Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

WSET 4 D4 by Sarp Sarac > D4.C3. Champagne > Flashcards

D4.C3. Champagne Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
WSET ® Level 1 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 2 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 3 Wine flashcards WSET ® Level 2 Spirits flashcards WSET ® Level 1 Spirits flashcards WSET ® Level 3 Spirits flashcards WSET® Level 4 Wine flashcards
1
Q

What is the name of the committee that worked tirelessly to ensure that Champagne remains a traditional method sparkling wine from grapes grown within the appellation?

A

The Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC, now known as the Comité Champagne)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is the most common style of Champagne? Describe the tasting notes

A
  • White, fully sparkling, non-vintage Brut wine made from a blend of the three main varieties, Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay
  • Medium intensity aromas and flavours of apple and
    lemon fruit with biscuit autolytic notes, high acidity and medium alcohol
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the price/quality range for for standart Champagne and vintage and special cuvée wines?

A
  • Standart: Good to outstanding quality and mid- to premium-priced
  • Vintage and special cuvée: Very good to outstanding quality and premium and super-premium prices
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the style of non-vintage sparkling wines

A

The wine usually follows a set house style

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the prerequisites of vintage Champagnes?

A
  • By law, 100 per cent of the wine must come from the year indicated
  • Theoretically, these wines are only produced from the best vintages, however, there is often some variance as different producers rate some vintages more highly than do others
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Do the vintage Champagnes reflect the house style?

A

The vintage wine will still reflect the house style, but can be a unique wine, showing the characteristics of the year without having to meet a set mould

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the methods to produce rosé Champagne?

A
  • Rosé d’assemblage: By blending red wine to white wine
  • Rosé de saignée: By skin maceration of black grapes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the major differences between “Blanc de Blancs” and “Blanc de Noirs” Champagnes in terms of taste and aging potential?

A
  • Blanc de Blancs: They can be leaner and more austere in youth, but often have an unmatched ageing potential
  • Blanc de Noirs: They are fuller bodied than Blanc de Blancs are. However, they are generally thought to age more rapidly than
    Blanc de Blancs wines
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What does Prestige Cuvée mean for Champagne?

A

This is usually the top wine in a Champagne producer’s range

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Are the Prestige Cuvées vintage wines?

A

They can be non-vintage or vintage wines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the “late release, recently disgorged” wines

A

These are wines that have seen extended ageing on lees, and are disgorged just before release onto the market, ready to be consumed immediately

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the properties of late release, “recently disgorged” wines?

A

They initially seem more youthful. However, after their disgorgement they age more rapidly than standard vintage wines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the non-sparkling appellations of Champagne?

A
  • AOC Rosé des Riceys: Still rosé wine from Pinot Noir
  • AOC Coteaux Champenois: Can be red, white or rosé but in practice is mainly a light-bodied, high acidity, pale ruby Pinot Noir
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Historically, how was the wine produced in Champagne?

A

Pink and still, made from Pinot Noir

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How is the idea of producing sparkling wines develop in Champagne?

A

In the cold winters of this northerly
region, fermentation would halt but it could start again as temperatures rose, resulting in sparkling wine.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How did the sparkling wines from Champagne become fashionable?

A
  • These slightly fizzy wines became fashionable in the English market
  • In the mid-seventeenth century, the glass produced in coal-fired ovens in England enabled bottles to be created which could reliably withstand pressure
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How did Dom Pierrre Pérignon influenced the Champagne region?

A
  • He produced first white wine from black grapes,
  • He invented the still widely used Coquard press
  • He blended wines (assemblage) to make a superior wine from grapes grown in different areas of the region
  • He re-introduced the cork stopper into France and pioneered the use of stronger, English glass, in the production of Champagne
  • However, the wines in his period were still only slightly fizzy, with Dom Pérignon himself regarding fizziness as a fault
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the developments in the 19th century which enable the production of Champagne we know today?

A
  • Development of second fermentation in the bottle using a measured amount of added sugar and yeast to produce a known pressure in the bottle
  • Madame (Veuve) Clicquot developed riddling (remuage) using pupitres
  • This enabled the next step of disgorgement, following the dipping of the neck of the bottle in an ice-cold bath of salty water
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

When is the current boundary of Champagne region set?

A

In 1927

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is échelle des crus”?

A
  • It was originally a rating system used to determine grape prices
  • Although the market now determines prices, the ratings of the échelle des crus system were used to define the grand cru and premier cru villages
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is “the blocage system”?

A
  • Initially it was a system where a portion of the young wines was set aside as an insurance policy against future disasters that might reduce yields
  • In time it become a system of storing reserve wines to enable vintage variation to be reduced and quality raised by blending for non-vintage wines
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Where is Champagne region located?

A

In north-east France, just south of the 50th parallel, directly east of Paris

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the size of Champagne region?

A

It is a large region that extends 150 km from north to south and nearly 120 km from east to west

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How is the climate of Champagne?

A

Cool continental with some oceanic influence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is the average rain per year in Champagne?

A

700 mm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is the average annual temperature of Champagne?

A

11°C

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

How is the pattern of rainfall?

A

Rain is spread throughout the year

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What are the viticultural hazards due to climate in Champagne?

A
  • Rain during flowering or fruit set can reduce yields and can also be a problem during harvest due to the spread of fungal disease and dilution of the crop
  • Spring frosts
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What are the results of the climate change in Champagne?

A

Over the last 30 years:
- Harvest dates have moved forward on average by 18 days
- Average acidity has dropped
- Potential alcohol has risen by 0.7%
- On the other hand, the region began to produce more consistently ripe grapes and fewer poor vintages

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Which property of the soil in Champagne is thought to be beneficial in the production of high-quality Chardonnay in particular?

A

High chalk content. The wider region of the Paris basin has a thick layer of chalk, an old seabed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What is the most common soil type in Champagne region?

A

Chalky soils with limestone subsoil and chalk itself

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

What is the advantage of chalky soil?

A

It is highly porous and stores water, providing a steady supply of water even in dry periods

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

What is the elevation of most vineyards in Champagne?

A

90-300 m

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

What are the 5 main production subregions of Champagne?

A
  • Montagne de Reims
  • Vallée de la Marne
  • Cote des Blancs
  • Cote de Sézanne
  • Cote des Bar
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Montagne de Reims is best known for which kind of grapes?

A

Black

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

What are the grand cru villages of Montagne de Reims?

A
  • Mailly
  • Verzenay
  • Verzy
  • Ambonnay
  • Bouzy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

What is the unusual aspect of some top cru villages in Montagne de Reims?

A

Some top villages face north, providing excellent cool-climate sites, though they are more frost prone

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

What is the characteristics of the wines of Montagne de Reims?

A

The wines tend to have very high acidity and are austere in youth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Which soil types do the grand cru villages have in Montagne de Reims?

A

The grand crus are on chalky soils, providing an excellent balance between water retention and drainage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Is Montagne de Reims a black grape only sub-region?

A

No, there are also important vineyards of Chardonnay

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

What is the major planted grape variety in Vallée de la Marne?

A

Meunier

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

What are the soil types in Vallée dela Marne?

A

Clay, marl and sandy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Which viticultural properties of Meunier make it ideal for Vallée de la Marne?

A

Bud break for Meunier is later and the ripening earlier than for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, making it well-adapted to this frost-prone valley

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Name the Grand Cru villages of Vallée de la Marne?

A

Aÿ

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Is only Meunier grown in Vallée de la Marne?

A

No, Chardonnay is also grown and used to blend into early-drinking wines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Where does the name “Côte des Blancs” come from?

A

From the fact that it is almost exclusively devoted to the cultivation of white grapes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

What is the property of the soil in Côte des Blancs?

A

It has the purest form of chalk, providing an excellent balance between water retention and drainage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

What is the percentage of Chardonnay plantation in Côte des Blancs?

A

95%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

What are the grand cru villages in Côte des Blancs?

A
  • Cramant
  • Avize
  • Oger
  • Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

What are the properties of Champagnes produced in Côte des Blancs?

A

They are wines of great intensity and longevity, which tend to be somewhat austere in their youth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

What is the soil in Côte de Sézanne?

A

Clay and clay/silt soils and some pockets of chalk

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

What is the most planted variety in Côte de Sézanne?

A

Chardonnay

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

What is the difference of Chardonnay from Côte de Sézanne when compared to other main 3 regions? Why?

A
  • The Chardonnay from Côte de Sézanne is fruitier and riper because they are planted on warmer south-east facing slopes
  • The quality of the grapes is rated lower than Montagne de Reims, Vallée dela Marne and Côte des Blancs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

What is the soil in Côte des Bar?

A
  • Kimmeridgian calcareous marl (Like Chablis and Sancerre)
  • The steep slopes and soils with stony limestone elements have excellent drainage
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

What is the importance of Côte des Bar?

A
  • The region has nearly a quarter of the vineyard area mainly planted with Pinot Noir
  • The steep slopes and soils with stony limestone elements have excellent drainage, helping Pinot Noir to ripen well
  • The relatively small plantings of Pinot Noir in the other sub-regions makes this a very important source of full flavoured, ripe Pinot Noir to blend into non-vintage blends
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

What are the percentages in terms of planted area for the 3 main grape varieties used to produce Champagne?

A
  • Pinot Noir 38 %
  • Meunier 32 %
  • Chardonnay 30 %
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Why is the plantation of Chardonnay is increasing?

A
  • There is demand for it from the big Champagne houses
  • It commands a slightly higher price per kilo for growers
  • It produces larger yields
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

What are the other grape varieties that are grown and blended in the Champagne in tiny amounts?

A
  • Pinot Blanc
  • Arbanne
  • Petit Meslier
  • Fromenteau
59
Q

What is the origin of the name of Meunier?

A

Meunier is a mutation of Pinot that has white hairs on its leaves giving it a ‘floury’ appearance (meunier means miller in French)

60
Q

What are the viticultural properties of Meunier?

A
  • It is early budding but buds later than Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Meunier (less prone to spring frosts in the cool Vallée de la Marne)
  • It does well on heavier soils (more clay) where the other varieties would not succeed
  • Early ripening. It ripens earlier than Pinot Noir, Meunier can be helpful in seasons where the harvest is interrupted by rain
  • Particularly sensitive to botrytis infection
61
Q

What does Meunier contribute to Champagne blend?

A

Fruitiness and softness. This particularly important for non-vintage wines, which are often aged on the lees for shorter times than vintage wines and are often drunk on release

62
Q

Is Meunier used for the sparkling wines intended for long ageing?

A

It tends not to be used in wines intended for long ageing, though it has champions at Krug and among growers

63
Q

What is the regulation for planting density in Champagne?

A
  • Maximum inter-row spacing of 1.5 metres and intra-row spacing of 0.9–1.5 metres
  • Total spacing (the combination of these two figures) never reaching more than 2.5 metres
  • This produces an average planting density of around 8,000 vines per hectare
64
Q

What are the approved training systems in Champagne?

A
  • Taille Chablis
  • Cordon de Royat
  • Guyot
  • Vallée de la Marne
65
Q

What kind of a training system is “Taille Chablis”?

A

Cordon trained (3-4 with a max of 5) and spur pruned (upto 5 buds)

66
Q

What should be the maximum height of the spurs for the Taille Chablis system? Why?

A
  • 60 cm
  • To ensure that the ripening fruit gets the benefit of solar energy (heat and light) reflected from the soil, especially on chalk
67
Q

What are the advantages of Taille Chablis?

A
  • It retains a good percentage of old wood, but at the same time the cordons are always relatively young. This allows on one hand the storage of reserve carbohydrates for the plant, on the other it guarantees more resistance to frost. Furthermore the constant replacement of the older wood may prevent infections and diseases to become established.
  • It is particularly good for Chardonnay: it is common for this variety to have the first two buds on the shoots unfruitful, thus the remaining three assures an adequate harvest
  • The system allows a higher yield to be achieved in the cool climate of Champagne, for Chardonnay, which is not a hugely productive cultivar in cool climates
68
Q

Cordon de Royat is used for which grape varieties?

A

Pinot Noir and Meunier

69
Q

What kind of a training system is Cordon de Royat?

A

The vine has a single cordon that is spur-pruned, and the shoots are vertically positioned

70
Q

Guyot system is permitted for which varieties in Champagne?

A

It is permitted in lesser-rated vineyards for all three varieties (Single or double)

71
Q

What kind of training system is Vallée de Marne?

A

It is similar to Guyot, but with a higher number of buds

72
Q

Which climatic hazards can cause problem in Champagne?

A
  • Occasional severe winter frost
  • Spring frosts
  • Disruption to flowering and fruit set due to cold and rainy weather in June
  • Violent storms and hail in summer
  • Hot and humid weather in summer, especially after heavy rainfall, leading to the rapid spread of botrytis
73
Q

Which pests and diseases can cause problem in Champagne?

A
  • Downy mildew
  • Powdery mildew
  • Dagger nematode, which spreads fanleaf virus
74
Q

Which vineyard and winery practices are performed for sustainable viticulture in Champagne?

A
  • Using sexual confusion techniques increasingly used to control pest populations instead of pesticides
  • Soil protection methods like the management of groundwater on slopes and the increased use of cover cropping to enhance biodiversity
  • Water management schemes have often been put in place as well as the recycling of waste and by-products
  • Using lighter weight Champagne bottle for non-vintage cuvées as introduced by Comité Champagne in 2010 (60 gr lighter and estimated annual reduction in CO2 output is 8,000 metric tonnes)
75
Q

How are the harvest date and yield determined in Champagne?

A
  • The Comité Champagne is responsible for setting harvest dates and yields each year
  • It by takes grape samples from approximately 450 control plots from the time of véraison, measuring the rate of colour change, the average weight, the sugar concentration and acidity and the incidence of botrytis
76
Q

Should all the producers harvest at the harvest date determined by The Comité Champagne?

A
  • No, the harvest dates are only start dates, and individual producers can choose to start picking a day or several days later
  • Alternatively, by derogation, they can apply to the INAO (Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité) to start picking their grapes earlier than the official opening date for their particular village
77
Q

Give one example when a derogation is sought for the harvest date in Champagne

A

If botrytis is threatening the crop and it is necessary to pick at below the minimum alcohol by volume normally required

78
Q

What does The Comité Champagne aim by setting the yields?

A
  • To protect the quality of wine by avoiding over-cropping
  • To protect the price of Champagne
  • To regulate supply and demand
79
Q

Which body is responsible for managing the levels of reserve stocks?

A

The Comité Champagne

80
Q

What is the upper limit of yield in Champagne, as controlled by EU?

A

15,500 kilos/hectare (yields achieved in the big production years 2006 and 2007)

81
Q

What are the Champagne AOC regulations about harvesting and pressing?

A

Hand picking and whole bunch pressing

82
Q

What is the advantage of hand-picking?

A

Avoiding crushing and oxidation and microbial spoilage, thereby preserving fruit quality

83
Q

Generally, how long the harvest last in Champagne?

A

Around 3 weeks

84
Q

What is the required amount of labour for the harvest in Champagne each year?

A

100,000 people

85
Q

How are the harvested grapes carried?

A

In perforated bins with a maximum capacity of 50 kg

86
Q

How many pressing centers are there in Champagne?

A

1900

87
Q

What is the aim of having many pressing centers in Champagne?

A

To keep transportation times to a minimum

88
Q

What is the source of labor for the Champagne harvest workforce?

A

Travelling workforce

89
Q

What is the criteria for some top producers while they are paying their workers for harvesting?

A

They pay the pickers a premium for quality
rather than just by weight

90
Q

What is the aim of pressing the whole bunches with a gradual increase in pressure in méthode champenoise?

A
  • To ensure high juice quality, low phenolics
  • To make white wine from black Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes
91
Q

What is “mark”?

A

It is 4000 kg of grapes that is loaded by hand to a basket press

92
Q

What s the maximum yield in Champagne?

A

It is normally 79 hL/ha, but this can be raised to 98 hL/ha and the surplus put into reserve if this is agreed by the Comité Champagne

93
Q

What are the fractions of the juice in Champagne?

A
  • Cuvée: The first 2,050 litres (per 4,000 kilos of grapes), made up of free run juice and the first pressing
  • Taille: 500 litres
94
Q

What is the aim of limiting the amount of total pressing for Champagne?

A

To protect wine quality by avoiding over-extraction of phenolics and maintains fruit flavours

95
Q

What are the differences between cuvée and taille?

A
  • Cuvée: It is rich in acids and produces wines with great finesse and long ageing potential
  • Taille: It has lower acidity but is richer in colouring pigments and phenolics
96
Q

Which type of Champagne has more taille, vintage or non-vintage?

A

Non-vintage

97
Q

What are the minimum and maximum abv for Champagne?

A

11% and 13%

98
Q

What can producers do if the natural levels of sugar in the juice are not high enough to reach a minimum alcohol level of 11% abv?

A

Chaptalisation

99
Q

What is the most common vessel for the fermentation of base wine for Champagne?

A

Stainless steel tanks

100
Q

What is the new trend for the fermentation vessel of base wine for Champagne?

A

Number of quality producers are re-introducing some oak, particularly in the form of large oak foudres, done largely to introduce more textural richness and mouthfeel

101
Q

What can be the choices for malolactic conversion after the first fermentation of base wine for Champagne is finished?

A
  • Many producers use it for reducing and soften the acidity of the wine
  • Some producers avoid it feeling their style is better without this modification
  • Some producers do it when it ca be beneficial like cool years
102
Q

Why is the experience of the chef de cave (master blender) important?

A

To predict the development of a wine over time, before second fermentation and maturation has even begun

103
Q

What is the most important factor to achieve consistency of style especially for NV Champagne?

A

The number of different still wines that can be blended (larger houses have larger capacities and financial strength for that)

104
Q

What is the other advantage to having reserve wines other than blending options for Champagne?

A

It reduces the risk that a wine cannot be made in any one year because of damage caused by disease, frost or localised hail

105
Q

What is the percentage of reserve wines in non vintage Champagnes?

A
  • 10-15% in often from last one or two vintages is typical for many large brands
  • Some premium brands have large proportions of older wines (30–40 per cent) to create added depth and complexity
106
Q

What are the options for storing reserve wines?

A
  • Stainless steel: If producing large volumes of wine, reserve wines will be kept reductively in stainless steel containers
  • Old oak: To add mildly oxidative notes
  • Unusual options:
    + Magnums (Bollinger)
    + Perpetual: A proportion of wine is drawn off every year for blending and it is replaced by young wine, thereby creating a blend of younger and older wines to use as reserve wine with a view to adding complexity
107
Q

Most of the rosé Champagnes are produced by which method?

A

Most rosé Champagne is made by blending a small proportion of still, dry red wine (made from locally grown Pinot Noir and/or Meunier) with the white base wines to achieve the desired colour and flavour profile

108
Q

Why is production of rosé Champagne by using contact with the black grape skins is tricky?

A

Yeast absorbs colour pigments from the wine during each fermentation, so achieving the desired colour in the finished sparkling wine requires experience and expertise

109
Q

Why is the brioche flavours that come from autolysis is more prominent in Champagne produced in cooler climates?

A

Due to the lower intensity of primary fruit present

110
Q

What are the minimum aging requirements for non-vintage and vintage Champagne?

A
  • Non-vintage: Minimum of 15 months maturing in the producer’s cellar, 12 months of which must be maturation on the lees
  • Vintage: Minimum of 36 months maturing in the producer’s cellar, 12 months of which must be maturation on the lees. However in practice most vintage wines will be aged for much longer on the lees than the 12 months
111
Q

After how many years lees aging does not contribute to the wine?

A

10 years

112
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of keeping the Champagne on its lees for a long period of time?

A
  • Advantage: Helps to protect against oxidation and late disgorged wines can command higher prices
  • Disadvantage: All time spent on lees adds to the production cost of Champagne and therefore to market price
113
Q

How can the liqueur d’expédition affect the character of Champagne?

A
  • The sweetness of the Champagne is determined by the amount of sugar in it
  • Youthful base wines from the current vintage give light fresh flavours,
  • Aged reserve wine set aside in cask, barrel or magnum provide aromas of baked apple and dried fruit
  • It can also be used to correct colour differences in rosé production
114
Q

What should the cork of a Champagne display?

A

The name ‘Champagne’ and state the vintage where appropriate

115
Q

How are the prices for the the grapes set?

A
  • In the early twentieth century, a system known as the échelle des crus was created to establish the prices to be paid for grapes (17 grand cru villages 100%, 42 premiere premiere cru villages 90-99% and 257 other villages 80-89%)
  • This system ended under pressure from the EU, the prices today are determined by the market with the biggest buyer of all, Moët & Chandon, in effect setting the trend
116
Q

How are the Champagnes produced in grand and premiere cru labeled?

A
  • If the grapes all come from one village, the name of the village can appear on the label (e.g. ‘Grand Cru Cramant’)
  • If the fruit comes from a number of grand cru villages, then it is labelled simply as “Grand cru”
117
Q

Why do the large Champagne houses tend to focus on blended wines and to emphasise the quality of vintage or prestige cuvées, rather than promoting the names of individual villages or vineyards?

A
  • Grand cru or premier cru designation refers to the village as a whole, not to individual vineyards, as inevitably there is variation within a village due to aspect, soil and other factors and some villages are much bigger than others
  • The need for producing large volumes of wine
118
Q

How many grower are there in Champagne?

A

16.000

119
Q

How many Champagne houses are there in Cahmpagne?

A

340

120
Q

How is the vineyard area distributed between producers and Champagne houses in Champagne?

A
  • Growers: 90%
  • Champagne houses: 10%
121
Q

What is the function of cooperatives in Champagne?

A

They provide a bridging point between the growers, who own the majority of the vineyards, and the houses, who sell most of the Champagne but only own about 10 per cent of the vineyards

122
Q

What is the function of brokers in Champagne?

A

Brokers, too, play an important role in finding wine for the houses, acting as a go-between

123
Q

What are the three kinds of businesses that are reflected in the codes on Champagne bottles?

A
  • NM: Négociant manipulant (négociant). Referred to as ‘houses’, buy grapes, must or wine to make Champagne on their own premises and market it under their own label
  • RM: Récoltant manipulant Referred to as ‘growers’, make and markets their own label from grapes exclusively sourced from their own vineyards and processed on their own premises
  • CM: Coopérative de manipulation. These businesses are co-operatives that market Champagne under their own label from members’ grapes
124
Q

What is “négoce”?

A

Négociant and the group as a whole is called négoce

125
Q

What are the major groupings of Champagne houses?

A
  • LVMH: Largest of the groupings, owns Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Mercier, Veuve
    Clicquot, Ruinart and Krug
  • Vranken Pommery Monopole: Owns Vranken, Pommery, Monopole Heidsieck, Charles Lafitte and Bissinger
126
Q

What is the total sale for Champagne in 2018?

A

302 million bottles

127
Q

How is the percentage of domestic sales and export for Champagne?

A
  • Fifty fifty
128
Q

What is the percentage of all Champagne sales and exports for the houses, co-operatives and growers?

A
  • Houses: 73% of all sales, 87% of all exports
  • Cooperatives: 12% of all sales evenly split between the home and the export market . However Nicolas Feuillatte is the third biggest Champagne selling brand on its own
  • Growers: 17% of all sales, most is in home market
129
Q

What are the recent changes in Champagne industry?

A
  • The co-operatives, in addition to selling base wine to the large houses, have moved into making and promoting their own brands,
  • The large houses have moved to buy their grapes directly from growers or via agents, and deal less with the co-operatives
130
Q

How is the maximum yield is set for Champagne?

A
  • Two parts to the system are taken into account: grape yields for base wine for the coming year; plus, an allowance for wines to go into reserves
  • This is done in the light of current stocks, world demand and the progress of the season until the decision is made in late July
131
Q

Why is the average price of Champagne is low in domestic market of France?

A

Due to the volume of inexpensive Champagne sold in supermarkets in France

132
Q

How is the sales for Champagne changed in years in terms of price category?

A

The percentage of the cheapest wines (under €12) has dropped steadily recently, while the percentage of wine over €20 has risen steadily

133
Q

What are the main export markets for Champagne?

A
  • UK
  • USA
  • Japan
  • Germany
  • Belgium
134
Q

What are the two most valuable markets with highest price paid per bottle?

A

USA and Japan

135
Q

Which country has the biggest market by volume and the lowest average per bottle price in the top ten export destinations for Champagne?

A

UK

136
Q

How is Champagne repositioning itself in sparkling wine category?

A
  • Away from the volume market in the light of the growth of mid-priced sparkling wine, especially Prosecco
  • The focus is now wines at higher price points
  • Volume has dropped by 10% but value has risen by a quarter in the decade to 2018
137
Q

What are the main factors that increase the cost of production of Champagne?

A
  • Prices for grapes (€6.10 per kilo, with around 1.2 kg of grapes needed to produce one 75 cL bottle of Champagne)
  • Vintage Champagne is more expensive to produce than non-vintage (It cannot be sold for three years, as against 15 months for non-vintage)
  • Using oak or the primary fermentation or base-wine ageing in any style of Champagne
138
Q

What is the breakdown of cost for producing Champagne?

A
  • Grapes: 50 %
  • Production: 30%
  • Marketing and advertising: 20 %
139
Q

Why is there has been shift towards having more and more control over distribution among the large players in Champagne?

A
  • As this is the only way they can control the price at which their wine is sold in different markets
  • This is essential if they wish to limit grey market trading, where a product is bought and sold outside of the manufacturer’s authorised trading channels
140
Q

How can Champagne houses distribute their wines other than distributing it themselves?

A

Some Champagne houses prefer to use agents to distribute their wine

141
Q

How can a relatively small number of growers in Champagne sell their wines internationally, in a number of different markets?

A

They typically use specialist agents who champion growers’ wines in small specialist wine shops, and to private clients and the hospitality sector

142
Q

How do most of the producers market their wines in Champagne?

A

Lacking money for other forms of marketing, growers will often promote their wines through visits in person to key market.

143
Q

What are the new products and trends for Champagne

A
  • There is a small, niche market for Brut Nature sold primarily in specialist wine shops
    and restaurants
  • The two driest categories, Brut Nature and Extra Brut, have gained ground
  • At the other end of the sweetness scale, major Champagne houses have launched sweet
    wines that are intended to be drunk over ice and in cocktails. This trend was started by Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial that is Demi-Sec and has been heavily promoted in the upmarket travel sector
  • Rosé Champagne is increasingly in demand in line with the demand for rosé in general. The percentage of rosé Champagne shipments has increased from 3 per cent to
    approximately 10 per cent since the beginning of the century
  • There is increased interest in single-vineyard Champagnes
  • Grower champagnes continue to attract increasing interest
144
Q

What are the significant growers which produce Champagne?

A
  • Domaine Jacques Selosse (Côte des Blancs)
  • Champagne Jacquesson (Montagne des Reims)
  • Champagne Drappier (Côte des Bar)

WSET 4 D4 by Sarp Sarac (22 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions