answer 5

36 months on the lees

Question 6

What is degorgement?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

What is the Transfer Method?

Answer 7

Identical to Classic Method up to completion of second fermentation

Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tank, filtered and rebottled

Question 8

What are the advantages of the Transfer Method?

Answer 8

Potential for lees contact

Eliminates riddling

Used for bottling large and extra small formats

Question 9

What is the Charmat Process?

Answer 9

Wine pumped into pressurized tanks with liqueur de tirage

Fermentation complete in 4-5 days

Wine filtered and bottled

Question 10

What are the advantages of the Charmat Process?

Answer 10

Saves time

As little as 90 days from harvest to final bottling

Less costly

Eliminates riddling

Question 11

For what varietals is the Charmat Process best for?

Answer 11

Moscato d’Asti

Prosecco (Glera)

Question 12

What is another name for the Prosecco grape?

Answer 12

Glera

Question 13

What are the three primary grape varieties used in Champagne production and what do they contribute to the final wine?

Answer 13

Chardonnary - finesse

Pinot Noir - structure

Pinot Meunier - fruit character

Question 14

Name the styles of Champagne

Answer 14

Non-Vintage

Vintage

Blanc de Blancs

Blanc de Noirs

Rose

Single vineyard (Clos)

Cuvee de Prestige/Tete de Cuvee

Question 15

Name the 6 Dryness/Sweetness levels of Champagne

Answer 15

Brut Zero/Brut Natural = Bone Dry

Brut = Dry

Extra Dry = Off-dry

Sec = Semi-Sweet

Demi Sec = Sweet

Doux = Very Sweet

Question 16

Name the Large Format Bottle Sizes

Answer 16

Magnum (2)

Jeroboam (4)

Rehoboam (6)

Methuselah (8)

Salmanazar (12)

Balthazar (16)

Nebuchadnezzar (24)

Primat (36)

Question 17

Name the 5 Champagne Regions

Answer 17

Montagne de Reims

Vallee de la Marne

Cote de Blancs

Cote de Sezanne

Cote des Bars (Aube)

Question 18

Recent Highly Regarded Champagne vintages

Answer 18

1996

2002

2004

Question 19

What is a Cremant?

Answer 19

Any French sparkling wine produced by Classic Method not from Champagne

Question 20

What is Blanquette de Limoux?

Answer 20

Cremant wine from Languedoc

Question 21

What does Spumante mean?

Answer 21

Generic term for fully sparkling

Question 22

What does Frizzante mean?

Answer 22

Semi-sparkling

Question 23

What country makes the most sparkling wine?

Answer 23

Spain (most produced in Catalonia)

Question 24

What grapes are traditional are traditionally used to make Cava?

Answer 24

Xarel-lo

Parellada

Macabeo

Question 25

Where is Asti DOCG and what happens there?

Answer 25

Piedmont

Moscato d’Asti is produced using the Charmat process

Question 26

Where is Franciacorta DOCG and what happens there?

Answer 26

Lombardy

Wines are made using the Classic Method from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir

Question 27

Tete de Cuvees