Random Champagne Questions Flashcards
How many litres of grape must are produced from 4000kg of pressed grapes?
- 2.55 hectolitres
- 25.5 hectolitres
- 255 hectolitres
- 5 hectolitres
- Pressing 4000kg of grapes produces 25.5 hectolitres of grape must.
- The first 20.5 hectolitres are known as the “Cuvee” the last 5 hectolitres are known as the “Taille”
What percentage of a Champagne producer’s annual production can be declared to be vintage?
- 20%
- 50%
- 80%
80%
- A Champagne producer can dedicate a maximum of 80% of his total production for the year to creating vintage Champagne
How many bottles can a Gyropalette riddle at the same time?
- 100 Bottles
- 200 Bottles
- 500 Bottles
500 Bottles
- The Gyropalette can riddle up to 500 bottles simultaneously and complete the process in approximately 1 week
Grape are considered to be ripe for harvesting when the minimum natural alcoholic strength by volume has reached which level?
- 9% vol.
- 11% vol.
13% vol.
9% vol.
- The Champagne AOC has established that grapes can be considered to be ripe when there are 143g of sugar per litre of grape must and the natural alcoholic strength by volume has been reached 9%
Are there any rules regarding bottling in Champagne?
- No
- Yes, bottling can only take place 12 months after alcoholic fermentation has been completed
- Yes. bottling can only take place after January 1 following the grape harvest
Yes, bottling can only take place after January 1 following the grape harvest
- Harvest normally takes place between late August and late September in the region of Champagne and grapes are pressed immediately.
- By regulation, the wines of the current year’s harvest cannot be bottled before January 1
What is the smallest size grape press used in Champagne making?
- 1,000kg
- 2,000kg
4,000kg
2,000kg
- The rules on presses are set by the Champagne AOC. Grape presses can vary in size from a minimum load of 2,000kg to a maximum load of 12,000kg
What colour grapes can be used for Champagne AOC?
- Only White Grapes
- White and Black Grapes
- White, black, and Grey Grapes
White, black, and grey grapes
4 White Grape Varieties
2 Black Grape Varieties
1 Grey Grape variety (Pinot Gris) are recognized for the Champagne appellation
What is the traditional name for a Champagne barrel?
- Barrique
- Foudre
- Fut
Fut
- A small dimension wine cask, or barrel, in Champagne is known as a fut while a larger cask is known as a foudre.
Place the following bottle sizes in the correct order from largest to smallest
- Methuselah - Salmanazar - Balthazar
- Salmanazar - Methuselah - Bathazar
- Bathazar - Salmanazar - Methuselah
Bathazar - Salmanazar - Methuselah
- A Bathazar holds the equivalent of 16 bottles of Champagne, the Salmanazar 12 and the Methuselah 8 bottles
What is the maximum level of sulphur dioxide allowed in Champagne?
- 85mg/l
- 100mg/l
- 185mg/l
185mg/l
The EU limit for the use of sulphites is 185mg/l for quality sparkling wines. On the other hand, the limit for still white wine is 200mg/l
When was the Champagne appellation created?
- 1941
- 1936
- 1905
1936 (June 29)
- The Champagne AOC was created by decree in 1936. The other 2 years relate to the first law concerning the designation of origin for wines (1905) and the foundation of the CIVIC, the Champagne trade association (1941)
Can wood chipping be used in making Champagne?
- Yes, providing the wine is not made in wooden barrels
- Yes, providing that the wine is not destined to become a vintage Champagne
- No, the use of wood chipping is not permitted in Champagne
No, the use of wood chipping is not permitted in Champagne
- Using wood shavings or chippings to alter the characteristics of a wine is not allowed in Champagne
Which harvesting methods are recognized in Champagne?
- By Hand
- Automated
- Both by hand and automated
By Hand
- Harvesting is carried out strictly by hand in the Champagne wine region
When does the blending of grape varieties or wines of different ages take place in Champagne making?
- Before bottling
- Before riddling
- Before disgorging
Before bottling
- All blending takes place before bottling.
- The liqueur d’expedition is added after blending and is the only mixture added to Champagne.
- It is used to does the wines during disgorging and corking process.
How much pressure does a bottle of Champagne lose during the disgorging and corking process?
- Approximately 2 atmospheres
- Approximately 1 atmosphere
- Nothing
Approximately 1 atmosphere
When is a Champagne considered to be sulphur-free?
- When the presence of sulphur dioxide is less than 1 mg/l
- When the presence of sulphur dioxide is less than 10 mg/l
- When the presence of sulphur dioxide is than 15 mg/l
When the presence of sulphur dioxide is than 10 mg/l
- The EU limit for sulphur-free wine 10 mg/l. Small quantities of free sulphur dioxide are produced naturally during the vinification process
What is the authorized distance allowed between two vines in the same row in a Champagne vineyard?
- 30 - 60 cm (1 - 2ft)
- 60 - 90 cm (2 - 3ft)
- 90 - 150 cm ( 3 - 5ft)
90 - 150cm (3-5ft)
- Planting and vine density are both regulated by the Champagne appellation. Vines must be planted within 90-150 (3-5ft) of each other within the same row.
What is a marc in Champagne?
- A tax levied on each bottle of Champagne
- A tax levied on each kilo of grapes that has been harvested
- A unit of measurement for a press load of grapes
A unit of measurement for a press load of grapes
- A marc is a tradtional measurement for a 4000kg load of grapes
What is the movement of a traditional Champagne press?
- Vertical
- Lateral
- Circular
Vertical
- A traditional Champagne press crushes the grapes with a vertical downward action and the grape must drop underneath, where it is collected
How many litres of wine does a traditional Champagne barrel contain?
- 205 litres
- 225 litres
- 228 litres
205 litres
- The traditional Champagne barrel contains 205 litres, whereas a Bordeaux barrel contains 225 litres and Burgundy barrel contains 228 litres
How many bottles of Champagne can an expert riddle by hand in an hour?
600
- An expert riddler can riddle approximately 600 bottles per hour, managing two bottles at a time whilst methodically working his or her way across and down the pupitre
How long does it take to complete the riddling cycle of Champagne by hand?
- 1 - 2 weeks
- 2-4 weeks
- 4-6 weeks
4 - 6 weeks
The riddling process normally 4 -6 weeks when performed by hand and consists of a cycle of 28 movements of the bottle
How does Rose Saignee obtain in pink colour?
- By adding red wine to the white base wine
- By leaving the grape mut in contact with the black grape skins for a period of time
- By adding a natural vegetable colorant to the white base wine
By leaving the grape must in contact with the black grape skins for a period of time
- “Saignee” can be translated as “bled”. This is because the grape must, which has been coloured by contact with the grape skin, is bled off from the remaining solids before vinification
What design can often be found on the bottom of a Champagne cork?
- A comet
- A shooting star
- A firework
A Comet
- The 1811 Comet was considered to be an astrological event that had a positive effect on that year’s harvest. Winemakers often regards the comet as a lucky omen and it is frequently found stamped on the bottom of the wine cork
What types of wine are produced in the Champagne region?
- Sparkling Wines
- Still red wines, and sparkling wines
- Still red, pink, and white wines, sparkling wines and fortified wines
Still red, pink, and white wines, sparkling wines and fortified wines
- The Champagne region has 3 appellations and produces a vast assortment of wines as well as Champagne. There are the red, pink and white still wines (Coteaux Champenois, Bouzy Rouge, Rosé des Riceys), fortified wines such as Ratafia and also some distilled alcoholic beverages.
Is the malolactic fermentation process compulsory in Champagne?
- Yes
- No
- Only for Non-Vintage Champagne
No
Malolactic fermentation converts malic acid into lactic acid and it can occur during or after alcoholic fermentation. The winemaker can choose whether to complete or arrest the process, depending on the type of characteristics that he or she wishes to add to the Champagne
In nature, when does the malolactic fermentation process start?
- When the temperature of the grape must rises
- When the temperature of the grape must falls
- When the winemaker activates the process
- When the temperature of the grape must rises
- The malolactic fermentation process starts naturally in springtime when the milder climate allows the temperature in the cellar to rise
How many kilograms of grapes are required to make a 75 cl bottle of Champagne?
- Approximately 0.75kg
- Approximately 1.2kg
- Approximately 2.4kg
Approximately 1.2 kg
It takes approximately 1.2kg of grapes to produce 75cl of grape must under the regulations for pressing set out in the Champagne AOC
Does the pressure in a Champagne bottle increase or decrease with a change in temperature?
- The pressure is greater at 12c than at 20c
- The pressure is greater at 20c than at 12c
- The pressure remains the same at any temperature
The pressure is greater at 20c than at 12c
- The pressure inside a Champagne bottle increases with a rise in temperature, which is why a warmer bottle of Champagne will lose more wine on opening than a chilled one
Why was Champagne known as the “devil’s wine” in the 17th Century?
- Because the bottles exploded or the corks popped unexpectedly when resting in the cellar
- Because Champagne was white, while red wine was used during religious ceremonies
- Because Champagne was not limpid and left the consumer with a terrible headacje
Because the bottles exploded or the corks popped unexpectedly when resting in the cellar
- A lack of understanding of the relationship between temperature and fermentation meant that some wines were bottles before alcoholic fermentation has been completed. When the temperature rose in the cellar fermentation restarted and the pressure in the bottle increased and bottles started to explode
How large is the surface of a 1 hectare vineyard?
- 1,000 square metres
- 10,000 square metres
- 1 square kilometre
10,000 square metres
- A hectare is the equivalent to 10,000 square metres or 0.01 square kilometres
The specific characteristics of Champagne are derived from its unique terroir, which is characterised by: (several answers possible).
- Soil and Subsoil
- Climate
- Strictly regulated cultivation and production methods
- Age of vines
Soil and subsoil
Climate
Strictly regulated cultivation and production methods
The Champagne appellation spans 5 French Departments, 2 of which account for 89% of the total Champagne vineyards - which are they?
(Several answers possible)
- Aube
- Marne
- Val de Marne
Aube and Marne
- The 3 other departments are Aisne, Haute - Marne and Seine-et-Marne
The Champagne subsoil is predominantly limestone, for the most park chalk. Champagne chalk is made up of the fossil skeletons of marine micro - organisms:
- Right
- False
False
- The Champagne chalk consists of granules of calcite formed from the skeletons of marine micro-organisms (mainly) coccolites) from the Secondary Era, characterised by the presence of belemnite fossils
Clonal selection seeks to identify vines that produce the finest grapes
- True
- False
False
- Massal Selection seeks to identify vines that produce the finest grapes
What exactly is the reseau matu in Champagne?
- A network created to monitor the maturation of wine
- A network created to monitor grape ripening
A network created to monitor grape ripening
Between each press - load, the press must be:
- streillised
- emptied and cleaned with water
- chilled
- Emptied and cleaned with water
Rose Champagne can be obtained by blending white and red Champagne wines?
True
False
True
Champagne is the only French wine growing region allowed to produce rose wine by this method
The existence of vines growing wild in Champagne dates back to the Tertiary Era
True
False
The existence of vine growing wild in Champagne dates back to the Tertiary Era. The Romans introduced the cultivation of vines to Champagne in the 5th Century
What is the purpose of trellising? (Several answers possible)
- To encourage photosynthesis
- To secure branches firmly between two wires
- To allow air to circulate through the leaves
- To encourage photosynthesis
- To secure branches firmly between two wires
- To allow air to circulate through the leaves
Sexual Confusion is one of the methods used as part of sustainable viticulture in order to avoid the use of insecticides?
True
False
True
- Sexual confusion involves disrupting the mating process between male and female butterflies, resulting in fewer caterpillars
When was the Champagne appellation created?
- 1941
- 1936
- 1905
1936
- The Champagne AOC was created by decree in 1936. THe other 2 years relate to the first law concerning the designation of origin for wines (1905) and the foundationof the CIVIC, the Champagne Trade Association (1941).
Rectified concentrated grape must (MCR) is an ingredient that is more frequently used for which purpose in making Champagne?
- Chaptalization
- Liqueur de Tirage
- Liqueur d’Expedition
Liqueur d’Expedition
MCR is a sugar solution extracted from grape must and is used by some Champagne producers in the liqueur d’expedition as an alternative to cane sugar or beet sugar
Which type of selection process focuses on vine health as well as grape quality and resilience?
- Clonal Selection
- Massal Selection
- Varietal Selection
Clonal Selection
- Massal Selection is based on identifyingh the plants that produce the best quality grapes, while Clonal selection goes one step further by concentrating on the health of the vine as well as the quality of its fruit
What happens to the colour of Champagne over time?
- Both white and pink Champagnes become paler over time
- Both white and pink Champagnes become darjer over time
- White Champagne becomes darker, while pink Champagne becomes paler over time
White Chamapgne becomes darker, while pink Champagne vecomes paler over time
- Oxidation changes the colour of wine. In white wine, the colour intensifies over time from straw coloured to golden and the amber. On the other hand, a pink Champagne deposits the tannins (present in the red wine that was added, or from the colouration by contact with black grape skins) and becomes paler and spent.
Does the pressure in a Champagne bottle increase or decrease with a change in temperature?
- The pressure is greater at 12C than at 20C
- The pressure is greater at 20C than at 12C
- The pressure remains the same at any temperature
The pressure is greater at 20C than at 12C
- The pressure inside a Champagne bottle increases with a rise in temperature which is why a warmer bottle of Champagne will lose more wine on opening than a chilled bottle
What is the maximum alcoholic strenght by volume for Champagne?
- 13% vol.
- 12.5% vol.
- 12% vol.
13%
- The Champagne AOC has set the maximum alcoholic strength by volume at 13%
