Champagne - Producers Flashcards by Chris Ray

What are some important villages for Krug Grande Cuvee?

Chardonnay: Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize

Pinot Noir: Ay-Champagne, Ambonnay

Pinot Meunier: Leuvrigny, Ste-Gemme

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When did Krug begin equipping Grande Cuvee with an ID code?

2011

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What are some of the Grande Cuvees that have been held back and released?

2002 - Finesse

2001 - Savoir-Faire

2000 - Richesse

1998 - Equilibre

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When did Krug introduce the edition concept? What was the number? What was the base vintage?

For the rose?

2016

163rd Edition

Base vintage was 2007

21st Edition, base vintage 2008

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What is the only prestige cuvee produced for over 170 years?

Krug Grande Cuvee

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What villages contribute the red wine base for Krug Rose?

Ay and Mareuil-sur-Ay

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What two vintages of Krug Vintage have been Chardonnay dominant?

1981 and 1998

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What vintages of Krug Clos d’Ambonnay have been released?

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What makes Krug so distinctive?

Heavy (35-50%) use of back vintage reserve wine in the construction of the final blend.

Fermenting in oak.

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What makes Salon so distinctive?

One vintage, one grape (Chardonnay), one village (Le Mesnil-sur-Oger), 10 years on lees

To date, only 41 vintages have been produced

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For what two vintages of Salon are there “old” and “new” bottlings?

1971 and 1973

When Salon was relaunched as Cuvee S in 1976, old vintages were taken into new bottlings and received an illegal third liqueur de tirage.

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What vintages of Salon have been released in the past 40 years?

2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2002, 1999, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1988, 1985, 1983, 1982, 1979

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When was Krug founded?

1843

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When was Salon founded?

1905

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Where is Egly-Ouriet based?

Where do they source their 100% Pinot Meunier bottling from?

Where do they source “Les Crayeres?

Ambonnay

Vrigny to produce “Les Vignes de Vrigny”

100% Pinot Noir from Ambonnay

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Who revitalized Charles Heidsieck? How?

Daniel Thibault between 1985 and 1990

He built up a backstock of reserve wines and planned to use 40% reserve wines for the NV Brut Reserve.

He is also credited with founding the practice of putting a bottling date on NV wines.

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What is Jacques Selosse’s top NV bottling? When did the Solera start? What are the grapes?

Substance

1987

100% Chardonnay

What single vineyard wines does Jacques Selosse produce? What are the grapes?

Les Carelles - Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, 100% Chardonnay
La Cote Faron - Ay, 100% Pinot Noir
Sous le Mont - Mareuil-sur-Ay, 100% Pinot Noir
Le Bout du Clos - Ambonnay, 80% PN, 20% Chardonnay
Les Chantereines - Avize, 100% Chardonnay
Chemin de Chalons - Cramant, 100% Chardonnay

What defines the style of Ruinart?

They rely heavily on Chardonnay, but often not from the Cote des Blancs.

Sourcing from the Grand Crus of Sillery and Verzenay in the northern Reims lends their wines richness and broadness.

Negociant-Manipulant

What defines the style of Vilmart & Cie?

Chardonnay dominant house in Rilly-la-Montagne, which is better known for Pinot Noir.

Fermentation and aging in oak, no malolactic conversion.

Recoltant-Manipulant

What defines the style of Bollinger?

Pinot Noir dominant house in Ay

Reserve wines are kept in magnums

Vintage wines are fermented and aged entirely in oak casks.

Negociant

What wine is Bollinger’s “RD” based on?

Le Grande Annee

What is special about Bollinger’s Vieilles Vignes Francaises?

100% Pinot Noir

Vines grown “en foule” and are ungrafted (this reduces yields)

Vinified in oak

What vineyards does Bollinger use for VVF? What vineyards were once in use?

Clos St-Jacques - Ay
Clos des Chades Terres - Ay

No longer in use:
Chaudes Terres - Ay (removed in 2005)
Croix Rouge - Bouzy (Phylloxera in 2004)

2004 is thus the last vintage of its original construction with Bouzy fruit.

What Special Club bottlings does Pierre Gimonnet produce?

Grand Terroirs de Chardonnay - Blend of villages, but called "Millesime de Collection" in the finest years Also, since 2012: Special Club Oger Special Club Chouilly Special Club Cramant

What makes Pol Roger special?

Still family owned, so the family "palate" has been passed down since 1849. Double cold-settling allows them to avoid filtering their wines.

What defines the style of Billecart-Salmon?

Located in Mareuil-sur-Ay, they have most of their holdings in the Vallee de la Marne Harvesting to retain higher acidity and lower alcohol. Their wines tend to be dominated by Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Double cold-settling allows them to avoid filtering their wines.

What is the production history of "Cristal?"

Made by Roederer for Tsar Alexander II in 1876, it was originally in an extremely sweet style. The bottle was clear and flat bottomed because Alexander II was paranoid of explosives. Production ceased between 1917 and 1927. It became commercially available again in 1945. Fruit is sourced from owned plots in Verzenay, Verzy, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Ay, Mareuil-sur-Ay, Avize, Cramant, and Mesnil-sur-Oger. It is roughly 60% PN, 40% Chardonnay

What makes Louis Roederer special?

125ha Biodynamic Largely dependent on estate grown fruit: only the Brut Premier sees purchased fruit. They have their own vine nursery of offspring from their own vineyards. Their vineyards are grouped into four estates, each charged with producing a given wine.

What distinguishes the Krug Vintage Collection from the normal Vintage offerings?

They are simply held back in cellar until Krug feels they have entered into their "second life" before release.

What is the difference between a recently disgorged Champagne and one with bottle age?

Youthful Champagne has more estery, fresh fruity aromas, while Champagne with bottle age shows more toasty, biscuity notes.

Who owns the Cote aux Enfants? Where is it located?

Bollinger Ay It is at least used to color the Grande Annee Rose

What is the house style of Roses de Jeanne? Who is the owner? Where is it?

Cederic Bouchard in the Cote des Bar Recoltant-Manipulant All wines are based on single-vintage, single-variety, single-vineyard. Though from single-vintages, his wines are often not dated as such because they don't meet minimum aging requirements.

What are some of the wines of Roses de Jeanne?

Le Creux d'Enfer - 100% Pinot Noir Saignee Rose La Boloree - 100% Pinot Blanc La Haute-Lemble - 100% Chardonnay Cote de Bechalin - 100% Pinot Noir

What was the first vintage of Dom Perignon? By who? Why was it special?

The 1921 Vintage was released in 1936 Moet & Chandon It was the first prestige cuvee

How many villages may contribute to Dom Perignon?

Up to 20, including 16 Grand Crus Chardonnay: Chouilly, Cramant, Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Pinot Noir: Ay, Bouzy, Mailly, Verzenay

Who makes the Plentitude line? What was it originally called? What is its aging?

Dom Perignon, originally called Oenotheque until 2014 P1: Dom Perignon Vintage, around 9 years P2: Vintage Dom Perignon released after and more than 10 years on lees. A Rose P2 is also made. P3: Released over 25 years from vintage

Who produced the first 100% Pinot Meunier wine for Club Tresor's Special Club?

Mousse Fils

What was the first Champagne house to display disgorgement dates? When?

Bruno Paillard in 1983

What single-vineyard wines does Philipponnat produce?

Clos des Goisses (also Juste Rose) Le Remissonne Le Leon Les Cintres (a ripe core of Clos des Goisses)

What is the name of Clos des Goisses late disgorement bottling?

Longue Viellissement (L.V.)

Who introduced the first Brut Champagne? When?

Pommery in 1874 with "Nature"