Quiz 02 - Champagne Flashcards
Briefly describe the main different styles of Champagne.
Non-Vintage or NV:
Usually adheres to a house style but made from wines blended from a number of vintages.
Vintage:
In theory produced from the best vintages and 100% of the wine must come from the vintage indicated.
Rosé:
Pink sparkling wines usually produced by blending red and white wines.
Blanc de Blancs:
Sparkling white wines made from white grapes only.
Blanc de Noirs:
Sparkling white wines made from black grapes only.
Prestige Cuvée:
Usually the top wine in a Champagne producer’s range.
Late release, recently disgorged wines:
Sparkling wines that have experienced extended ageing on lees and are disgorged just before sale. Generally intended for consumption soon after disgorgement.
What type of climate does Champagne have?
cool continental
This region is classified as cool because it has an average GST of 16.5°C (62°F) or below. Although there are some oceanic influences, Champagne would be classed as continental.
Describe the climate in Champagne and the influence of climate change over the last 30 years on potential alcohol and style of wine.
The average rainfall per year in Champagne is 700 mm per year.
The annual average temperature in Champagne is 11 °C.
Levels of sunshine in Champagne across the year are moderate.
The region has a short growing season, and frosts can often hinder the vine’s growth cycle.
Over the last 30 years, the potential alcohol for sparkling wines from Champagne has risen by 0.7 %.
These factors result in light bodied wines with high acidity and crisp fruit flavours.
Why may the effect of Botrytis be detrimental to the production of sparkling wines?
- Botrytised grapes can cause serious oxidation in wines through the enzyme laccase that is released by botrytis-infected grapes.
- Fewer bubbles may form during second fermentation if the wine is made from botrytised grapes.
Name the five sub-regions of Champagne.
- Montagne de Reims
- Vallée de la Marne
- Côte des Blancs
- Côte de Sézanne
- Côte des Bar
What are the seven permitted grape varieties in the Champagne region?
- Arbanne
- Chardonnay
- Fromenteau
- Meunier
- Petit Meslier
- Pinot Blanc
- Pinot Noir
Name the dominant grape variety in each of the 5 sub-regions of Champagne.
- Montagne de Reims - Pinot Noir
- Vallée de la Marne - Meunier
- Côte des Blancs - Chardonnay
- Côte de Sézanne - Chardonnay
- Côte des Bar - Pinot Noir
Briefly describe the characteristics of the Meunier grape and what style of wine it produces/its role in blends.
This is a black grape variety and a mutation of Pinot.
It is recognised for the white hairs that grow on the underside of the leaf.
Meunier is an early budding and ripening variety but buds later than Pinot Noir and ripens earlier.
It grows very well in heavy clay soils, when other varieties might struggle in this cool climate.
A useful variety in the blend for Champagne, particularly in cooler vintages when Pinot Noir might struggle to fully ripen.
The wines produced are lighter and fruitier than Pinot Noir, ideal for NV blends when the wines are designed for early drinking.
Describe the typical types of soil in each of the 5 sub-regions in Champagne.
Montagne de Reims
Soils in Grand Crus are chalky.
Vallée de la Marne
Soils clay, marl and sandy soils.
Côte des Blancs
Soils are the purest form of chalk.
Côte des Bar
Soils are clay and clay/silt soils and some pockets of chalk.
Côte de Sézanne
Soils are Kimmeridgian calcareous marls.
Briefly explain how the topography and soils in each of the 5 main sub-regions influence the planting of the three main grape varieties, and the styles of wines produced.
Montagne de Reims, despite what the name suggests, is more of a plateau than a mountain with some of the top villages facing north, meaning cooler sites and greater risk of frost. It is more known for black grapes, particularly Pinot Noir as it buds early and ripens early, but Chardonnay does extremely well in parts. The soils are chalk which provides enough moisture but more importantly excellent drainage.
Vallée de la Marne is prone to frost and as a result Meunier is the most planted grape variety, as it buds later than Pinot Noir and ripens earlier. The vines are planted on south facing slopes to optimize heat during the growing season. The soils include clay, marl and sand, so relatively cool but suitable for Meunier to ripen successfully.
Côte des Blancs - As the name suggests this area is predominantly planted with Chardonnay and the soils are chalk which provides excellent drainage and water retention in dry periods. Many of the vineyards are east facing, allowing vines to receive available warmth from the earliest part of the day.
Côte de Sézanne continues on from the Côte des Blancs but the soil is dominated by clay and clay/silt with only small pockets of chalk. There are no Grand Cru Villages unlike the previous mentioned sub-regions and the quality of the grapes are rated lower as the soil types have an influence on the ripeness of the fruit. Chardonnay is planted on the warmer south-east facing slopes.
Côte des Bar is dominated by Pinot Noir. The soils are Kimmeridgian calcareous marls, the same as what is found in Chablis and Sancerre. The steep slopes include limestone which aids ripening and drainage.
Briefly describe the four main training systems used in Champagne.
Taille Chablis
This system is widely recognised as the best for Chardonnay. It usually has 3–4 cordons (old wood), to a maximum of five. It is a form of spur pruning.
Cordon du Royat
This system is used for Pinot Noir and Meunier. The vine has a single cordon that is spur-pruned, and the shoots are vertically positioned.
Guyot
This replacement cane system with vertical shoot positioning is permitted in lesser-rated vineyards for all three varieties.
Vallée de la Marne
The method is similar to the one above, but with a higher number of buds. It is being used less now than in the past.
Briefly detail why high yields can be beneficial to the production of grapes for Champagne, and how high yields might be achieved.
- High acid levels with low potential alcohol and light fruit flavours are preferred for grapes destined for Champagne production.
- This is easier achieved with higher yields in a cool climate like Champagne.
- For the black grape varieties the tannins and colour do not play a huge part in most Champagne styles, so the grapes do not have to be fully ripe either.
- Planting density is relatively high at approximately 8.000 vines per hectare and the average number of fruiting buds per vine must not exceed 18 per square metre which allows for a high crop load.
All pruning methods in Champagne are limited to a maximum average number of fruiting buds per square meter. What is the maximum number of buds per square meter?
18
List the 6 primary climatic hazards, pests and diseases that may hinder grape growing in the Champagne region.
- Severe winter frost, which can kill vines or parts of vines.
- Spring frosts, which can destroy new buds and reduce yields.
- Rainy or cold weather can disrupt flowering and fruit set. Yields can also reduce or the grapes may be unripe / unhealthy.
- Downy mildew, which can also significantly reduce crop levels.
- Violent storms and hails in summer, which can damage grapes and vines.
- Hot and humid weather in summer, especially after heavy rainfall, leading to the rapid spread of botrytis.
Traditionally, Champagne production involves loading whole bunches of grapes onto basket presses in a unit known as a marc. How many kilos are in a marc?
4.000
