Champagne Producers Flashcards
1
Q
Krug was established when and where are they located?
A
1843 and Reims
2
Q
Summary of Krug
A
Summary: The signature style of Krug is centered upon the art of blending. Each parcel is fermented separately, constituting upwards of 200 different wines in any single harvest. Each year, a selection of these 200 wines is blended together with a vast array of reserve stocks, and for the Grand Cuvée, this may include up to 50% reserve wine spanning over 20 vintages. All of their wines are considered Prestige Cuvée quality, and Krug is the leader in the luxury Champagne category. A proportion of their vintage wine is held back for a late release bottling, which is named Krug Collection.
3
Q
Top wines produced by Krug
A
Top Wines Produced / Blends
Grand Cuvée Brut NV
Brut Vintage
Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut Vintage
Clos d’Ambonnay Blanc de Noirs Brut Vintage
4
Q
Principal holdings and average total production for Krug
A
Principal Vineyard Holdings: Approximately 20 ha
Average Total Production: Approximately 50,000 cases
5
Q
Inaugural vintage on “Clos du Mesnil” and “Clos d’Ambonnay” for Krug
A
1979 for Clos du Mesnil
1995 for Clos d’Ambonnay
6
Q
Description of style and technique for Krug
A
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Base wines are all fermented in small oak cask, 205 L in size. Malolactic fermentation may or may not occur depending on the vintage conditions. Each single lot is fermented separately and blended afterward to achieve complexity. Krug is known for using large proportions of reserve wine in each blend.
7
Q
Salon was established in what year and where are they located?
A
1905 and Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger
8
Q
Summary of Salon
A
Summary: This Champagne house was the creation of Eugène Aimé Salon, a self-made businessman, politician and gourmand. In 1905 he purchased a one hectare vineyard in Le-Mesnil-Sur-Oger making wines for himself and his Parisian lunch club. Salon states that the first vintage was 1905, released in 1911, but these wines were enjoyed privately and not available commercially. The first commercial vintage of Salon was the 1921 vintage. Aimé Salon made the wines until his death in 1943 and left the winery to his nephew.
9
Q
It is considered to be the first blanc de blancs Champagne.
A
Salon
10
Q
In 1988 the winery was purchased by Laurent-Perrier. Today it is run side-by-side with Champagne Delamotte, the fifth-oldest winery in Champagne. ______ is a Négociant Manipulant.
What Champagne house is this?
A
Salon
11
Q
Average Total Production for Salon
A
approximately 4,500 cases.
12
Q
Style/vinification method for Salon
A
Style / Vinification Techniques: There is only one wine made. It comes from the original vineyard purchased by Aimé Salon, and a few other parcels in Le-Mesnil. The wines are always vintage and always 100% Chardonnay and aged ten years on its lees before release. The Salon wines are known for their great capacity to age and are highly sought after by collectors and sommeliers alike.
13
Q
Egly-Ouriet was established in what year and where are they located?
A
1950’s and Ambonnay
14
Q
How to pronounce Egly-Ouriet
A
egg-lee oo-ree-ay
15
Q
Summary of Elgy-Ouriet
A
Summary: The Egly-Ouriet family has been farming grapes in Champagne for a long time, but did not begin making any of their own wines until the 1950’s. In fact, it was not until 1982 that they even began using all of their grapes for their own production. The house style is powerful and intense, resulting from low yields, old vines, and riper grapes at harvest. The wines are Pinot Noir dominant with the general breakdown of estate plantings ranging from 70% Pinot Noir to 30% Chardonnay. They do have 2 ha of Meunier vines in Vrigny, which go into a 100% varietal blanc de noir bottling, Vignes de Vrigny.
16
Q
Top wines from Elgy-Ouriet
A
Top Wines Produced / Blends
Tradition Brut Grand Cru NV
V.P. Extra Brut Grand Cru NV
Les Vignes de Vrigny Brut Premier Cru NV
Blanc de Noirs Brut Grand Cru Vintage
17
Q
Brief description of style/vinification technique for Elgy-Ouriet
A
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Base wines are fermented in oak barrique for 8 to 10 months. Depending on vintage conditions, the wines may or may not be put through malolactic fermentation. The minimum ageing on the lees lasts three years.
18
Q
What year was Pierre Péters established and where are they located?
A
1919 and Les Mesnil-sur-Oger
19
Q
Summary of Pierre Peters
A
Summary: Pierre Péters is a grower-producer located in the Cote de Blancs, and their reputation is founded upon their classic & sleek blanc de blancs Champagnes. Currently in its sixth generation, the estate is run by Rodolphe Péters, grandson of Pierre. The majority of their vineyards are located in Les Mesnil-sur-Oger, and the vintage Champagnes rely heavily on fruit from this vineyard. Their other vineyards are in the Grand Crus of Avize, Oger, and Cramant. They aim to showcase the subtleties of terroir in their wines and thus chose to farm sustainably and ferment in stainless steel. The Champagnes are considered racy, elegant, and mineral driven.
20
Q
Top wines from Pierre Peters
A
Top Wines Produced / Blends
Cuvée de Réserve Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Extra Brut Vintage
Cuvée Spéciale les Chetillons Blanc de Blancs Brut Vintage
Rosé for Albane Brut Vintage
21
Q
Inaugural vintage for “Cuvee Speciale” and “Rose for Albane” by Pierre Peters
A
1971 for Cuvée Spéciale, 2009 for Rosé for Albane
22
Q
Description of the style/vinification technique by Pierre Peters.
A
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: In order to maintain the freshness and elegance of Chardonnay, they chose to ferment exclusively in stainless steel. All wines go through malolactic fermentation. The dosage varies, depending on the wine, though in general falls between 2-6 g/l.
23
Q
Vilmart & Cie. was established when and where
A
1890 and Rilly la Montagne
24
Q
Summary of Vilamart & Cie.
A
Summary: Nearly all of Vilmart’s vineyards are located in the premier cru village of Rilly, in Montagne de Reims. The vineyards are planted with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir and are farmed organically. From the beginning, they have only made wines from estate owned vineyards. Vine age ranges from 35 to 50+ years, and they are known for their extremely low yields, resulting in powerful wines. Every bit of their production spends time in oak, though the size and age of the casks vary depending on the wine. The NV wines spend 3-4 years on the lees while the vintage wines spend 5-7 years on their lees.
25
Top Wines Produced
```
Grand Cellier NV
Cuvée Rubis NV
Grand Cellier Rubis Vintage
Grand Cellier d’Or Vintage
Coeur de Cuvée Vintage
Ratafia
```
Top wines from Vilamart & Cie
26
Brief description of style/vinification technique for Vilamart.
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: All base wines are aged in oak for a minimum of ten months.
27
Jacques Selosse was established in what year and where are they located?
1960 and Avise
28
Summary of Jacques Selosse
Summary: Jacques Selosse founded the estate in the 1950s and bottled his first vintage in 1960. His son, Anselme, took over as winemaker in 1980 after attending the Lycée Viticole de Beaune. Upon taking over, he reduced yields in the vineyards and began to move towards organic viticulture. Selosse in a proponent of oxidative production and low-dosage. His top wine, Substance, is created out of a Solera of twelve different vintages. Selosse was named best winemaker of the year by Gault-Millau in 1994. In the spring of 2013 burglars stole 300 cases of Champagne from Selosse's cellars, worth nearly $350,000. Interestingly they took 16,000 front labels, 12,000 neck labels, and 2,500 caps, which leads to the conclusion that they were also planning on counterfeiting the Selosse wines as well. Selosse is a Recoltant Manipulant.
29
In the spring of 2013, what Champagne producer had their cellar robbed of wine and winemaking equipment?
In the spring of 2013 burglars stole 300 cases of Champagne from Selosse's cellars, worth nearly $350,000. Interestingly they took 16,000 front labels, 12,000 neck labels, and 2,500 caps, which leads to the conclusion that they were also planning on counterfeiting the Selosse wines as well. Selosse is a Recoltant Manipulant.
30
Principal vineyard holdings for Jacques Selosse are located where?
Principal Vineyard Holdings: 15 ha total. The majority being 4 ha in Avize, and parcels in Oger and Cramant. More recent acquirements were in Ay, Ambonnay, and Mareuil.
31
Substance, Grand Cru
Initiale, Grand Cru
Champagne Extra Brut, "Version Originale"
Les Carelles, Le-Mesnil-Sur-Oger
Exquise, Demi-Sec
La Côte Faron, (used to be Contraste), single vineyard in Aÿ.
Who is the producer?
Jacques Selosse
32
Inaugural vintage for "Substance" and "Les Carelles" by Jacques Selosse
Inaugural Vintage (for top wines): The Solera for Substance was started in 1987. The Solera for Les Carelles was started in 2010.
33
Style / Vinification Techniques: ______ has some of the lowest yields in Champagne. Fermentation comes from all ambient yeast. He ferments the base wines in a mix of pieces (228 L), Fût (400L), and Demi-Muids (600L). Malolactic is free to occur naturally but does not always occur. The base wine is aged for 12 months in barrel; typically less than 20% are new. He uses a low dosage for most of his wines, save for the Exquise which has a dosage of 24 g/l. All of his other wines are between 0-5 g/l dosage.
Who is this Champagne producer?
Jacques Selosse
34
Pierre Gimonnet was established in what year and where are they located?
1935 and Cuis (Cote de Blanc)
35
Summary of Pierre Gimonnet
Summary: Gimonnet is a well regarded grower-producer located in the Premier Cru village of Cuis. In addition to their vineyards in Cuis, the family also owns property in Vertus, Chouilly, Cramant, and Oger, as well as a small Pinot Noir plot in Aÿ and Marieul-sur-Aÿ. They have old vines averaging 35 years of age, somewhat of an anomaly to the area. All of the Blanc de Blanc wines are blends of the various villages, and Gimonnet, though they have Grand Cru holdings, prefers a blend across vineyards. All wines are fermented in stainless steel in order to preserve the freshness of the Chardonnay grape variety.
36
Top Wines Produced / Blends
Cuis Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
Gastronome Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Vintage
Fleuron Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Vintage
Oenophile Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Vintage
Paradoxe Brut Vintage
Special Club Vintage
Who is the producer?
Pierre Gimonnet
37
Style/vinification technique for Pierre Gimmonet
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: All base wines are fermented in stainless steel in order to preserve the freshness of the Chardonnay grape variety. Wines generally receive a low dosage for their Brut designation.
38
Ruinart was established in what year and where
1729 and Reims
39
Summary of Ruinart
Summary: Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house, having produced sparkling wines on a commercial scale since 1729. Ruinart’s style is largely dependent upon the Chardonnay grape variety, though uniquely, most of their Chardonnay grapes do not come from the Cote de Blancs. Rather, their most important vineyards for Chardonnay lie in northern Reims, around the Grand Crus of Sillery and Verzenay. This lends a richness and broadness to the wines. The Dom Ruinart is a Blanc de Blancs prestige cuvée, comprised of exclusively Grand Cru fruit, from both the Montagne de Reims and Cote de Blancs.
40
Top wines from Ruinart
Top Wines Produced / Blends
```
Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
Brut NV (sold in EU market)
Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut Vintage
Dom Ruinart Rosé Brut Vintage
```
41
Inaugural vintage for Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart Rose
1959 for Dom Ruinart, 1966 for Dom Ruinart Rosé
42
Describe the style/vinification technique for Ruinart
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Base wines are fermented in temperature control stainless steel and receive full malolactic fermentation. Dosage ranges from 6.5 g/l for the Dom Ruinart to 9 g/l for the NV Brut.
43
Pol Roger was established in what year and where are they established?
1849 and Epernay
44
Summary: ______ was founded by its namesake in 1849 when he was only 18 years old and is a rarity in the world of larger Champagne firms in that it is still family owned and operated. Furthermore, they own a large portion of their own vineyards (50%) and the other half of their grapes are sourced from premier cru and grand cru vineyards exclusively.
What producer is this?
Pol Roger
45
Total production for Pol Roger
Approximately 141,000 cases
46
```
Brut Réserve NV
Pure Extra Brut NV
Vintage Blanc de Blancs Brut
Vintage Brut
Vintage Brut Rosé
Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill Brut Vintage
```
Pol Roger
47
Inaugural vintage for Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill
Inaugural Vintage: 1975 for Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
48
Billecart-Salmon was established in what year and where are they located?
1818 and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ (Vallée de la Marne)
49
Summary of Billecart-Salmon
Summary: Billecart-Salmon is currently run by the seventh generation of the Billecart family since its inception in 1811. The house style is elegant, driven by the philosophy to harvest higher acid, lower alcohol grapes. The majority of the vineyard holdings are in the Marne Valley in Damery, Aÿ, and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Four hectares are located in the Côte des Blancs, all in grand cru vineyards. Their blends are red fruit dominant, driven by Pinot Noir and Meunier, though they do make a NV and vintage blanc de blancs, all from their grand cru vineyards in the Côte des Blancs.
50
Average total production for Billecart-Salmon
Approximately 141,000 cases
51
```
Brut Reserve NV
Blanc de Blancs Brut NV
Cuvée Nicolas François Brut Vintage
Clos Saint-Hilaire Brut Vintage
Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé Brut Vintage
```
Top Wines by Billecart-Salmon
52
Inaugural vintage for Nicolas Francois, Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Rose, and Clos Saint-Hilaire by Billecart-Salmon
1955 for Nicolas François,
1988 for Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé,
1995 for Clos Saint-Hilaire
53
Summary of Billecart-Salmon
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Depending on the cuvée, base wines may be fermented in oak or stainless steel. Those that are fermented in oak do not go through malolactic fermentation. Wines are fermented slowly and at cool temperatures to preserve freshness, and are aged on their lees for four to five months before the bottle fermentation.
54
Jacquesson was established in what year and where are they located?
1798 and in Dizy (Vallee de Marne)
55
Summary of Jacquesson
Summary: Since 1974, the house has been owned by the Chiquet family, though originally it was based in Reims. The house has always been well regarded, though quality has improved since the Chiquet purchase. They are currently making a large statement by bottling 4 different single vineyard wines, as well as crafting their basic NV cuvée to be more representative of the vintage in which the base grapes originated. Since 2000, these NV wines have been labeled by bin number, starting with 728.
56
Total production for Jacquesson
Approximately 29,000 cases
57
```
Cuvée 7-- Brut NV
Corne Bautray Extra Brut Vintage
Champs Caïn Extra Brut Vintage
Vauzelle Terme Extra Brut Vintage
Terres Rouges Extra Brut Rosé Vintage
```
Top wines from Jacquesson
58
Inaugural vintage for "Bin series," "Vauzelle Terme" and "Corne Bautray" by Jacquesson
2000 for bin series,
1996 for Vauzelle Terme
1995 for Corne Bautray
59
What is style/vinification technique for Jacquesson?
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The majority of the wines are fermented in large oak foudre, for structure and aromatics. All wines go through malolactic fermentation, and there is a period of lees aging lasting about four months before the secondary fermentation takes place in bottle. Across the board, they are known for using very low dosages.
60
When was Bollinger established and where are they located?
1829 and Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne
61
Summary of Bollinger
Summary: The story of Bollinger is the story of three families: the Bollinger, the Renaudin, and the de Villermont. The Comte de Villermont was an aristocrat who owned vineyards in Aÿ but because of his status, he could not make wine from his land. He met Joseph Bollinger, a German, and Paul Renaudin, who both were interested in the wine trade. They started the winery on February 6th, 1829. Joseph went on to marry de Villermont's daughter, and Renaudin left the winery, leaving the firm in the Bollinger family. The current winery building was originally a de Villermont property. In 1865 Bollinger shipped a "drier" Champagne to England and in 1870 to the United States. During World War II the firm was run by the widow Madame Lily Bollinger.
62
Who runs Bollinger today
Today Jérôme Philipon is the first non-family member to run the firm, taking charge in 2008. Gilles Descôtes is now Chef de Cave.
63
Principle vineyard holdings for Bollinger
160 ha. 64% of which are Grand Cru and Premier Cru. This includes their two vineyards Clos St. Jacques and Chaudes Terres in Aÿ, which have never succumbed to Phylloxera and are trained en provignage. The fruit from these two vineyards go into the rare "Vieilles Vignes Françaises." They also have the 4-ha Côte aux Enfants Pinot Noir vineyard in Aÿ, from which they produce a Coteaux Champenoise AOC wine and red base wines for rosé Champagne.
64
Total production for Bollinger
approximately 210,000 cases
65
```
RD
Grande Année
Grande Année Rosé
Vieilles Vignes Françaises
Special Cuvée
```
Top wines from Bollinger
66
What is the style/vinification method like for Bollinger?
Style / Vinification Techniques: Bollinger keeps all of their reserve wines in magnums, putting aside 70,000 magnums a year into their reserve cellar which houses about 600,000 magnums. After blending, the wine ages for three years on it's lees. The vintage wines are fermented and aged entirely in oak casks. The Grand Année is labeled Brut, with a typical dosage of 6 to 7 g/l.
67
How is Bollinger's Grand Annee made?
The Grand Année is two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay. It rests for sixty months on its lees before disgorgement. The Grand Année is labeled Brut, with a typical dosage of 6 to 7 g/l.
68
How is Bollinger's RD made?
The RD is based on the Grand Année but is aged on it lees for an extended period of time and is generally an Extra Brut.
69
Gaston Chiquet was established in what year and where are they located?
1935 and Dizy, Vallee de la Marne
70
Summary of Gaston Chiquet
Summary: Although the Gaston Chiquet company wasn’t registered until 1935, there was a family business of grape growing and wine making dating back to 1746. Now in its eighth generation, their vineyard holdings are all in the Marne Valley, spanning the premier and grand cru villages of Dizy, Hautvillers, Mareuil-Sur-Aÿ, and Aÿ. They are known for having a high proportion of Meunier in many of their wines, with about 40% of their total vineyard plantings devoted to the variety. Their vineyards are further broken down into plantings of 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. They have a unique parcel of Chardonnay vines in the village of Aÿ, better known for its Pinot Noir, and they uniquely produce a blanc de blancs from here.
71
First récoltant manipulants in Champagne
Gaston Chiquet
72
Average production for Gaston Chiquet
14,000 cases
73
```
Sélection Brut NV
Tradition Brut Premier Cru NV
Blanc de Blancs d’Aÿ Brut Grand Cru NV
Rosé Brut Premier Cru NV
Cuvée de Réserve Brut Premier Cru NV
Cuvée Or Brut Premier Cru Vintage
Spécial Club Brut Grand Cru Vintage
```
Top wines from Gaston Chiquet
74
Style/vinification process for Gaston Chiquet
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: No oak is used during any of the vinification process. The Chiquets believe that grape concentration and full malolactic fermentation lend roundness to the wines.
75
Philipponnat was established in what year and where are they located?
1910 and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
76
Summary of Philipponnat
Summary: The Philipponnat family has been growing grapes since 1522, and starting making their own wines at the beginning of the 20th Century. Their vineyards are concentrated in the Marne Valley, primarily in Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The range of wines is primarily Pinot Noir dominant, and oak is used for both fermenting base wines as well as storing the dosage wines. The house employs a very low dosage across their entire range of wines.
77
Who owns the Clos des Goisses vineyard and what makes it so special?
Philipponnat is best known for its single vineyard holding, the famed Clos des Goisses vineyard. Clos de Goisses is best known for its southern facing, slightly warmer vineyards that ripen beautifully, even in marginal vintages.
78
Total production for Philipponnat
Approximately 5,000 cases
79
Royale Réserve Brut NV
Grand Blanc Brut Vintage
Cuvée 1522 Extra Brut Grand Cru Vintage
Clos des Goisses Brut Vintage
What Champagne producer?
Royale Réserve Brut NV
Grand Blanc Brut Vintage
Cuvée 1522 Extra Brut Grand Cru Vintage
Clos des Goisses Brut Vintage
80
What is the inaugural vintage for Clos des Goisses, Cuvee 1522 and Clos de Goisses Juste Rose by Philipponnat?
1935 for Clos des Goisses,
1996 for Cuvée 1522,
1999 for Clos de Goisses Juste Rosé
81
Description of style/vinification technique for Philipponnat
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Historically the wines were fermented in large foudres, though now a percentage is fermented in 228 L barrel. Overall, the dosage is very low, around 4-5 g/l for the Brut designated wines.
82
Taittinger was established in what year and where are they located?
1734 and Reims
83
Summary of Taittinger
Summary: They farm over 288 ha, which is divided between 34 different crus throughout the entire Champagne region. Despite having more than half of their plantings devoted to Pinot Noir, the house relies on the Chardonnay grape to lend their signature style. Taittinger’s wines are known for elegance rather than boldness, and this style is further supported with fermentations in stainless steel.
84
Taittinger was originally established under what name?
The Taittinger house was established under the name Forneaux Forest in 1734, although it was not purchased by the Taittinger family until 1932.
85
Who produces "Comtes de Champagne" and what makes it so special?
The Comtes de Champagne is the top expression of Taittinger’s style, and this is 100% Chardonnay, sourced from exclusively Grand Cru plots in the Côte de Blancs.
86
Brut Reserve NV
La Folies de la Marquetterie NV
Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Vintage
Comtes de Champagne Brut Rose Vintage
Taittinger
87
Inaugural vintage for Comtes de Champagne
1952 for Comtes de Champagne
88
Style/vinification technique for Taittinger
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The majority of production is fermented in stainless steel tank to achieve a crisp character. They occasionally ferment about 5% in oak barrel for subtle vanilla flavor.
89
Charles Heidsieck was established in what year and where are they located?
1851 and Reims
90
In 1976 the firm was purchased by Henriot only to be sold again in 1985 to Rémy Martin. It was at this time that Daniel Thibault took over as Chef de Cave, who was credited for creating the mis en cave practice of putting a bottling date on the Brut Réserve non-vintage. Thibault also oversaw the creation of the Blanc de Millénaires, the prestige cuvée that replaced Champagne Charlie.
Who is this Champagne producer?
Charles Heidsieck
91
Summary of Charles Heidsieck
This Champagne house was founded by Charles Camille Heidsieck and Ernest Henriot. Heidsick, a shrewd salesman, saw the potential in the American market, and took his first sales trip to the states in 1852. Charles became a favorite of New York high-society on his visits, and he picked up the nickname "Champagne Charlie." He was arrested by the Union army in 1861 upon suspicions that he was transporting communications between the French and the Confederates and spent four months in a Louisiana prison. The firm however continued to grow and expand into more markets.
92
Who bought Charles Heidsieck in 2011?
Societe Europeanne de Participations Industrielles (EPI)
93
Total production for Charles Heidsieck
approximately 290,000 cases.
94
```
Champagne Charlie (No longer produced)
Blancs de Millénaires
Brut Réserve
Rosé Réserve
Brut Millésime
Rosé Millésime
```
Charles Heidsieck
95
Inaugural vintage for Blanc de Millenaires and Champagne Charlie by Charles Heidsieck?
Blancs de Millénaires, 1983.
| Champagne Charlie was produced between 1979 and 1985
96
Summary of Charles Heidsieck
Style / Vinification Techniques: There is no oak used in the cellars of Charles Heidsieck. They use 40% reserve wines that have an average age of ten years. The Blancs de Millénaires is 100% Chardonnay, from four Grand Crus and one Premier Cru in the Côte de Blancs, and ages for fifteen years on its lees.
97
Summary of Charles Heidsieck
Style / Vinification Techniques: There is no oak used in the cellars of Charles Heidsieck.
98
Talk about Charles Heidsieck's "Millesime"
The Millésime is 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay, and ages for ten years on its lees before release.
99
Talk about Charles Heidsieck's "Blancs de Millenaires"
The Blancs de Millénaires is 100% Chardonnay, from four Grand Crus and one Premier Cru in the Côte de Blancs, and ages for fifteen years on its lees.
100
When was Gosset established and where are they located?
1584 and Ay, Vallee de la Marne
101
Summary of Gosset
Summary: Gosset is the oldest producer in the Champagne region, though their origins are not founded in sparkling wine production. They own few vineyards, and rely on grapes from 45 different crus for their production, almost all of which qualify as Premier or Grand Cru. The house is known for finesse and relies on Chardonnay for its top cuvees.
102
Top wine from Gosset and what makes it so special?
Their top cuvee, Celebris, is made in blanc de blancs, rosé, and blended styles; all receive an extra brut dosage.
103
Excellence Brut NV
Grand Réserve Brut NV
Celebris Extra Brut Vintage
Gosset
104
Total production for Gosset
10,000 cases
105
Inaugural vintage for Gosset's "Celebris"?
1988 for Celebris
106
Style/vinification technique for Gosset
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The base wines are fermented in stainless steel, although they do not receive malolactic fermentation. They undergo long lees aging, ranging from 4 years for the NV wines and longer for the vintage cuvées.
107
Louis Roederer was established when and where are they located?
1776 and Reims
108
What was Louis Roederer's original name and why did they change it?
Original name of the estate was Dubois Père et Fils. It was named after Louis Roederer in 1833 after he inherited the estate from his uncle.
109
What firm owns many wineries, including Champagne Deutz, Roederer Estate and Scharffenberger, Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Chateau de Pez, Domaine Ott in Provence and Ramos Pinot in the Douro Valley.
The Roederer firm
110
What is to be said about Louis Roederer's early success?
Roederer expanded the business, particularly into the Russian market, and by the 1870s Roederer made up for one-tenth of Champagne's total production. Louis's son, Louis, invented Cristal, which was made exclusivley for Tsar Alexander II; the wine was packaged in a clear crystal bottle. The success of the firm quickly fell apart with the Revolution of 1917 in Russia, and the consequent villainization of all things associated with the Royal family.
111
What did Camille Olry-Roederer do for the Louis Roederer brand?
As the firm went into the Depression it was kept alive by the widow Camille Olry-Roederer who went without a salary in an effort to keep the firm afloat. She made important purchases for the estate, with great vineyards in the Montagne de Reims and the Côte de Blancs. The firm expanded once again under her 40 years of leadership. The estate was run by her grandson Jean-Claude Rouzaud, who also expanded the property, and is now run by his son Frédéric Rouzaud.
112
Vineyard holdings for Louis Roederer
214 ha total (which provides for two-thirds of the estates grape requirements). All of the vineyards are in either Grand Cru or Premier Cru villages. They have holdings in Verzenay, Verzy, and Beaumont-sur-Vesle in the Montagne de Reims. In the Vallée de Marne they have holdings in Marieul, Aÿ, Dizy, Champillon, Cumières, and Damery. In the Côte de Blancs they have holdings in Chouilly, Oiry, Cramant, Avize, Oger, Vertus, and Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger.
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Cristal
Cristal, Rosé
Blanc de Blancs, Vintage Brut
Vintage Brut
Brut Premier
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Top wines from Louis Roederer
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Inaugural vintage for Louis Roederer's Cristal and Cristal rose
1876 was the first vintage for Cristal, but it was not commercially available until 1945. The first vintage of Cristal Rosé was 1974.
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Style/vinification technique for Cristal
Cristal is a blend of approximately 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, depending on the vintage. Between 15 and 25 % of the base wine for Cristal ages in oak, the oak barrels at Roederer are 6,000 liter fudre. The grapes for Cristal come from eight villages, seven of which are Grand Cru.
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Style/vinification techinque for Cristal rose
The Rosé is also approximately 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, and the Pinot Noir goes through the saignée process to get its color, and is blended with the Chardonnay. Both Cristal wines spend between five and six years in the cellar with and an extra eight months after dosage and corking. Roederer avoids malolactic fermentation for all wines.
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Style/vinification technique for Louis Roederer
All of the grapes are manually-harvested and brought to one of the firm's three different pressing houses. The firm has worked towards more environmentally friendly vineyard work, and has stopped using herbicides. The musts are shipped to the winery in Reims, where they ferment by individual lots with ambient yeasts. After the secondary fermentation the wines spend three years on their lees. After dosage, and corking, the wine spends another six months at the winery before release.
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René Geoffroy was established when and where are they located?
1970's and Aÿ
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Summary of Rene Geoffroy
Summary: The Geoffroy family are 5th generation grape growers, though it was not until the 1970’s that they began keeping their entire harvest for their own production. Originally based in Cumières, 11 of their 14 ha of vineyard holdings are located in this warm Premier Cru site in the Marne Valley. The other 3 ha of vineyards are located in Damery, Hautvillers, and Fleury-la-Riviere. Most of the plantings are devoted to Pinot Noir and Meunier, with only 19% planted to Chardonnay. The resulting Champagnes are known for their richness, structure, and depth of fruit.
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Total production for Rene Geoffroy
10,000 cases
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Expression Brut NV
Empreinte Brut NV
Volupté Brut Vintage
Rosé de Saignée Brut NV
Rene Geoffroy top wines
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Summary of Rene Geoffroy
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: The base wines are fermented in oak, although they do not receive malolactic fermentation.
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When was the first vintage of Dom Perignon and where is it made?
1921 and Epernay
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Summary of Dom Perignon
Summary: Dom Pérignon, which began as a Prestige Cuvee for Moët, now stands alone as its own brand in the LVMH portfolio. Since 1990, the wines have been made by Richard Geoffrey. Moët owns vineyards through the Champagne region, though their Grand Cru holdings tend to provide the source for Dom Pérignon: Avize, Äy, Bouzy, Mailly, Chouilly, Cramant, Les Mesnil sur Oger, Verzenay, and Hautvillers. Generally speaking, the wines favor Chardonnay, and a typical vintage features 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. This varies from vintage to vintage, as some have been Pinot Noir dominant as well.
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Principal vineyard holdings for Dom Perignon
Principal Vineyard Holdings: Moet is the largest landowner in Champagne, and the source for Dom Perignon comes from their best vineyards, spread throughout the region. Depending on the vintage, the exact vineyard sources and proportion of fruit used from each changes.
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Top wines from Dom Perignon
Top Wines Produced / Blends
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Dom Pérignon Vintage
Dom Pérignon Vintage Rose
Dom Pérignon P2 (Oenotèque) Vintage
Dom Pérignon P2 Vintage Rose
Dom Pérignon P3 Vintage
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Inaugural vintage for Dom Perignon and Dom Perignon Rose.
Inaugural Vintage: 1921 for Dom Pérignon and 1959 for the Rose (although the first commercially available Rose was the 1962)
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Style/vinification technique for Dom Perignon
Brief Description of Style / Vinification Techniques: Wines are made in a deliberately reductive fashion, as they believe this brings out the flavors of autolysis in the best way.
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When and where was Laurent-Perrier established?
1812 and Tours-Sur-Marne
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Summary of Laurent Perrier
Summary: The firm was founded by André Michel Pierlot, a former cooper in 1812. He passed the firm on to Chef de Cave Eugene Laurent. Upon Eugene's death in 1887, Mathilde Emilie Perrier, his wife, took over the firm and combined the two family names to create Veuve Laurent-Perrier. Perrier's daughter inherited the firm in 1925 and sold it to Marie-Luise Lanson de Nonacourt, who ran the firm through World War II. Her son Bernard, who had fought in the French resistance, took over the property after interning at Lanson and Deutz. He brought the firm from a small family business to the fourth largest Champagne house in sixty years time.
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What Negociant Manipulant owns Salon, Delamotte, and De Castellane?.
Laurent Perrier
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Total production for Laurent Perrier
500,000 cases annually.
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Rosé Alexandra
Grand Siècle
Cuvée Rosé
Ultra Brut
What Champagne producer makes these wines?
Laurent-Perrier
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Laurent-Perrier's top wines
Rosé Alexandra
Grand Siècle
Cuvée Rosé
Ultra Brut
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Inaugural vintage for Laurent Perrier's "Grand Siecle", "Cuvee Rose", and "Cuvee Alexandria"
Grand Siècle, released in 1959.
Cuvée Rosé, released in 1968.
Cuvée Alexandra, 1982, released in 1987.
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Laurent-Perrier's style/vinification technique
Style / Vinification Techniques: The wines are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. There is no oak used at this firm. The Brut non-vintage is generally made up of over 50% Chardonnay and ages for a minimum of three years on it's lees, the magnums between four and five years. The Ultra Brut, first got its start in the late nineteenth century but came back to life in the 1980s. This wine is generally a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
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Details on Laurent Perrier's "Grand Siecle"
The Grand Siècle is typically a blend of three vintages from eleven Grand Cru vineyards; in great years a single vintage reserve Grand Siècle may be made. It is a blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir and ages on it's lees for eight years or more before release.
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Details on Laurent Perrier's "Grand Siecle"
The Grand Siècle is typically a blend of three vintages from eleven Grand Cru vineyards; in great years a single vintage reserve Grand Siècle may be made. It is a blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir and ages on it's lees for eight years or more before release.
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Details on Laurent Perrier's "Cuvee Alexandria" and "Cuvee Rose"
The Cuvée Rosé is made from 100% Pinot Noir. The Cuvée Alexandra is always vintage, and is named after co-director Alexandra Pereyre. It is mostly Pinot Noir with a small amount of Chardonnay macerated together. The wine ages for a minimum of seven years before release.
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Perrier-Jouët was established when and where?
1811 and Epernay
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Who was the first Champagne producer to designate a vintage on their bottle and when?
Perrier-Jouët takes an important place in Champagne’s history as being the first producer to designate a vintage on their bottle in 1825.
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Summary on Perrier Jouet
Their vineyard holdings are spread throughout some of Champagne’s most important crus, in Avize, Cramant, Mailly, Aÿ, and Dizy. They are known for their elegant and floral style, heavily reliant on Chardonnay. Their Belle Epoque cuvée is made in three styles: a blanc de blancs, a rosé, and a blended version - all three are referred to as Fleur de Champagne in the United States.
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Grand Brut NV
Blason Rosé NV
Belle Epoque Vintage
Belle Epoque Rosé Vintage
Perrier Jouet
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Bottlings from Perrier Jouet
Grand Brut NV
Blason Rosé NV
Belle Epoque Vintage
Belle Epoque Rosé Vintage
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Summary of Pommery
Summary: The firm was founded by Alexandre Louis Pommery and Narcisse Greno. Monsier Pommery passed away in 1858, and his wife Louise took control. Louise turned the firm into one of the most powerful houses of the late nineteenth-century. It was also during her time that Pommery is said to have created the first brut Champagne in 1874, with a dosage of 6-9 g/l of residual sugar per liter. In the late twentieth-century Pommery went into decline. In 1990 they were taken over by LVMH, whose goal was to turn Pommery into a large volume operation.
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Pommery was established in year and where are they located?
1836 and Reims
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Total production for Pommery
approximately 375,000 cases
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Labels from Pommery
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Cuvée Louise
Cuvée Louise Rosé
Apanage Brut
Apanage Rosé
Grand Cru, Millésimé
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Inaugural vintage of Pommery's "Cuvee Louise"
Cuvée Louise, first vintage 1979. Current vintage in 2013 is the 2002.
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Pommery's style/vinification techniques
Style / Vinification Techniques: Champagne Pommery does not use any oak in the fermentation or aging of its base wines. The base wines go through malolactic fermentation. The Cuvée Louise always comes from approximately 65% Pinot Noir from Aÿ and 35% Chardonnay from Avize and Cramant.
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Veuve Clicquot was established in what year and where are they located?
1772 and Reims
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When did Veuve Clicquot trademark the yellow label and who currently owns the Champagne house?
The famous yellow label was trademarked in 1877. The firm went public in 1963 and merged with Louis-Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy in 1986.
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Who is Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin and what did she accomplish?
Veuve Clicquot was founded by Philippe Clicqout in the second half of the eighteenth century. His son Francois married Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin in 1798. Upon Francois' death in 1805, the Veuve Clicqout (Barbe-Nicole) took over the business. She was the first woman to run a Champagne house and is attributed to spreading the popularity of Champagne to Russia. Clicqout and her cellar master Antoine Müller are accredited with creating the riddling table, opening Champagne to the possibility of mass production. In 1810 the Veuve oversaw the creation of one of the first vintage Champagnes.
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What are Veuve Clicquot major vineyard holdings?
303 ha. In the Montagne de Reims, Côte de Blancs, and the Aube.
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Total production for Veuve Clicquot
One Million Cases.
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Top wines from Veuve Clicquot
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La Grande Dame
La Grande Dame Rosé
Cave Privée
Vintage Brut
Vintage Rosé
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La Grande Dame
La Grande Dame Rosé
Cave Privée
Vintage Brut
Vintage Rosé
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Top wines from Veuve Clicquot
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Inaugural vintage for Veuve Clicquot's "La Grande Dame" and "La Grande Dame Rose"
La Grande Dame, 1966 released in 1972.
| La Grande Dame Rosé, 1988 released in 1996.
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What is the leading varietal for all of Veuve Clicquot's wines?
All of the wines, from the Yellow Label to La Grande Dame, are Pinot Noir dominant. For the top wines, vineyard plots are fermented separately.
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How are Veuve Clicquot's "Yellow Label" and "Rose" vinified?
In the case of the Yellow Label and the Rosé the wines are made with 25% to 40% reserve wine. Both NV wines are about 50% Pinot Noir with 28-33% Chardonnay, and 15 to 20% Meunier with an average dosage of 9 g/l. The NV wines age for thirty months on their lees, and all vintage wines age for a minimum of five years.
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How is Veuve Clicquot's "La Grande Dame" and "La Grande Dame Rose" vinified?
La Grande Dame comes from eight Grand Cru villages with the majority coming from Verzenay and Avize. It is generally 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay; the blend is the same for the Rosé. For the Rosé the firm uses 12 to 15% red wine from Bouzy.
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How is Veuve Clicquot's "Cave Privee" vinified?
The Cave Privée is a late-disgorged vintage Champagne, of which there are both a rosé and white; the wines stay on their lees for up to seventeen years.
