Sparkling Flashcards
What are the 3 production methods of sparkling wine?
Traditional: Aka methode champenoise, methode traditionelle, methode classique Transfer Method Tank method: aka Charmat Carbonation Methode Ancestrale
Which 3 sparkling production methods undergo secondary fermentation in the bottle?
Traditional
Transfer
Methode Ancestrale
What is the only sparkling production method that assumes premium quality?
Traditional
What production method is typically used for 375 ml Champagne or large format?
Transfer method
What is the oldest form of sparkling production and is merely a continuation of one fermentation?
Methode Ancestrale
What are the steps in producing a sparkling wine via Traditional Method?
Pressing First Fermentation Aging and Oak Assemblage Second Fermentation Bottle Ageing Degorgement
What is the traditional press used for Method Champenoise?
Coquard
Largely been replaced by the pneumatic and the inert presses
Pressed juice for champagne/sparkling production is separated into what two categories?
Which category is preferred for fermentation?
Vin de Cuvée (first 2,050 liters)
Vin de taille (last 500 liters
Vin de Cuvée is best, most pure juice.
What is the style of wine created in the first fermentation of sparkling wine?
High acid base wine
Abv 11%
Typically undergo malolactic fermentation
How long is a base wine in champagne production aged for before Assemblage and Secondary Fermentation?
Until the spring after harvest
What is battonage and when would it take place in methode champenoise production?
Battonage is the stirring of the lees
Takes place while the base wine ages and gives the wine a more textured quality.
What is assemblage?
The blending of the base wines in methode champenoise to create a consistent and quality product or “house style”.
What consists of the liqueur de tirage?
Assemblage wine + sugar + yeasts + yeast nutrients and fining agents (bentonite)
How much pressure will a bottle reach in secondary fermentation?
How much will the alcohol increase?
5- 6 atmospheres
1.2-1.3%
How are bottles of champagne stored after secondary fermentation is complete?
Horizontally called “sur latte”
What is it called when dead yeast cells breakdown into sediment during bottle aging of champagne?
Autolysis
What happens the longer a champagne is aged on the lees?
The bubbles will become smaller and the wine will become more aromatic and complex
what is the process called to collect and condense the lees into the neck of a champagne bottle?
Remuage or riddiling
What is gyropalatte?
Mechanical method of riddling developed in Spain. Reduces remuage time to less than a week
What is “sur pointe”?
What is “degorgement a la glacé”?
Sur pointe is the sparkling wine bottles being stored upside down once the sediment has reached the neck
Degorgement a la glacé is the practice of inserting the neck of the bottle into frozen brine to freeze the sediment for degorgement.
What are the French terms for sparkling wine style from driest to sweetest. How many g/l of residual sugar in each?
Brut Nature- 0-3 g/l Extra Brut- 0-6 g/l Brut- <12 g/l Extra Sec- 12-17 g/l Sec - 17-32 g/l Demi-Sec 33-50 g/l Doux- >50 g/l
What are the five growing regions of Champagne?
Montagne de Reims Valley de la Marne Cote de Sezanne Cote des Blanc Aube: AKA Cote des Bars
Where do all the Grand and Premier cru vineyards of champagne lie?
In the Montagne de Reims
Cote des Blancs
What are the grapes of Champagne?
What are the percentage of planting for each?
Pinot Noir- 38%
Chardonnay- 30%
Pinot Meunier- 32%
What grape varietals are authorized in Champagne but seldom ever grown?
Pinot Blanc Vrai
Pinot Gris
Arbane
Petit Meslier
How many villages in Champagne have Grand Cru status?
How many have premier cru status?
17
42
What is the predominant grape variety in Cote des Blancs?
Chardonnay (82%)
How many grand crus are in Cote des Blancs?
What are they?
6 Grand crus Cramant Avize Oger Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Chouilly Oiry
What is the percentage of grape varietals grown in Montagne De Reims?
40% Pinot/ 36% Pinot Meunier/24% Chardonnay
What are the north of the mountain Grand Crus in Montagne de Reims?
Mailly-Champagne
Verzenay
Verzy
What are the grand crus south of the mountain of Montagne de Reims?
Louvois
Bouzeron
Ambonnay
What is the primary varietal grown in Vallee de la Marne?
Pinot Meunier (62%)
What are the grand crus of Vallee de la Marne?
Ay-Champagne
Tours-sur-Marne
What is the varietal percentage grown in Cotes de Sezanne?
64% Chardonnay
21% Pinot Meunier
15% Pinot Noir
What is the main varietal planted in the Cote des Bar?
Pinot Noir (87%)
What percentage of harvest must be dedicated to non-vintage Champagne by law?
15%
How long must a non-vintage champagne be aged in bottle?
15 months
How long must a Vintage champagne be aged?
3 years
What is another term for Prestige Cuvée?
Tête-de-Cuvée
Are Prestige Cuvée vintage?
How long are they aged?
Usually vintage but not required
Aged longer than Vintage champagne
What does the term Cremant mean on a Champagne label?
Softer, creamier mousse and less pressure (3.6 atmospheres)
What are the Champagne bottle sizes and the volume they hold?
Piccolo-187ml Demi- 375ml Bottle-750ml Magnum- 1.5L Jeroboam- 3L Rehoboam-4.5L (discontinued in 1989) Methuselah- 6L Salmanazar- 9L Balthazar- 12L Nebuchadnezzar- 15L Solomon- 18L
How much pressure is a standard bottle of Champagne?
5-6 atmospheres
What are the seven AOPs in France that share the term Cremant?
Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Limoux, Jura, Die, Loire
What grapes are allowed in white Cremant d’Alsace?
What grapes are allowed in Rose?
White: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot NOir, Auxerrois and Chardonnay
Red: 100% Pinot Noir
What are the grapes allowed for Cremant de Bordeaux?
Cab Franc Cab Sauv Merlot Petit Verdot Cot: AKA Malbec Carmenere Sauv Blanc Semillion Muscadelle Sauvignon Gris
What grapes are allowed in the production of Cremant de Bourgogne?
Chardonnay Pinot Blanc Pinot Gris Aligote Melon de Bourgogne Sacy Pinot Noir Gamay
What are the grapes allowed in the production of Cremant de Limoux?
Chardonnay (min 50%)
Chenin Blanc
What is one of the few sparkling wines that is made by Methode Ancestale and uses 90% Mauzac?
Blanquette de Limoux
What is the principal grape of Cremant de Loire?
Chenin Blanc
What are the five other appellations for Cremant de Loire?
Anjou Montlouis-sur-Loire Saumur Touraine Vouvray
What grapes are used in Franciacorta?
Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero, Chardonnay
What are the aging requirements of non vintage Franciacorta?
What are the aging requirements for vintage Franciacorta?
18 months on the lees for Non Vintage
25 months vintage
What are the grapes that go into Oltrepo Pavese?
At least 70% Pinot Noir
Chardonnay
Pinot Grigio
What are two sparkling DOCGs in Lombardia that are produced using traditional method?
Franciacorta
Oltrepo Pavese
What are similarities and differences between Asti DOCG and Moscato d’ Asti DOCG?
Both made with moscato Bianco
Moscato d’Asti is lighter in alcohol and fizziness
What are the 2 DOCG Prosecco regions?
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Colli Asolani Prosecco
Is it required to produce Prosecco via tank method?
No, new laws allow fizzante
If a Prosecco states”refermentazione in Bottiglia” what would that mean?
Wine has undergone secondary fermentation in bottle.
What is “Prosecco Col Fondo”?
Uses 15% local grapes
Translates to “Prosecco with sediment” due to the wines being bottle fermented and not disgorged.
What is the style of the Alta Langa DOCG?
Spumante wine with minimum 90% Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay
How many regions does the Cava DO have?
What region does 98% of the production take place?
10 regions
Catalunya
What are the traditional white grapes of cava?
What other grapes are permitted?
Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo
Chardonnay and Malvasia are also permitted
What red grapes are permitted for Cava?
Garnacha, Monastrell, Pinot Noir and Trepat
How long must Cava be aged on the lees?
Cava Reserva?
Grand Reserva?
9 months
15 months
30 months
What new classification of Cava requires the wines be made from grapes grow on vines of no less than 10 years of age, harvested by hand and yields cannot exceed 48hl/ha and wines be aged no less than 36 months?
Cava del Paraje
What are some pioneering wineries in Great Britain?
Nyetimber
Ridgeview
(Both in Sussex)
What is Deutscher Sekt?
Sparkling wine made 100% from grapes cultivated in Germany
What is Sekt?
Sparkling wine produced in Germany with grapes from other countries
