FWS - Champagne Flashcards
Non-vintage Champagne must spend a min. of ___ months in the cellar from 2nd fermentation to release.
15
Vintage Champagne must spend a total of ___ years in the cellar.
3
Mousseux sparkling wines contain a min. of ___ atmospheres of pressure.
3
Who is credited with crafting the first French sparkling wine?
The monks of Saint Hilaire in Limoux
As early as the 9th century, the wines of Champagne were known as ?
Vins de la Montagne and Vins de la Riviere
Since the Medieval times, Reims was famous for what industry?
Textiles
What is the oldest Champagne house established in 1729?
Ruinart
The region of Aube is south of which city, which was once the capital of the Champagne region?
Troyes
What is the most northerly of all French wine regions?
Champagne
What are the traditional grapevines of Champagne?
Gouais and Fromenteau
Petit Meslier is a a cross of which grapes?
Gouais Blanc x Savagnin
What are the modern grapevines of Champagne?
Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
The Cote des Bar is planted mostly with which grape?
Pinot Noir
Montagne de Reims is planted mostly with which grape?
Pinot Noir (with some Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay)
Vallee de la Marne is planted mostly with which grape?
Pinot Meunier
Cote des Blancs is mostly planted with which grape?
Chardonnay
Cote des Blanc is situated in which direction from Epernay?
South
Vallee de la Marne is situated in which direction from Epernay?
West
Cote de Sezanne is mostly planted with which grape?
Chardonnay
Vitry-le-Francois is mostly planted with which grape?
Chardonnay
What is the calcium-rich sedimentary soil with a preponderance of the ancient arrow or dart-like relative of today’s squid?
Belemnite chalk
What is the calcium-rich sedimentary soil composed of fossilized sea urchins?
Micraster chalk
The Cote des Bar is part of which ring?
The Kimmeridgean Ring
Kimmeridegean marl is also known as?
Virgulien marl
What are underground quarries dug out by the Romans called?
crayers
How many AOC’s are in Champagne?
3
Which AOC produces a rose wine from Pinot Noir in the Aube?
AOC Rose des Riceys
Which AOC covers the exact same zone of production as AOC Champagne and utilizes the same grapes, but produces still wine only?
AOC Coteaux Champenois
What is sparkling wine produced with one alcoholic fermentation that underwent a winter pause called?
Rural method or Ancestral method
Who is credited with creating the cuvee of Champagne grapes?
Dom Perignon
What is the French term to describe the second alcoholic fermentation?
Prise de Mousse
What is the French term for storing Champagne bottles on its side?
Sur lattes
Champagne must spend a min. of ____ months on its lees.
12 months
Who is credited with using cork to seal the glass bottles in the Champagne process?
Dom Perignon
Who is credited with using strong English glass in the Champagne process?
Dom Perignon
Who is credited with the process of remuage?
Nicole Barbe Ponsardin (Veuve Cliquot)
What is a mushroom-shaped cork called in French?
Jupone
What is a peg-shaped cork called in French?
Cheville
Who is credited with initiating the trend of producing less sweet sparkling wines?
Madame Pommery
Who is credited with adding the “liqueur de tirage”?
Brother Jean Oudart (of the Abbey of St. Pierre aux Monts)
What step in the Champagne method guarantees a sparkling product?
Liqueur de tirage
All Champagne contains approx. ___ atmospheres of pressure.
6
What Champagne region is included in the Kimmeridgian Ring?
Côtes des Bar
What is a chaufrette?
A smudge-pot or oil burning device used to prevent grape vines from freezing during cold snaps
What are the four principal sub-regions of Champagne?
Montaigne de Reims & Val de Reims
Vallée de la Marne
Côtes des Blancs
Côtes des Bar
What is “transversage”?
The process of using 750 ml bottles to fill larger format bottles after disgorgement
What is disgorgement “à la volée”?
Traditional disgorgment by hand
What does the abbreviation NM refer to?
Négociant-Manipulant - a producer of Champagne who buys grapes from others
How many standard bottles of wine are contained in a Jéroboam?
4
What does the term tirage mean?
Bottling
What is remuage?
Riddling or turning the champagne bottles to collect the lees in the neck
What are the seven levels of sweetness of Champagne from driest to sweetest?
Brut Nature
Extra Brut
Brut
Extra-Sec
Sec
Demi-Sec
Doux
What are the aging requirements for vintage Champagne?
12 months on lees
24 months in cellar
Total of 36
What are the aging requirements for non vintage champagne?
12 months on lees
3 months in cellar
15 months total
What does the abbreviation RM refer to?
Récoltant-Manipulant - a producer who grows their own grapes and makes their own Champagne
What are the 3 AOCs in Champagne?
Rosé des Riceys
Coteaux Champenois
Champagne
What are the 3 levels of the Echelle des Crus?
Grand Cru: 100% (17 Villages)
Premier Cru: 90-99% (42 Villages)
Cru: 80-89% (255 Villages)
What is a pupitre?
An A-frame rack used for riddling Champagne bottles
What is a Tête de Cuvée?
A Champagne House’s prestige bottling
How many standard bottles are in a Réhoboam?
6
How many standard bottles are in a Balthazar?
16
How many standard bottles are in a Salmanazar?
12
What does the abbreviation CM refer to?
Cooperative de Manipulation - a cooperative that makes Champagne using the grapes of its members
What were the principal grapes of Champagne in the 9th to 16th centuries?
Gouais and Fromenteau
What does the abbreviation RC refer to?
Récoltant-Coopérateur - a grower who sends their grapes to a co-op to be made into Champagne, then sells the wine under a private label.
What is the most widely planted grape in Champagne?
Pinot Noir (38%)
How many standard bottles are in a Nebuchadnezzar?
20
How many standard bottles are in a Methuselah?
8
Why is Belamite chalk preferred over Micraster chalk?
Belamite is found in the upper to mid slope, where there is more sun and better water retention
