Champagne: Part 1 Flashcards
Before the advent of temperature controlled winemaking processes, how was the fermentation process affected by cooler climates?
Early onset of winter effectively halted a must mid-ferment, and the warmth of spring resuscitated it.
As an active fermentation releases carbon dioxide, many wines developed a slight effervescence in the new year.
What advancements facilitated the sprarkling winemaking process in the 17th century?
- stronger glass bottles
- uniform bottle neck openings
- use of cork to maintain an air-tight seal
When was the first intentionally crafted sparkling champagne created in Champagne?
Between 1695 and 1698.
Which champagne house was to first to become established and when?
Ruinart (1729)
When was the first champagne drinking glass debuted?
1755
A long conical bowl.
What scientific advancement of the 1800s enabled producers to fine-tune the fermentation process in Champagne?
- Louis Pasteur’s discovery of the action & significance of yeast (1857)
How are producers able to maintain consistency with their wines?
- blending different grape varieties
- harvest grapes from different sub-regions
What is the benefit of harvesting grapes from different sub-regions?
Minimizes the risk of crop loss due to frost or other adverse weather conditions.
What is the concept of “house style”?
A proprietary blend; this allows the blending of different varieties from various areas/subregions.
What are mono-parcelles and mono-crus?
Mono-parcelle: a single-vineyard bottling (Philipponnat’s Clos des Goisses, since 1935)
Mono-cru: produced from one village (Salon’s Cuvee “S” Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs, 100% Chardonnay, since 1921)
These small-site producers are terroir-driven and are on the rise among the big houses.
What are grower-producers?
Small-scale producers who embrace the mono-parcelle & mono-cru concept of producing wine from a single vineyard/village.
What sets grower-producers apart from traditional Champagne producers?
Instead of striving for consistency each year, they embrace vintage variation and the signature flavours of a single cru and/or single-vinyard bottling.
Consumers have warmed to this approach.
How prominent are co-operatives in Champagne?
There are more co-operatives in this region than any other French wine region.
Originally, they contributed to the success of the big houses when their stocks ran short.
Now, they have grown large and powerful and compete with the big houses for the same customer.
What is the function of the co-operatives in Champagne?
They sell:
* juice
* still wine
* sparkling wine sur lattes
* private labels
What does sur lattes mean?
This literally translates as “on the lattes.” Lattes are the thin strips of wood used to separate one row of champagne bottles from another in a stack.
Selling wine sur lattes refers to the sale of finished sparkling wine to another party who will put their own label on it.
How is it that Champagne is mercantile and commercially astute?
It has an internal hierarchy (Grands Crus, Premiers Crus) and pays close attention to the market.
They factor in global market demand when setting its annual yields to maintain price stability. If sales are good, the yield is increased. If sales are less encouraging, the yield is curtailed and part of the crop may even go unpicked (as in 2020)
Excess production results in a drop in prices)
What control does the Comite Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne have over Champage production?
They can block or authorize the release of a producer’s reserves. This is decided within the context of global sales.
How early did vineyards become well established in Champagne?
By the 4th and 5th centuries CE.
What peoples inhabited the region of Champagne through history?
- Roman Empire
- Vandals
- Teutons
- Franks
- Huns
What wines were produced in Champagne as early as the 9th century?
- vins de la montagne: mountain wines
- vins de la riviere: river wines.
All the wines were still and most were red.
What is the historical significant of Reims?
After the baptism of Clovis, this city witnessed the crowning of 27 French Kings (from Louis VIII to Charles X) over 600 years in the Cathedral of Reims.
Since, the wines of Champagne have been associated with royalty, celebration, privilege, wealth, power and position.
The city of Reims has been the center of which historical conflicts?
- wars between the Frankish & Germanic kingdoms
- Hundred Years War
- Napoleon’s battles against Austria, Prussia & Russia
- WWI
- WWII
When was champagne permitted for transportation in bottle?
1728 by the king’s decree.
Prior to this, champagne was only permitted to be transported and sold in cask, but casks could not hold onto the effervescence.
When was it declared that the word “champagne” could only be used in conjunction with the wines produced in the Champagne region?
1887, by the Court of Appeal in Angers.
When did phylloxera arrive in Champagne?
1890
It reduced the vineyards to one-fifth of their former size.
When was the Champagne zone of production delineated?
1908
Growers from the Aube, a region south of the city of Troyes, were not officially included.
Aube was then included as a “second” zone of production. However, this stigma was removed in 1927 and Aube was recognized and included as part of the official Champagne region.
What is the significance of the city of Troyes?
- looks like a champagne cork when viewed from above.
- residents say it is the heart of Champagne (with historical precedent)
- home of the Counts of Champagne
- was once the capital of the Champagne region
What are sparkling wines produced outside of Champagne called?
Sparkling wines outside the Champagne region cannot be called champagne. These producers must use the terms:
* cremant
* petillant
* mousseaux
Other French producers may indicate use of the Champagne method of production on their label with the term:
* methode traditionelle
What terms does Champagne claim ownership of, other than champagne?
- Champagne Method
- Methode Champenoise
Which region in France represents the largest AOC by value?
Champagne
Yearly sales approach €5 billion. Approx. 300 million bottles produced.
Which is the most northerly French wine region?
Champagne
It lies between the 48° & 49.5° parallels north. (50° parallel represents the northernmost limit of the vine in mainland Europe).
What is the climate in Champagne?
Continental, with marked maritime influences.
- summers are warm, but seldom hot
- winters are cold; temperatures can drop below 14°F/-10°C for 3-4 days a year
- Spring & Autumn can see heavy frosts
- the region generally experiences 60-80 days of frost each year
- Rainfall is ample, precipitation falls all year round
- cloud cover is common
- breezes are laden with moisture
How much sunshine does Champagne receive annually?
1,680 sunshine hours per year on average.
2,100 or more hous in very hot years (like 2003).
Historically, the region has barely received enough sunshine to ripen the grape.
What climatic threats to the vine are present in Champagne?
- low temperatures
- frost
- hail
- fog
- rain
- humidity (increases disease pressure)
How does Champagne’s topography help create mesoclimates to protect the vines from harsh weather threats?
Shelter, warmth and adequate air circulation is provided through:
* folded/convoluted hills create suntraps
* rivers/canals & maritime influences help moderate temperatures & mitigate frost
What geological structure does the Champagne region lie within?
Paris Basin: a large downward depression of sedimentary rock strata.
Name the 3 groupings that the soils of Champagne fall into.
- Chalk
- Limestone-rich marls
- Composites of sand and clay
What is chalk?
This is a type of porous limestone, a sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate.
What are crayeres?
Ancient, underground quarries dug into chalk soils, now used as wine cellars. They are perfect for wine storage, thanks to their cool temperatures (50°F/10°C) and ample humidity.
What is the benefit of chalk subsoil in the vineyard?
It stores water, due to its porosity. It effectively drains the topsoil of moisture like a subterranean sponge.
It can hold between 60-80 gallons of water per cubic yard/300-400 liters per cubic meter.
Which famous wine towns in Champagne lie within the chalk terroir?
- Reims
- Epernay
- Ay
- Ambonnay
- Verzenay
- Cote des Blancs
- Montguex
- Vitry-le-Francois
What characterics do Champagne wines produced from grapes grown on chalk soils typically have?
- quite high in acid
- lean
- reserved aromatics
Name the 2 primary types of chalk layer soils found in Champagne.
- Belemnite: fossilized remains of ancient arrow- or dart-like relatives of today’s squid
- Micraster: fossilized sea-urchins, a member of the starfish family Belemnite
Why is Belemnite chalk soil preferred to Micraster chalk soil?
Studies have found no significant mineral or physical differences between the two types of chalk.
Instead, the fracturing of the soil, as a result of earth upheavals 45mya positioned these different chalk layers at different parts of the slopes.
* Belemnite chalk: ended up at the upper to mid-slope levels; the best place for optimal sun exposure, air circulation and water drainage.
* Micraster chalk: is located where the slope begins to flatten.
Where in Champagne will you find Limestone-rich Marl?
Largely concentrated in:
* Montagne de Reims
* Cote des Bar
How does Limestone-rich marl compare to chalk?
Limestone-rich marl lacks the water-retention capacity of chalk.
The subsoil is not pulling all the moisture from the topsoil.
Limestone-rich marls are the preferred soils for which grape variety in Champagne?
Pinot Noir (just as in Bourgogne)
What characteristics do Pinot Noir wines produced from grapes grown in limestone-rich marls typically have?
Deeply aromatic, earthy expressions.
How was Kimmeridgean Marl created?
Also known as Virgulien marl, it was formed during the Jurassic period (199-145mya). These fossilized marine deposits are those of a small comma-shaped oyster known as Exogyra virgula.
What is the Kimmeridgean Ring?
A ring of limestone-rich marl outcroppings that runs through England and France. It takes its name from the Dorset village of Kimmeridge in England, where the soil was first classified.
Which sub-region in Champagne is the only one with Kimmeridegean marl?
Cote des Bar
Which wine-producing regions are Kimmeridgean marls found?
- Tonnerre-Epineuil
- Chablis
- Auxerre
- Yonne Valley
- Pouilly-sur-Loire
- Sancerre
- Menetou-Salon
- Quincy
- Reuilly
Which sub-regions in Champagne have sand and/or clay soils?
- Vallee de la Marne: mix of marl, clay & sands
- Val de Reims: mix of marl, clay & sands
- Coteaux Sud d’Epernay: mix of marl, clay & sands
- Val du Petit Morin: mix of marl, clay & sands, with a little chalk
- Cote de Sezanne: mix of chalk & clay
What characteristics are found in wines produced from grapes grown in clay soils?
Wines can be tight and taut. These wines need some age to express their true flavours and aromas.
What characteristics are found in wines produced from grapes grown in sandy soils?
Wines have more overt fruit notes; they are open and easy-drinking.
Name the 4 principal sub-regions of Champagne.
- The Montagne and Val de Reims
- Vallee de la Marne
- Cote des Blancs and Surroundings
- Cote des Bar
How many terroirs are found within the Champagne sub-region Montagne and Val de Reims?
4
What are the 4 terroirs of the Montagne and Val de Reims sub-region of Champagne?
- Massif de Saint-Thierry: lies in the northernmost section; represents the most northerly terroir w/in Champagne; located along the Vesle River; soils are sand, clay & marl; 85% of plantings are red with majority being Meunier.
- Vale de Reims: includes the Vesle & Ardre valleys; soils are sand, clay and marl; majority of plantings are Meunier.
- Grande Montagne de Reims: located south of Reims, is on a horseshoe-shaped uplift consisting of limestone-rich marls with pockets of chalk; Pinot Noir is the focus; a number of important Premier/Grand Cru-ranked villages call this terroir home.
- Monts de Berru: lies to the northeast of Reims; soils are chalk; Chardonnay represents more than 90% of plantings.
How many terroirs are there within the expanse of Vallee de la Marne?
6
Name the terroirs of Vallee de la Marne.
- Grande Vallee de la Marne: located south & west of the Montagne de Reims; soils are sands, clays & marls, w/ pockets of chalk; Pinot Noir is the main variety; a significant number of Premier/Grand Cru-ranked villages are here.
- Vallee de la Marne Rive Gauche (left bank): soils of sand, marl & clay; largely planted to Meunier.
- Vallee de la Marne Rive Droite (right bank): soils of sand, marl & clay; largely planted to Meunier.
- Vallee de la Marne Ouest (west): soils of sand, marl & clay; largely planted to Meunier.
- Conde: a cluster of villages surrounding a limestone uplift located between the towns of Chateau-Thierry and Dormans; vineyards are on the lower slopes of the uplift; Meunier dominates.
- Coteaux Sud d’Epernay: located between Epernay and the Cote des Blancs; the sands, marls & clays of the Marne meet the chalk of the Cote des Blancs; plantings are evenly divided between Meunier & Chardonnay, with just a little Pinot Noir.
How many terroirs are found within the Champagne sub-region Cote des Blancs and Surroundings?
5
Name the terroirs of Cote des Blancs and Surroundings.
- Cote des Blancs: 97% of plantings are Chardonnay; a number of important Premier/Grand Cru-ranked villages are here.
- Val du Petit Morin: lies south of the Cote des Blancs along a tributary of the Marne River; soils are a mix of chalk & sand, marl & clay; plantings are dominated by Chardonnay & Meunier.
- Cote de Sezanne: Bastion of Chardonnay.
- Vitryat (Vitry-le-Francois): Bastion of Chardonnay.
- Montgueux: located in the Aube; Bastion of Chardonnay.
Note: these 5 terroirs sit atop chalk sub-soils.
Which is Champagne’s southernmost sub-region?
Cote des Bar
How many terroirs are there in the Champagne sub-region of Cote des Bar?
2
Name the terroirs of Cote des Bar.
- Bar-sur-Aubois: flanks the Aube River.
- Barsequanais: consists of five small river valleys near the villages of Les Riceys, or rose fame.
These vineyards are located on Kimmeridgean marls.
Pinot Noir represents 85% of plantings.
What is the Echelle des Crus?
The “Scale of Growths” was created in an effort to recognize different terroirs within the large Champagne AOC.
Established in 1911, it ranks the 300+ wine-producing villages and the vineyards that surround them in a hierarchy.
What is the problem with the Echelle des Crus hierarchy?
A grower may receive a Premier Cru vineyard classification because they live in a village so designated, but the site may actually be Grand Cru-worthy and is therefore undervalued and underrated.
The reverse also occurs.
How are villages and their vineyards ranked under the Echelle des Crus?
They are ranked on a scale of 80-100%:
* Grand Cru: the best villages have a 100% rating.
* Premier Cru: 90-99% rating
* Other Champagnes: 80-89% rating: villages must have at least an 80% rating to use their grapes in champagne production.
How many Grand Crus villages are there in Champagne?
17
- 6 are in the Cote des Blancs
- 9 are in the Montagne de Reims
- 2 are in the Vallee de la Marne
Note: Tous-sur-Marne is counted among the Grands Crus of Vallee de la Marne by the CIVC administratively, but some producers consider themselves Montagne de Reims geographically and the CIVC allows them to say so. So, some lists claim
* 10 Grand Crus for Montagne de Reims and
* 1 for Vallee de la Marne.
How many villages in Champagne are rated Premier Crus?
42
What are the blending rules regarding Grand Cru vineyards in Champagne?
A producer with several Grand Cru vineyards can blend fruit from those vineyards and label it Grand Cru. Grand Cru doe not signify a single vineyard.
The same holds true for Premier Cru vineyards.
Historically, how has the Echelle des Crus impacted the cost of grapes?
In the past, the annual prices for champagne grapes were based on a vineyard’s classification.
The CIVC (Comite Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne) announced the price per kilo for fruit from 100%-rated vineyards.
Lesser rated vineyards got proportionately less money for their fruit based on their rating. For example, a vineyard rated at 80% would receive 80% of the price per kilo set by the CIVC that year.
Since 2003, this practice halted. Prices are now settled by individual contract.
