Chapter 3 - Winemaking Flashcards
What is the annual yield called?
Rendement d’appellation Champagne
When is the yield set?
Every year at a meeting in mid-summer
Who sets the yield?
The Comité Champagne with representatives from the Growers, négociants and the co-ops
Are grower/producers allowed to harvest any more than the yield?
Yes. For the reserve program.
What is the stockpile of reserve wine called?
Réserve Individuelle.
Can the reserve be used immediately?
No. It is not authorised for AOC champagne production until the CIVC says so.
What is the “réserve de déblocage”?
Unblocked reserve
What is the “libre”?
The combination of the annual yield and the unblocked reserve.
What is one Marc?
4000kg and 2550 litres
What is the weight of one Marc?
4000kg
How many litres in the Cuvée?
2050 litres
How many litres in the Premier Taille?
500
What is the DPLC?
Dépassement du Plafond Limite de Classement. Extra vinified grapes given to a distillery for the production of Marc du Champagne or vinegar.
The whole village is ranked in Champagne. True or false?
True.
When was the échelle des crus dismantled?
2003
What are other producers around the world required to call their production method (following the same steps as champagne)?
Traditional Method - Méthode Traditionnelle.
What is the old/original method of production called?
Rural method/ancestral method.
What is the “ban des vendanges”?
The Harvest date.
What is the maximum duration for the harvest?
Three weeks.
What is the minimum potential alcohol level required to harvest grapes?
9%
What two conditions can exceptions be given for harvesting early?
- The crop is already at 10% potential alcohol.
- Disease pressure.
Why is the level of Gluconic acid important?
It is used to measure the extent of rot in the vineyard at the time of harvest
How are grapes harvested?
Hand-harvested by law.
In what form are the grapes picked from the vines?
Whole, undamaged clusters.
Who weighs the crop?
A Peseur.
Who records the weight?
An écrivain (scribe) or comptable (bookkeeper)
What is a “carnet de pressoir”?
A logbook.
How are grapes pressed?
Whole cluster pressed.
Name three press types.
- Traditional (basket)
- Pneumatic
- Coquard
What is the maie and what is the mouton?
The top and bottom halves of a coquard press.
What is “retroussage”?
To “tuck up” the pressed grapes in the center of the press.
What is débourbage”?
Juice settling after pressing to allow particulates to fall out of solution.
What is the unit of measuement for the turbidity of the juice?
NTU’s (Nephelometric Turbidity Units)
(measures the quantity of solids - usefull measure of ageability?)
What is a “bêche plate”?
A device for cutting up the compressed Marc for the last pressing.
When is chaptalization carried out?
After débourbage and before and sometimes during fermentation.
At what temperatures does the first fermentation take place?
Between 15-21c