FWS Champagne Flashcards by Sarah Horton

What is the climate of Champagne?

Continental climate
with maritime influences

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What are the sub-regions of Champagne?

Montagne de Reims (NE)
Vallée de la Marne (NW)
Côte des Blancs (Central)
Côte des Bar (SE)

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What significant event occurred in Champagne in 1650?

Exceptional cold halted fermentation, restarting in Spring, causing slight effervescence

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What wooden tools were used in the 1600s to release gas during Champagne production?

Wooden whisks called ‘Mossers’

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What advancements in the 17th century helped master sparkling wine production?

Stronger glass bottles
Uniform bottle neck openings
Use of cork for air-tight seal

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Who is credited with advancing the blending of grapes in Champagne?

Dom Pérignon in the 1670s

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When was the first intentional Champagne produced?

1695-1698

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What was the first Champagne house established?

Ruinart in 1729

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What discovery did Louis Pasteur make in 1857 that impacted Champagne production?

The action of yeast enabling winemakers to fine-tune fermentation

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What does the House style in Champagne aim to achieve?

Blending for consistency and to minimise risk of crop loss

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What are mono-parcelle and mono-cru Champagnes?

Champagnes that produce terroir-driven bottlings from single vineyard or single village

Emphasise terroir and vintage variation

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Give a unique fact about cooperatives in Champagne?

Champagne has the most cooperatives of all French wine regions

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How does Champagne regulate annual yields?

Based on market demand to ensure price stability

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What historical event marked the decline of the Roman Empire in relation to Champagne?

Clovis, King of the Franks, united the future country of France

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What term can sparkling wines outside the Champagne region not use?

Champagne or ‘Méthode Champenoise’

Méthode traditionelle can be used instead

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What is the geological composition of Champagne’s soils?

Chalk
Limestone rich Marl
Sand and Clay

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What is the Echelle des Crus?

A ranking system for different terroirs in Champagne on a scale of 80-100%
100% = Grand Cru (17 villages)
90-99% = Premier Cru (42 villages)
80-90% = Champagne AOC

most grand cru villages are in Montagne de Reims

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What grape varieties are commonly used in Champagne?

Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Meunier
Pinot Gris

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What is the impact of global warming on Champagne?

Rising temperatures, earlier harvests, increased frost risk
Better ripening for Pinot Noir and Meunier

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What is the difference between Vintage and Non-Vintage Champagne?

Vintage is crafted from fruit grown in a stated vintage, 12 months on lees, 3 years ageing before release
Non-Vintage uses multiple vintages, 12 months on lees + 3 months in bottle

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What is a Prestige Cuvée?

Champagne house’s highest-quality bottlings

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What is a Special Club in Champagne?

Peer-reviewed outstanding vintages from the ‘Club Trésors de Champagne’

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What is the term for still wines produced in Champagne?

Côteaux Champenois AOC

What does NM stand for in Champagne production?

Négociant-Manipulant: a producer who incorporates grapes purchased from others

What is the first step in the Champagne method of production?

Hand-harvested bunches to avoid pigmentation, oxidation, and bitter phenolics

What occurs during the Tirage process in Champagne production?

Bottling and adding liqueur de tirage to start the second fermentation | Tirage = adding yeast and sugar for the second fermentation

What is the Liqueur de dosage used for?

To replace the lost wine after disgorgement

What are the classifications of sweetness levels in Champagne?

* Brut Nature: 0-3g/l * Extra Brut: 0-6g/l * Brut: 0-12g/l * Extra Sec: 12-17g/l * Sec: 17-32g/l * Demi-Sec: 32-50g/l * Doux: 50g/l

What are the two fermentation methods for sparkling wines?

* Méthode Champenoise: 2 distinct fermentations * Rural / Méthode Ancestrale: 1 fermentation with a pause

Champagne map

What was the significance of Troyes, historically?

It was the capital of Champagne and home to the counts of Champagne

What are sparkling wines outside of Champagne called?

* Crémant * Mousseux * Pétillant (Naturel) Méthode Ancestrale

Which grape likes chalk soils?

Chardonnay

What are the two types of chalk in Champagne?

Belemnite (fossilised dart-like squid, in best locations) Micraster (fossilised sea-urchins) | Belemnite:upper-mid-slopes, optimal for sun, air circulation, drainage

Where is limestone-rich marl found in Champagne?

* Montagne de Reims * Côte des Bar | Great for PINOT NOIR

Where is Kimmeridgean marl found in Champagne?

* Côte des Bar (Pinot Noir) | Kimmeridgean marl = Fossilised oysters

Where is sand and clay found in Champagne?

Vallée de la Marne (Meunier) | Val de Reims and Côteaux Sud d'Epernay

Which grape is grown in Côte des Blancs?

Chardonnay

What does Chardonnay bring to the Champagne blend?

Apple Citrus High acidity

What does Pinot Noir bring to the Champagne blend?

Strawberry Cherry Structure Less acidity

What does Meunier bring to the Champagne blend?

Red fruit Earthiness Softens the blend

Which attributes drive clonal selection in Champagne?

High acidity resistance to grey rot / botrytis Early ripening

Why are so few Champagnes 'organic'?

They are made from purchased grapes from various areas | each area would have to be certified as organic

What is a Blanc de Blancs?

Champagne from white grapes (usually Chardonnay)

What is Blanc de Noirs?

Champagne from black grapes (usually Pinot Noir / Meunier)

What is a rosé Champagne?

Champagne with added Pinot Noir wine or by rosé made the saignée method

What is late-disgorged Champagne?

Champagne aged for years on lees before disgorgement

What is Solera / Perpetual Reserve Champagne?

New vintages are added to an established base wine

What is RM on a Champagne label?

Récoltant-Manipulant, a producer who vinifies their own estate-grown grapes

What are the steps of the Champagne process?

1. Hand-harvest grapes 2. Déborbage (settling) 3. Vin clair (base wine - first fermentation) 4. Optional malolactic conversion 5. Assemblage (blending) 6. Tirage (bottling) and Prise de Mousse (second fermentation) 7. Elevage sur lattes (aged on lees) 8. Remuage (riddling) 9. Dégorgement (disgorging) 10. Liqueur de dosage (sugar and wine) 11. Bottle closure (cylindrical cork and cage)

Define 'sur lattes'

bottles resting on their sides on wooden slats

Define 'crayères'

Underground chalk quarries used as wine cellars

Define 'Prise de Mousse'

The second fermentation that produces bubbles

Define 'Remuage'

Riddling to move lees to the neck of the bottle

What is a Pupitre?

A traditional wooden rack used for riddling

Define 'dégorgement'

Removing the yeast plug from the bottle

What shape is a cork if it is juponé or chevillé?

Juponé: mushroom Chevillé: peg-shaped