France - Champagne Flashcards
What is Champagne’s approximate latitude?
49 degrees
Where in France is Champagne located?
North East France
From North to South, what are the important towns of Champagne?
Reims, Épernay, Sézanne, Troyes, Les Riceys
Name the important geographical features of Champagne
The Vesle which flows into the Marne River, The Aube & Seine rivers which join before flowing off to Paris. The eponymous Côtes, or hills that are cut through by these rivers.
What is the climate of Champagne
Cool Continental
What soil types will you find in Champagne?
Lots of chalk & limestone, with Kimmerigean marl in the Cote des Bar
List the 5 major champagne growing areas from N to S and their associated plantings
Montagne de Reim - PN
Valley de la Marne - Meunier
Cote des Blancs - Chardonnay
Cote de Sézanne - Chard
Cote des Bar - PN
List the 3 primary and 4 Accessory grapes of Champagne
PN, Meunier, Chard
PG, PB, Arbonne, Petit Meslier
How is quality classified in champagne?
Villages within each AOC are granted Grand above (90%) et autre (below 90) cru status via a échelle des cru Champagnois or ladder of quality which was established in the 20s to set grape prices but abolished in the 2000s. Villages were evaluated for subsoil, aspect, sun & wind exposure, microclimate, etc. 17 villages retain grand cru status, and 51 premier cru.
From which grand cru village have you sampled champagne? Which villages will you be on the lookout for?
Cramant
Aÿ, Bouzy, Champillon, Dizy
What is grower champagne and how is it denoted?
Most grape growers in champagne sell their grapes or vins clairs to big houses, but growers champagne is a cool artisinal wine crafted by the house that grew the grapes. It’s denoted by the acronym RM or récoltant-manipulant.
What is a Marc?
A marc is 4,000 kilos, the traditional measurement for weight of grapes allowed in a press (from marchier, to trample)
What is vin clair?
The high acid, low alcohol, dry fermented, clarified base that’s very carefully made to be blended and bottled into champagne.
What is réserve?
Vins clairs held back to be added to future releases, allowing for consistent house styles of non vintage champagne.
How is pressing unique in Champagne?
It’s highly regulated You can only extract 25.5 hectares per marc, and only the first 20.5 of those hectares from the free run & the first light pressings can be used in premium champagne. This juice is known as the cuvée. The last 5 hectares becomes the taille; it’ll have more bitter phenolics but can be used in champagne intended to be demi-sec or sweeter to balance the phenolics. Any liquid extracted beyond 25.5hectares produces a rebêche, which is too bitter for champagne but can be fermented to still wine, distilled to spirit, or turned into vinegar.
