France: Champagne Flashcards
What is the climate & terroir of Champagne
Climate: Continental, cool
Soil: famous for chalky soils, clay and marl deposits
What are the major grape varieties used in Champagne
- Chardonnay (white)
- Pinot Noir (red)
- Pinot Meunier (red)
Blanc de Noirs
100% red grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier or both) , ‘white from black’
Blanc de Blanc
100% Chardonnay, ‘white from white’
List the five major regions of Champagne
- Montagne de Reims
- Vallée de la Marne
- Côtes de Blancs
- Côte de Sézanne
- Côtes des Bar, ‘The Aube’
Which region plants 50% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 17% Pinot Meunier with 9 Grand Cru Villages
Montagne de Reims
List the 9 Grand Cru villages of Montagne de Reims
- Ambonnay
- Bouzy
- Louvois
- Mailly
- Verzenay
- Verzy
- Beaumont-sur-Vesle
- Puisieulx
- Sillery
Which region in Champagne plants mostly Pinot Meunier, 33% Pinot Noir and ~10% Chardonnay with 2 Grand Cru villages
Vallée de la Marne
List the 2 Grand Cru villages of Vallée de la Marne
- Tours-sur-Marne
- Aÿ
Which region plants almost exclusively Chardonnay with 6 Grand Cru villages
Côtes de Blancs
List the 6 Grand Cru villages of Côtes de Blancs
- Avize
- Chouilly
- Cramant
- Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
- Oger
- Oiry
Which region in Champagne plants about 70% Chardonnay with no Grand Cru or Premier Cru vineyards
Côte de Sézanne
Which region in Champagne plants 85% Pinot Noir
Côtes des Bar, ‘The Aube’
List the levels of sweetness used to classify Champagne
- Brut Nature: Bone dry, sugar = 0-3g/L
- Extra Brut: Bone dry, sugar = 0-6g/L
- Brut: sugar = 0-12g/L
- Extra Dry/ Extra Sec: Semi-dry to semi-sweet, sugar = 12-17g/L
- Demi-Sec: Medium sweet, sugar = 32-50g/L
- Sec: Noticeable sugar, rarely sold in the US
- Doux: Sweetest style, sugar = 50+g/L
How long must Non-vintage Champagne be aged
At least 15 months after 2nd fermentation, often aged for 30-36 months
How long must Vintage Champagne be aged
Must be aged three years before disgorgement, typically aged 4-5 years before release
Assemblage
Putting together a blend of different wines and/or years
Autolysis
Bi-chemical process during which yeast cells are broken down
Co-operative manipulante (CM)
A grower’s co-op that pools resources and produces wine under a single brand
Marque d’Acheteur (MA)
aka ‘Buyer’s Own Brand’; A large retail or restaurant that buys a finished wine and sells it under their own private label
Négociant Distributeur (ND)
A buyer who labels and distributes Champagne that they didn’t grow nor produce
Négociant-manipulant (NM)
Champagne merchsnt who may buy grapes or wine from others to blend their own wines. All the major houses are négociants
Récolant-coopérateur (RC)
Small grower without wine making facilities who sends their grapes to local co-operative for vinification and can sell the wine under their own label. Not a real growers’ wine as the grapes can be mixed with other producers in this process
Récolant-manipulant (RM)
A grower-producer who uses a min. 95% estate fruit. This is classically considered the grower Champagne producer type, although it’s possible for a Maison to use this classification on a sub-label or brand
