Champagne and Sparkling Wine Flashcards
What direction do the vineyards of Montagne de Reims face?
North and south
What is the prominent grape of the Aube?
Pinot Noir
What districts of Champagne do not have any Grand Crus?
Cote de Sezanne and Cote de Bars (Aube)
What villages were upgraded in 1985 from Premier to Grand Cru?
- Verzy (Montagne de Reims)
- Chouilly (Côte de Blancs)
- Oiry (Côte de Blancs
- Oger (Côte de Blancs)
- Le Mesnil-sur-Oger (Côte de Blancs)
What lasting contribution did Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin make under the widow’s leadership?
The pupitre and thus remuage
What did André François discover?
The precise amount of sugar required to induce 2nd fermentation w/o breaking the bottle
Approximately how many growers are in Champagne?
20,000
Is malo a universal practice in Champagne?
No
What is the dominant soil of the Aube?
Clay
When did “mousseux” first appear in connotation w/the wines of Champagne?
1724
Although Champenoise may have enjoyed intentionally sparkling wines as early as 1700
Name 7 AOPs for traditional method Crémant in France.
- Crémant de Bordeaux
- Crémant de Bourgogne
- Crémant de Loire
- Crémant de Limoux
- Crémant de Die
- Crémant du Jura
- Crémant d’Alsace
What moderates the amount of land a firm may farm, owned or rented, in Champagne? What is the max hectares?
- Contrôle Structures
- 15 hectares
What subsoil is pushed to the surface on Champagne’s slopes?
Belemnite Chalk
Champagne now accounts for 1 in ___ bottles of sparkling wine produced worldwide?
12
Who released the first Tête de Cuvée?
Moët et Chandon’s 1921 “Dom Pérignon” was released in 1936
What is vin clairs?
High-acid base wines with an approximate ABV of 11%
What is bouvreux?
- A second crop
- When rain interrupts flowering, a bouvreux results, that rarely ripens and is left on the vine
What does Pinot Meunier lend to a Champagne blend?
Youthful fruitiness and approachability
In 2012, what did Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier plantings account for in Champagne?
- Pinot Noir - 38%
- Chardonnay - 30%
- Pinot Meunier - 32%
What are the standard bottle sizes larger than a magnum for Champagne?
- Jeroboam (3L)
- Rehoboam (4.5L)
- Methusaleh (6L)
- Salmanazar (9L)
- Balthazar (12L)
- Nebuchadnezzar (15L)
- Solomon (18L)
Describe the continuous method steps.
- Base wine is pumped through a series of interconnected (continuous) tanks
- While undergoing 2nd ferment
- Lees accumulate in the first several tanks
- Offering a high degree of autolyzed flavors than the standard (tank) method
What percent of grapes must originate from a grower’s own vineyards for RM?
95%
How much does the ABV rise during the second fermentation?
~1.2-1.3%
Name 6 countries major Champagne houses have established outposts in.
- USA
- Australia
- Argentina
- Brazil
- New Zealand
- Ukraine
What are the steps of Méthode Champenoise?
- Pressing
- Débourbage
- Chaptalization
- Prim. Fermentation
- Clarification
- Assemblage
- Cold Stabilization
- Racking
- Bottling (liqueur de tirage)
- Prise de Mousse (2nd Ferment)
- Autolysis
- Pointage
- Remuage
- Dégorgement
- Dosage
- Corked w/muselet
What is the oldest sparkling Champagne house?
Ruinart- est. in 1729
What size bottles is transvasage permitted for?
Smaller than the half bottle and larger than the Jeroboam
What is Méthode Rurale?
Another name for Méthode Ancestrale
What is liqueur de tirage?
A mixture of still wine, yeasts, sugar and a fining agent that will serve to ignite the 2nd fermentation
What is the prominent grape of Vallée de la Marne?
Pinot Meunier (Frost prone region)
What is the first 2,550 L pressed from 4,000kg divided into?
- vin de cuvée (2,050L)
- vin de taille (500L)
How long does remuage take?
- Traditional ~ 8 weeks
- Modern ~ 1 week
What does RC mean?
- Recoltant Coopérateur
- A grower whose grapes are vinifed at a cooperative, but sell under his own label
Name 2 other names for the Charmat Method.
- Cuve Close
- Tank Method
In 1992, what did the CIVC set the limit for grape pressing to?
102L for 160kg (2,550L for 4,000kg)
What is another name for the Continuous Method?
Russian Continuous Method
Developed in the USSR
What are the responsibilities for the CIVC?
- Mediating relationships between growers & producers
- Oversee production methods and promotion
- Regulates the size of the harvest
- Authorizes the blocage (reserve) and deblocage (release) of wine/harvest
- Safeguards the protected designation of Champagne
- Until 1990, they regulated the pricing of the grapes
What are the 4 vineyards concerns of Champagne?
- Frost
- Rain
- Fungal Disease
- Hail
What is a bidule?
A plastic capsule that will serve to capture the sediment during remuage
Is a cork used during the second fermentation bottling?
Usually a crown cap, a cork sometimes (i.e. for prestige cuvées)
What is Pinot Blanc Vrai?
“True” Pinot Blanc, a white form of Pinot Noir
What is a muselet?
A wire cage used to secure the cork on a Champagne bottle
How many liters is a Methusaleh?
6 L (8 bottles)
Who’s 1801 seminal work identified the relationship between sugar and fermentation?
Who’s 1801 seminal work identified the relationship between sugar and fermentation?
How is the majority of German Sekt produced?
Tank or Continuous Method
What is “les bleus de ville”?
Remnants of the blue rags used to ship Parisian compost trash, formerly used for fertilizer
What are the two types of dégorgment?
Dégorgement à la glace - modern
- Dégorgement à la volée - older method
- Same, just no freezing, wine is lost
What is the liqueur d’expedition?
Dosage - mixture of wine and sugar syrup
What is a Solomon bottle size called in Bordeaux?
Melchior
What is a Tête de Cuvée?
A prestige cuvée, usually the pinnacle of quality for a producer
What was the first single vineyard Champagne?
1935 Philiponnt “Clos de Goisses”
Describe Belemnite Chalk.
- Porous
- Derived from the fossilized remains of millions of cephalopods
- Absorbing heat to protect the vines at night
- Providing excellent drainage
What is the pressing limit for Crémant?
100L from 150kg = 2,666L from 4,000kg
What is the dominant grape of Côte de Sezanne?
Chardonnay
What did the winemaking treatise of 1718 highlight?
Division of quality between vin de cuvée and vin de taille, when pressing red grapes for white juice
What did the Champenoise use to color their wines to compete w/the deeper hues of red Burgundy?
Elderberry
What is a pupitre?
- Two large wooden planks fastened together in an upright “A” shape
- Each plank has 60 angled holes cut into it
What is Rosé de Riceys?
- 100% Pinot Noir Rosé
- Produced in Les Riceys (Aube)
What is remuage?
Riddling
In 1985, what change was made to the Échelle de Crus?
A revision set the minimum percentage at 80
When did the growers of Champagne revolt?
1911 - rioting in the streets and ransacking houses
What is done in Méthode Ancestrale prior to sale?
The wine is disgorged, filtered and rebottled in clean glass
What is an autoclave?
A pressurized enamel-lined tank for the 2nd fermentation for the Charmat Method
What is “sur latte” and “sur point”?
- “sur latte” - during the 2nd ferment, the bottles are typically horizontal (sur latte)
- “sur point” - the bottles are vertical (sur point) at the end of remuage and rested
How many liters is a Balthazar?
12 L (16 bottles)
How many liters is a Nebuchadnezzar?
15 L (20 bottles)
What are the Grand Crus of Vallée de la Marne?
- Aÿ
- Tours-sur-Marne (Red grapes only)
What is a “marc” of grapes?
4,000kg - the amount held in a traditional basket press (coquard)
What are the 5 districts of Champagne?
- Montage de Reims
- Vallée de la Marne
- Cote de Blancs (the Aube)
- Cote de Sézanne
- Cote de Blancs
What is assemblage?
Blending
What bottle size was discontinued in 1989? Why?
- Rehoboam - 4.5L (6 bottles)
- Regulations state bottles must be in liter increments
What pruning methods are permitted in Champagne?
- Cordon de Royat
- Chablis
- Vallée de la Marne
- Double or Simple Guyot
What percentage of the blend must come from the stated vintage?
100%
What major change in the late 17th century allowed the English to probably have enjoyed the first true sparkling Champagne?
The English transferred Champagne from cask to stronger, coal fired glass that could contain the pressure. Previously, wood-fired glass was used
What region outside of France is considered a natural continuation of the chalk in Champagne?
White Cliffs of Dover (England)
Why was the CIVC founded?
- Built on the framework of the Commissions de Châlons
- A broader consortium of growers, producers and shippers
- To represent the Champagne industry and protect its interests in the face of Nazi occupation
What is transvasage?
Transfer Method
- Remuage is unnecessary, the wine is disgorged into a pressurized tank and filtered
- Dosage is added and the wine is transferred to a clean bottle under pressure
What was Dom Pérignon’s lasting contribution to Champagne? Where was he the cellar master?
- Blending
- Abbey of Hautvillers (1668-1715)
How many bottles did the Champenoise ship worldwide?
338.7 million
What is Coteaux Champenois?
Still red, white & rosé for the entire appellation of Champagne
What is the topsoil of most of Champagne?
Sandy and clay
When did the INAO decide to meet the burden of demand and broaden the appellation’s area? From what to what?
- 2009
- 319 to 357
What portion of the Champagne sold is produced by growers?
Under a quarter
Name 6 appellations in France that may be mousseux or pétillant and are produced by the traditional method.
- Vouvray
- Montlouis-sur-Loire
- Saumur
- Vin de Savoie
- Seyssel (Savoie)
- Blanquette de Limoux
What are the requirements for Special Club members?
- Viticulture must occur on the estate (only RM producers may join)
- Vinification and bottling must occur on the estate
- The “Special Club” is the top-of-the-range, prestige cuvée for all members
- Must have identical labels and bottle shape
What is débourbage?
Settling of the must
What direction do the vineyards of the Côte de Blancs face?
Southeast and east
What portion of the Champagne market is NV?
3/4th
Is all Cava traditional method?
Yes
What does the Charmat Method emphasize in a sparkling wine?
Fruit and varietal aromatics
What does CM mean?
- Coopérative Manipulant
- A growers’ co-operative that produces wine under a single brand
How many g/L of RS are permitted for Demi-Sec?
- Pre-2010 - 33-50g/l
- Current - 32-50g/l
How many g/L RS are permitted for Doux?
- Pre-2010 - 50+g/L
- Current - 50+g/L
How many g/L of RS is permitted for Extra Brut?
- Pre-2010 - 0-6g/l
- Current - 0-6g/l
What is the second layer soil that characterizes Champagne’s valley vineyards?
Micraster Chalk - name for the extinct sea urchin
Which Grand Cru is red only? White only?
- Red - Tours-sur-Marne (Vallée de la Marne)
- White - Chouilly (Côte de Blancs)
What percentage of the year’s harvest for a single house may be sold as vintage Champagne?
max 80%
When was Champagne delimited? What region was left out? When was it added?
- 1908
- Aube
- 1927
What parallel is Champagne located on?
48th
What is the mean annual temperature of Champagne?
50ºF (10ºC)
What does MA mean?
- Marque d’Acheteur
- A “buyer’s own brand”, often a large supermarket chain or restaurant, that purchases Champagne and sells it under its own label
What vintage during WWI (1914-1918) was considered one of the finest vintages of the century?
1914
What was the Commissions de Châlons?
- Predecessor to the CIVC
- Est. in 1935
- A consortium of growers and merchants
- Formed to develop quality standards and regulate pricing
When was compost fertilizer outlawed in Champagne?
1998
What is a matriculation number?
A series of digits that is a unique ID assigned to each producer by the CIVC
How many half twists are used to secure the muselet?
6
What is the Prise de Mousse?
Second Fermentation
How many liters is a Solomon?
18L (24 bottles)
The early unpredictability of sparkling wines created a need for terminology, what were those terms?
- Pétillant
- Demi-Mousseux (Crémant)
- Grand Mousseux
A
What is the “Club Trésors”? When was it organized?
- Special Club
- 1971
What is the Special Club?
- A dozen grower-producers
- Lacking marketing budgets of larger houses, they banded together to promote their prestige cuvées through identical packaging
How long must NV wines spend on their lees?
12 months
How many atmospheres of pressure are in a Champagne bottle?
5-6
What are bourbes?
Solids, generally removed by racking prior to fermentation
What does ND mean?
- Négociant Distributeur
- A middle man company that distributes Champagne it did not make
How long must NV wines remain in the cellar? Vintage?
- 15 months
- 36 months
How many g/l of RS are permitted for Extra Dry?
- Pre-2010 - 12-20g/l
- Current - 12-17g/l
What is a remuer?
A riddler
What are the sweetness levels for Champagne?
- Extra Brut
- Brut
- Extra Dry
- Sec
- Demi-Sec
- Doux
What percentage of vineyards do merchant houses own in Champagne?
Just over 10%
What is the oldest Champagne house still in operation today?
- Gosset
- Est. in 1584 as a still wine producer
Who developed the Charmat Method in the late 20th century?
Eugene Charmat
What is a Piccolo?
A quarter bottle - 187ml
What does NM mean?
- Négociant Manipulant
- A house that purchases base wines and grapes from growers and smaller houses
What are the obscure authorized varieties of Champagne?
- Pinot Blanc Vrai
- Arbane
- Pinot Gris
- Petit Meslier
Must a prestige cuvée be vintage?
Usually (but not always)
In 2006, what were the yields in Champagne?
They surpassed 82hl/ha
What is the average vine age in Champagne?
20 years - as lowered productivity is undesirable to most houses in Champagne
Name 5 important Special Club members.
- Marc Hébrat
- Paul Bara
- J. Lassalle
- Gaston Chiquet
- Pierre Gimonnet
What are the still wine appellations of Champagne?
- Coteaux Champenois
- Rosé de Ricey
What coloring methods are permitted for pink Champagne?
- Saignée
- Blending (more common)
How many liters is a Salmanazar?
9L (12 bottles)
What does SR mean?
- Société de Récoltants
- A firm, not a co-operative, set up by a union of often related growers who share resources to make their wines and collectively market several brands
What does Pinot Noir lend to a Champagne blend?
Supports the wine’s structure, richness and body
How many bottles does a gyropalette hold?
504
From 2010 forward, producers are allowed what margin for g/l RS for styles?
+/- 3 g/l of RS