Unit 1 - The Process - History of Champagne Flashcards
What time of year is very important as the starting point for the wine process in Champagne
Winter
- because that is when yeast goes dormant and arrest the 2nd fermentation until spring
When did the Romans settle in Champagne
5th Century
Why did the Romans like Champagne so much
The area of Champagne grew “a lot” agriculturally
Who was the first king of France and where did he have his baptism
Clovis and at the Cathedral Notre Dame de Reims in Reims
Which King of France was very fond of Champagne and would patronize the region
Louis XIV (14th) “Sun King”
What two cities were major centers of the wool and cloth trade in Champagne
Reims and Troyes
What impact did armies have on Champagne
Champagne always found itself in the middle of major conflicts in France, both domestically and abroad. There were 5 major wars that heavily impacted Champagne. They were:
- 100 years war
- 30 years war
- 16th Century Religious Conflict
- World War I
- World War II
During medieval times was Champagne a popular place to live
No, it was a region known more for trading than for living
What style of wine was being made in Champagne during Medieval times
Still wines
slight effervescence has been included ( but not captured)
The wines were usually a light pink color
Who controlled the wine trade in not only Champagne but in France
Courtiers (Brokers) They knew where all the wine could be purchased.
- Courtiers controlled the wine trade until the end of the 17th Century
First recorded wine house in Champagne is
Gosset in 1584 as a still wine house
In the Early modern period what help make Champagne wines so successful
Its close proximity to Paris and the Royal Court connection to the region
How long has Champagne (Reims) been the coronation location for the Court
1575
Wines during the Early Modern Period were promoted how
By broad origin
For example vins de la riviere wines (river wines) or vins de la montagne wines (mountain wines)
What is vins de la riviere and what villages are associated with it
The River
Wines from Vallee de la Marne
- Epernay and Ay
What is vins de la montagne and what villages are associated with it
The Mountain
Wines from Montagne de Reims
Bouzy and Verzenay
By the time the origins of sparkling champagne began, how long has wine been made in Champagne
1500 years
What was going on in Champagne between 1550 - 1730
A little ice age
Why did the wines in Champagne have such high acidity
due to the cold weather, it would not allow the grapes to over ripen
What temperature does yeast go dormant
41 degrees F (5 degrees C)
How did the wines of Champagne originally ferment and mature
In Cask until the Mid 17th Century
What were some early characteristics of wines from Champagne
Acidic
Pale Red Wine
Vin Gris (light pink)
What time of year typically does yeast stop being dormant and what does it do to the wines in Champagne
Spring time cause the temperature in the cellar rises above 41 degrees (5 degrees C)
Who was Dom Perignon and why was he important
The Celler Master at the Abbey of Hautviller from 1668/70 - 1715
- Gets credit for being the inventor of Champagne but he was not
- He at best might have been experimenting with trying to trap the sparkling or at best get rid of the sparkling all together
- Wanted to make a white wine from black grapes. ( a still wine version of a blanc de noirs) Which he did achieve
- First to put thought on how certain grapes effect or make a blend
Why was production in the early years of creating sparkling wine so haphazard
- Cheap bottling. France was not using thicker glass like the British were at that time. Glass would break easily
- The glass would break due to the yeast becoming un dormant and waking up to ferment the sugar that is still in the bottle. This causes pressure in the bottle which can make the bottle explode
-
During the early creation of Champagne, what area did sparkling wine only come from
La Riviere not the montage
- the montage was known more for still wines. Plus the temperature was a little warmer in the rivière than the montagne.
- The grapes in the rivière produce more more sugar due to the warmer weather
What were some characteristics of the original form of sparkling
Cloudy
Limited Fizz
Who was Charles Merret
British Scientist who in 1662 gave his papers entitled “Some Observations concerning the Ordering of Wines” to the Royal society of London stating that “sparkling wine could be made simply by adding sugar and molasses.”
- That would make the wine brisk and sparkling
Around the 19th century what style of wine did people want
Clear Wines not cloudy
What things happened in Champagne in the 19th Century to help create a clear wine and who gets that create
Madam Clicquot
- her invention of the pupitre with the help of her cellar master Antoine Muller in 1818. This created the Remuage (riddling) which is the light turning of the bottle on the pupitre to help the yeast move from the base of the bottle to the neck. This process help create a clear wine
What is disgorgement a la volee
Means “Flying Disgorgement”
- Is the oldest style of disgorgement. It is done by hand but you can lose a significant amount of wine in not done correctly
What is disgorgement a la glace
The most secure method. Is done when you simply freeze the neck of the bottle to remove the yeast
Who is Jean Antoine - Claude - Chapal
French Chemist who created Chaptalization ( process of adding sugar to fermented grape must to help increase alcohol content after fermentation)
What is Liquor de Tirage
A mixture of yeast, sugar and wine that helps jump start the second fermentation and Liqour de Tirage is the addition of that mixture into the Vin Clair
Who grew majority of the grapes in the 18th Century
Peasants
What difficulties did peasants face while making wine
Lack of money to store wine over time and also the proper equipment for winemaking. This gave rise to the Negociant (merchant)
What is a Negociant
A merchant or trader. Before their rise as wine negociants’ they traded mostly wool or cloth
Who produces most of the grapes in Champagne in the 18th century
The farmers (even to this day) farmers make up 90% of the vines produced in Champagne
What was the first Champagne house in Champagne
Runiart - founded in 1729
During the 18th Century why did negociants prefer to trade still wine over sparkling
- Easier and Safer - it only took a few months for a still wine to be prepared for sale on the market whereas sparkling wine can take between 9 months to over a year to be ready to sale.
What region in France became a place of competition for Champagne in the 18th Century and why
Bourgonge - due to their richer, sweeter and more full body wine. Plus it was red or white
- Champagne wines were light and pink
What 3 European markets became key export markets for Champagne in the 18th Century
Britian
Russia
Parts of Germany
What helped champagne gain access to the European markets
Napoleonic Wars
In the 18th Century, was Champagne sold based upon origin or producer
Origin example (Wines from Ay or Sillery)
When was considered the Golden Age of Champagne
1830 - 1870
- Sales grew in key markets such as Imperial Germany and Britain
- The US Market had opened up
In the 19th Century how did one guarantee they were getting the best quality Champagne
The negociants ( I.E Moet, Vueve Clicquot, Pommery, Heidisieck) became more important than the origin of place
What major event in France led to Champagne finally gaining more than 10% of the wine production in France
Phylloxera (1890)
What influenced the German market to open with Champagne
The rise of the German Negociant Companies
Name me 5 of the first German Negociants
1785 - Floerns - Louis Heidsieck (Piper - Heidsieck)
1827 - Jacobus, Gottlieb and Phillip Mumm - G.H Mumm
1829 - Jacques Bollinger ( Hennequin de Villermont and Paul Renaudin - Co Founders) - Bollinger
1838 - William Deutz (Pierre-Hubert Geldermann - Co Founder) - Deutz
1843 - Joseph Krug - Krug
Who is the founder of Champagne Mercier and when was it founded
Eugene Mercier in 1858
When did Champagne become intregral with being French and how
1870 -1914
- The Belle Epoque Era 1870 - 1914 ( a period characterized by optimism, regional peace, economic prosperity, colonial expansion, technological, scientific, and cultural innovations)
- Key to national and personal rituals
- A symbol of Social Cohesion (at least for the rich) states
What was the reasoning for the conflict between the growers and the negociants
The growers produce 90% of the grapes in Champagne but are not really making any money and they want more money for their grapes
The negociants have the capital to store, market and sale Champagne around the world
- Both have claim for who really makes Champagne
When did Phylloxera come to Champagne
1890
What impact did Phylloxera have on the region of Champagne
- Wine quality was reduced
- Fraudulent wine increased
- Made from outside the region (less appropriate grapes)
- Concocted from various ingredients
- Land prices dropped by around 80%
- Replanting with a wide range of varieties
- Vineyards had to be replanted using American Rootstock
What sub region of Champagne did Gamay grow in
The Aube
How many times was Reims occupied during World War I
2
What dominated the region of Champagne during World War 1
Trenches
Why was Champagne the region the Germans during World War I wanted to occupy
Cause Champagne was attached to the idea of real “FRENCHNESS”
After World War I how were the vines replanted in Champagne
Rows
Before World War I how were the vines planted in Champagne
En Foule ( In crowds)
Gamay made up what percentage of vines in the Aube after World War I
80
When was the Aube officially removed from the region of Champagne
1911
When was Aube officially brought back into the region of Champagne
1927
When was the Commission of Chalons founded
1935
What was purpose of the Commission of Chalons
To help resolve the grape pricing issue between the negociants and farmers
When was the CIVIC founded
1941 by Count Robert Jean du Vogue of MOET to help protect the interest of champagne during the German occupation during World War II
What was the purpose of the CIVIC
To protect the integrity of the Region of Champagne and represents the Growers and Negociants equally
What was Trente Glorieuses
Thirty Glorious - from 1945 - 1975 of the French economy booms and people began to purchase a lot of champagne
When was the breakdown of agreement over the price of grapes and who banned it
1991 - By the European Union
When writing about champagne as a region how should it be capitalized
Champagne
When writing about champagne as a wine how should it be capitalized
champagne
Whom do some historians actually believed cultivated Champagne with vines before the Romans
The Celts
How long did the Romans rule Champagne
From 50 AD til 461 AD
What Celtic tribe specifically lived in Champagne
The Remi tribe
What was the Remi Tribe capital city
Reims
What city today name during the Roman times was Durocortorum
Reims
Why was Reims so important to the Roman Empire
- it was the starting point of the four roman roads
- it was a hub for travelers, both civilian and military
Besides vines what else in Champagne was attractive to the Romans and why
Chalk
it offered a natural resource that they could use to build with
What is a Crayeres
A Chalk Quarry
How many estimated chalk quarries did the Roman build
Approximately 250
After the fall of Rome, how many times did Epernay burn down
25
During the dark ages who took over the viticulture and why
The Church, because it was the only source of stability in a society rocked by upheaval
Who was Bishop Remi
The spiritual leader of Reims during the late 5th Century
- He wanted to convert Clovis to Christianity
- He prayed over a cask of local wine and told Clovis ‘ as long as there is wine in the barrel, Clovis would be victorious.
- The cask never ran dry and Clovis paraded through Reims with victory
- Due to this he was canonized as Saint Remi
What is the role of the Cellar Master
Increase the Revenue, largely by improving the quality of the abbey’s wines and by increasing wine sales
Was blending a very common practice during the dark ages
Yes, it was a common practice to blend different grapes and different vineyard parcels during the Dark Ages.
Monks received grapes from their tenants, sharecroppers and local parishioners as payment of their tithe
These offerings were pressed collectively
There was “NO” thought given to the “blend”
What century did Champagne begin to establish the names vins de la riviere and vins de la montagne
9th Century
What color wines were produced in vins de la riviere and vins de la montagne
Red and White wine but each area had its own individual claim to fame
During the Dark Ages what were the grape varietals used in Champagne
Gouais - white berried grape
Gouais Noir or Gouest Noir - black berried grape
Fromenteau - Gray / Pink berried grape
The black berried Gouais Noir was famous in what area of Champagne
Vins de la montagne
The gray / pink berried Fromenteau was famous in what area of Champagne
Vins de la Riviere
When did Gouais Noir disappear from Champagne
19th Century
What grape is Fromenteau known as today in Champagne
Pinot Gris
What is another name of Gouais Blanc and why is this grape so important
Weisser Heunisch in Germany
- it is considered the mother of many French and German grapes
- Gouais Blanc is the parent of at least 81 distinct grape varieties in Western Europe
- is known as the Cassanova of Grapes
How was Fromenteau confirmed as a Pinot Gris reference
its pink skin color
Was Troyes ever once considered the capital of Champagne
- Yes, during the Carolingian Dynasty
- Lasted until the French Revolution
What was Foires de Champagne
- A trade fair
- Took place in the villages of Troyes, Bar-sur-Aube, Lagny, and Provins
- fairs were held twice a year and could last as long as 49 days
What type of items were traded at the Foires de Champagne
Spices, dyes, wool and leather
What are some facts about the Abby Saint - Pierre of Hautvillers
- founded in 650, by the archbishop of Reims, Saint Nivard
- near the city of Epernay
- Dom Perignon was cellar master here from 1668/70 thru 1715
- By 1636 the abbey owned 100 acres of vines
What are some facts about Abbey Saint Thierry
- Founded around 500 AD, near Reims by Thierry a disciple of Saint Remi
- Was destroyed by 1777
What are some facts about Abbey Reims -Saint Remi
- founded in the 6th century AD in Reims
- houses the relic of Saint Remi since 1099
- Joined the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991
What are some facts about Abbey Saint - Nicaise
- Founded in 1231
- Took a long time to construct. From 1231 to the 17th Century
What was the years of the 100 years war and who was it between
1337 - 1453 the English and France (House of Valois)
During the Hundred Years War, how did the church grow in power and wealth
- Getting Tithes from the rich and poor alike filled their coffers
- Donations from the wealthy were often in the form of land grants
Wines from the Middle Ages ranged from what colors
- Almost Clear
- Onion Skin
- Pale
- Pale Red
Did the wines in the middle ages have any effervescent qualities
Yes, due to the yeast in the wine going dormant in the winter, arresting the fermentation. Then in the spring once the yeast resuscitated and finishes fermenting the remaining sugar left in the wine.
- the effervescence was not captured. Usually disappeared once the cask opened
What does en foule mean and what is the connection to Champagne
Means “In a Crowd”, this is the way the vineyards were planted during the Middle Ages
- this style means that the vines were propagated by layering
What was the technique behind the en foule vine method
- it involves placing a shoot on the ground and burying its tip
- the buried tip would develop roots and put forth a new vine very close to the mother plant
- this method made for haphazard organization within the vineyard
Where there orderly rows in the vineyards of Champagne during the Middle Ages
No
- What village in Vallee de la Marne during the middle ages rose to stardom during the middle ages?
- Became synonymous with vins de la riviere
- Claim to fame was Fromenteau / Pinot Gris
Ay
By the 12th Century how many communes were growing grapes in Champagne
131
Reims
Epernay
Chalons-sur-Marne
Sainte-Menehould
Vitry-le-Francois
Sezanne
Extensive planting in the Seine and Aube Valley
These were epic centers of Champagne during what period
The Middle Ages
What ways did wine move during the Middle Ages
Old Roman Roads and by Rivers
What were the principal waterways used in the Middle Ages to move wine
Marne
Aube
Seine
Aisne
What is tenure a vinage
Means typical contract
- in the middle ages a free man would approach a landowner and offer to revive a neglected vineyard or clear property to plant a new one.
- the contract was good for 5 years ( the amount of time it takes for a vineyard to become established)
- After that the land would be divided between the freeman and the landowner
- The freeman usually would not get the portion he deserved and would usually have to pay rent as a percentage of the harvest
What two cities handled majority of the wine commerce in the Middle Ages
Chalons and Reims
Where in Champagne did Chalons -en-Champagne get most of its wine from and where did they sale most of the wines to?
- Locations of where they would get wines from: Vallee de la Marne , Bar-sur-Aube, and Vertus
- Areas they would sale wine to: Countries North of France
By the 1400’s how many communes were growing grapes in Champagne
400
During the Middle ages what was driving champagne production
Local Consumption
During the 1500’s what grape made its debut in the region of Champagne
Pinot Noir
Where did Pinot Noir become originally embraced in Champagne
Ay and the river vineyards
What style of wine was Pinot Noir made into originally
Vin Gris
What problems did Pinot Noir face when it first made its debut
- Adapting to the harsh weather
- Short growing seasons with little sun produced unripe grapes
- Frost left little to harvest
- Drought curtailed yields
What was the exact years of the Thirty Years War and the reason behind it
1618 - 1648
- Protestant Reformation
What year was Dom Perignon born
1638 or 1639 (sources differ on the date)
What style of wine was very popular during the time of Dom Perignon
Vin Gris
What does Vin Gris mean
Grey Wine
- Neither red nor white but rather onion skin or partridge eye
How was Vin Gris made
- Large berried clusters were chosen over small berried clusters
- Grapes were harvested with great care to minimize bruising
- Grapes were hand picked when cool and covered while in transit to the press to avoid warming
- From juice of pigmented grapes that received minimal skin contact
How was champagne made during Dom Perignon days
- ” Still” Red Wine
- More like a “Clairet” or semi - red
What is Clairet
a wine that is dark pink in style and may be described as a full-bodied and deep-coloured type of rosé.
What type of wine did Dom Perignon wanna make
White wine from black skinned grapes
- it was completely clear and yielded a still blanc de noir
How did Dom Perignon achieve his goal of making a white wine from black skinned grapes
By pressing carefully and quickly and removing the first juice to exit the press
What is Vin de Goutte / Vin de l’abaissement
Free-run juice, was the first liquid to run from the press.
- It was the most prized
What does Tailles mean
Cuts
When is the Tailles done
After the vin de l’abaissement (first press)
To the cellar workers why was the vin de l’abaissement and the first and second tailles so important
They wanted to have those pressings done within an hour to achieve a relatively clear juice
How many tailles are done in a pressing
4
What is Vin de Pressoir
- Means Press Wine
- The last juice to exit the press
- The juice is deeply pigmented and given to the servents
The vin de l’abaissement was almost always mixed with which tailles
The first two tailles but never with the third or fourth
During Dom Perignon time did the wines have effervescence
Yes, but it was not capturesd
- If the wine had been transfered to bottle, the closure would simply allow the gas to escape.
- It was not tightly sealed
What is a Broquelet
Wooden plug wrapped in oil soaked hemp, used as a bottle seal
What was Tocane and where was it popular
The sparkling wine made in the Champagne village of Ay in the 1600’s
It was very popular
Was effervescence understood or controlled in the 17th Century
No
What were the 3 pivotal developments in the Champagne method created in the 17th Century
- Bottles were crafted with uniform neck openings
- Corks were reintroduced as a seal
- The English developed a production method for a strong glass bottle that could withstand pressure
Who was Sir Robert Mansell
- An Admiral in the Royal Navy
- Created the recipe to what would be the precurser to the common bottle glass
- he added irons and manganese to the glassblowing process
When did the English wine merchants start using the common bottle glass and when did the French began
Early 1630’s
- The french began to use the english style of glass about a century later
What is Verre Anglais and what was so unique about it
The French term for English Glass
- It could withstand the force building up inside the champagne bottle during the second fermentation
In the 1600’s what helped the resurrection of the compressible and expandable natural cork
Glassblowers were able to make a uniform bottle neck openings
At the end of the 17th Century, what were the grape varieties of Champagne
White
- Gouais
- Meslier
- Chasselas Dore
- Arbanne
Pigmented
- Gouais Noir
- Morillon Noir (Pinot Noir)
- Morillon Taconne (Pinot Meunier)
- Morillon Hatif ( a pinot noir variant that ripens early)
- Fromenteau (Pinot Gris)
The first sparkling wine intentionally produced in Champagne was crafted at some point between what years
1695 and 1698
Who was bottling sparkling wine first? The English or France
The English were bottling sparkling wine significantly earlier than the French
- The English were receiving wine in a cask but transferring it to a bottle as early as the 16th Century and some of those wines re-fermented in the bottle delivering a sparkling product.
What two advantages did the English have over the French in order to “seize the foam”
- Stronger Glass for bottling
2. a tight cork seal
Who accomplished the following:
- Crafted a true red wine by using old vine fruit harvested in years of abundant sunshine and warmth
- Made the first white wine from pigmented grapes
- Put serious thought to the blend vs. just tossing grapes into the press as they arrived at the cellar door during harvest
Dom Perignon
When was the cork re-discovered as a seal in Champagne
1685
When did the French began using strong verre anglais
by 1700
By the end of the 17th Century who were the prime drinkers of Champagne
It was the luxury beverage of royalty and nobility both at home and abroad
By the end of the 17th Century was champagne intentionally sparkling
No
What does Mousseux mean
Foaming or sparkling
What does Mousse mean
Foam
When did the terms Vins Pour Mousser and Vins Mousseux began to be used
1710
What does Vins Mousseux mean
Sparkling Wine
In the 18th Century this style of sparkling was lightly effervescent and whose wines were said “to cream”
Demi - Mousseux
In the 18th Century this style of sparkling wine was said to have approximately 2 atms of pressure
Mousseux / Petillant
In the 18th Century this style of sparkling wine was also known as saute - bouchon / cork popper or sauteur / jumper) and had an estimated 3 atms of pressure
Grand Mousseux
In the 18th Century this style of champagne was that if it failed to deliver much by the way of sparkle they were called
Sablant - taken form the verb sabler meaning “to sand” (flat)
What does la casse mean
Breakage
How did la casse effect Champagne
It was a huge problem and raised the cost of production to the point that champagne, long associated with the privileged and rich, became solely a beverage of the wealthiest of the elite
What is Ullage
The unfilled space in a bottle or container
What is significant about March 8, 1735
The official champagne bottle made its debut and was fashioned by royal decree
By law a champagne bottle can not way less than
25 ounces (1.56 pounds) - a mandated bottle weight, i.e thickness)
When did it become legal to sell and transport champagne in bottle
1728
What were the two only option according to the royal decree to hold the cork in place
- a string was criss-crossed at the top of the cork and was tied to the neck. Then it was dipped in wax to make sure it was secure
- Dip the string in linseed or nut oil which effectively turned the string as hard as leather over time and fashioned an ironclad attachment to the bottle
When did the usage of a wire made of iron or brass become an option to hold the cork in place
1760
In the 18th Century which way did they store the bottles and why
Upside down
- to capture the sediment before popping the cork
Why was it customary to bottle champagne during the full moon in March
The Champoneis believed that was the time where you would capture the best mousse
During the 18th Century how were the flaws of Sparkling Champagne hidden
By being served in colored or faceted stemware
What were some of the most famous negociants’ established in the 18th Century
1729 - Ruinart
1743 - Moet
1760 - Lanson & Delamotte
1772 - Veuve - Clicquot
1776 - Roederer
1785 - Heidsieck (later seperating into Heidsieck & Co and Piper Heidsieck
Why were the still red wines of champagne adulerated
To be able to compete with the wines of Bourgonge
- the wines of Bourgonge were more densely pigmented
What were the red still wines of champagne adulerated with
Elderberry Juice
Cream of Tartar
Alum
Why was Jean Antoine Chapel such an advocate for beet sugar
The English were blockading the shipment of Sugar Cane to France during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800’s.
- Chapel wanted to make France self sufficient by experimenting with beet sugar as a substitute of sugar cane.
What sub region of Champagne began champagne production during the 17th Century
Montagne de Reims
What sub region of Champagne began champagne production during the 18th Century
Cote des Blancs
By 1780 how many acres / ha were under vine in Champagne
125,000 acres / 50,000 ha
By the late 18th Century who was the biggest land owners in Champagne
the Church and the Nobilitiy
What was the Metheun Treaty
Signed in 1703, was an agreement between England and Portugal, guaranteeing that Portugal would not be taxed anymore than France on the importation of their wines.
- Basically a battle between Port (Portugal) and Champagne
What made Champagne begin to expand to markets outside of Britain? To places such as Poland, Russia, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia and the newly born United States in the 18th Century
in 1728 King George II prohibited the importation of wine in bottles.
- The import tax was lifted in 1786 but not the bottle ban
- Bottle ban was lifted in at the turn of the century (1800s)
What city became the capital of Champagne - Ardenne after the French Revolution
Chalons-sur-Marne
When did the first champagne glass appear, where , and what style was it
Also in 1772, what did the style become referred to
1755
England
Its bowl was long and conical
- in 1772 the glass was referred to as a flute
When did the flute become apart of French Culture
the 1800’s and it was known as a “drinking vessel”
By the end of the 18th Century approximately how many bottles were produced in Champagne
300,000
What new means of moving goods was introduced in the 19th Century
Railroads
What revolution in the 19th Century made its way to Europe and help link France and Europe
Industrial Revolution
During the first third of the 19th Century, what type of wine was being produced
- Red Wines
- Made up 90% of the production
- More often than not, they were, hard, acidic, poorly pigmented
- So low in alcohol as to render them unstable and incapable of aging
What winemaking procedure was very rampant in the 19th century
Adulteration
What type of additives were used in wines in the first third of the 19th Century
- Sugar
- Alcohol
- Coloring Agents
- Hearty wines from the South of France
What region of France wines were used as an additive in the first third of the 19th Century
- Languedoc
- Wines were added through fraudulent admixing as of 1840.
- Doing this did not salvage the market for red champagne
What does Vins ordininaires de bonne qualite mean
Everyday wines of good quality
What does vins de boisson mean
Drinking Wine
What does Vins de pays mean
Local Wine
In the mid 19th Century, where were the best grapes in Champagne going towards? Sparkling Wine or Still Wine
Sparkling Wine
How did the Napoleonic Code effect the land of Champagne
It mandated that an inherited estate be equally divided among sons.
- This idea fragmented the already modest sized parcels the rising bourgeoisie had manged to purchase and reduced many landholdings to sizes uneconomical to farm
In 1816 Andre Jullien attempted to detail all the wines produced in the world. What was writing called
Topographie de Tous les Vignobles Connus - (Topography of All the Known Vineyards)
When did Germans began to migrate to the region of Champagne
The beginning of the 19th Century
At the end of the 18th Century, how many established champagne houses were their
10
By 1821, how many established champagne houses were there
100
Around what time did you see the elimination of the costly expense of la casse and why
- After around 1840
- Stronger bottle glass had been created and became mainstream
Who were some of the new champagne houses established in the 19th Century
1811 - Perrier - Jouet
1825 - Billecart - Salmon
1825 - Joseph Perrier
1827 - G.H - Mumm (Mumm Giesler et Cie)
1829 - Renaudin - Bollinger
1838 - Deutz
1843 - Krug
1853 - Pol Roger
1856 - Pommery et Greno (was originally established as Wibert er Greno)
1860 - Ayala
What two places in Champagne became the place the business to gravitated to in the 19th Century
Epernay and Reims
Champagne Charles Heidsieck was founded
1851
When did blending become a widespread art in Champagne
The start of the 19th Century
What part of the juice was the general consensus was much better, more balanced, more complex than each of its individual parts
The Cuvee
What did cellar masters do when they had a bad harvest in a particular year
They would use the reserve wines to help improve the current harvest. This method was to help maintain a consistent quality level and uphold the reputation of the house
What is a cru
Named Parcel
What is livre des cuvees
Book of Blends
What is the driving force behind the concept of “house style”
The Assemblage
In the 19th Century when typically did Assemblage take place
January and February following harvest
In the 19th Century typically when did bottling take place
April
In the 19th Century, why was sugar added to the wine
To help preserve it
- The link between sugar and sparkle was not yet established
What year was the first mention of sugar being added to increase the effervescence of the finished product
1821
What problem did the acceptance of sugar do to the wine making process
La Casse went up
- it accounted for about 10-20% of the production
What pharmacist solved the dilemma behind how much residual sugar is left in the wine after the first fermentation and how much more to add to deliver maximum sparkle with minimal breakage
Jean Baptiste Francois of Chalons-sur-Marne
- Wrote paper in 1837 detailing his dosing formula
- Paper stated that “Breakage dropped 3-8%
- Also was called Reduction Francois
In 1874 what was chemistry professor Edme-Jules Maumene focus
Wine’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
- The goal was to directly correlate measured sugar addition to resulting atmospheres of pressure
What is the formula for Atmospheric pressure
4 grams of sugar = 1 atmosphere of pressure
What two scientist discovered the link between yeast and fermentation as well as how yeast is effected by temperature
Louis Pasteur - link between yeast and fermentation
Charles Cagniard de la Tour - How yeast is effected by temperature
What french chemist discovered how temperature has an effect on the increase or decrease of gas pressure
Joseph Louis Gay - Lussac
What french chemist found a way to measure alcohol content
Joseph Louis Gay Lussac
What chemist discovered the gleuco-oenometer. This was a way to measure residual sugar
Antoine - Alexis Cadet de Vaux
What is a lattes
Often called “sur lattes” which means to store on your side. Is when the champagnes bottles are stacked on top of each other vertically and each layer is separated by thin strips of wood
What is Bas - Vin
- wasted wine
- The wine that is left in the bottle after decanting
- This wine is gritty and cloudy
In the 19th Century, some champagne houses would decant the wines into new bottles, leaving sediment behind.
The wine that was left over was given to the workers
What is Changement de Tas
Method of involving moving the stacks of wine bottles
- As each bottle was lifted out of a stack and re-deposited into another stack, the bottle was shaken to loosen the deposit
- Method was tedious and wasn’t very successful
When did Madame Clicquot began to experiment withthe remuage process
1806
- Perfected it by 1818
What angle to Madame Clicquot Chef de Cave Antoine Muller find was the most successful angle to place the bottles on the pupitre
45 degree
When did the A shape pupitre come into play
1840
How many bottles did the A shape pupitre hold
120
How many bottles can a remueurs manipulate a day
40,000
What is a Remueurs
A Riddler
- the worker whose job is to shift the bottle from a horizontal to vertical position
What is Une bouteille Bleue
- Blue Bottle
- It is when during disgorgement the sediment slid back into the bottle
Who created the method of disgorgement a la glace
Armand Walfard of Belguim
When was disgorgement a la glace patented
1884
In the early to mid 19th Century, typically when was Champagne served
- Between Courses, typically between meat course and dessert
- It was chilled as ‘vin d’entremets (entremet)
What type of Champagne did the British prefer in the 19th Century
A less sugared style champagne because they liked to drink it throughout their meals not just at the conclusion
- between 2-6% or 20-60g of sugar per bottle
What type of Champagne did the Americans prefer in the 19th Century
A less sugared style champagne because that appealed more to their taste. More off dry in style
- between 10-15% or 110 - 150g of sugar per bottle
Around the 1850’s what style of champagne did the Champenois assemble for export markets
Sec (Dry)
- Wines had less residual sugar, but were still noticeably sweet
What does frappe mean
Iced or chilled
When did the coupe makes its debut
1830’s
What was the original meaning of brut
Referred to a newly disgorged champagne in its completely natural state
- But actually, champagne houses added 1-3% of dosage to tame the searing acidity
What style of champagne did the French, Germans and Austrians like in the 19th Century
Sweet
- between 16-18% or 160-180g of sugar per bottle
What style of champagne did the Russians like in the 19th Century
Candied and Confectionary
- between 27.5 to 33% or 275 - 330g of sugar per bottle
When did railroads reach Epernay and Reims
1854
What is remplissage
The topping off of their bottles after disgorgement with more of the same champagne
When did printed labels replace handwritten wine cards
Around 1820
When did the dosage machine appear
1844
When did cork began to be covered with tin foil instead of wax
1856
What does Surbouchage
Overtop the cork
When did producers began to brand their sparkling wines with the place of origin
1860s
When did the Muscelet debut
1870s
- despite being patented in 1844
by 1880 the muscelet began to be attached mechanically
By the close of the 19th Century, what was the production of champagne bottles
- 5 million
- end of the 18th century it was 300,000
At the end of the 19th Century majority of champagne was being sold domestically or exported?
Exported - 80% of the production was being shipped out of France
What was the Madrid Agreement
- Created in 1891
- Ratified by 9 countries
- The purpose of this treaty was to establish a union by which registered marks would be protected within all its members countries
- This treaty was not very effective on a global scale due to the fact that so few countries ratified the agreement at the time
What areas made up the official Champagne borders of 1908 and what was it called
Champagne Viticole
3 Districts within Marne
- Reims
- Epernay
- Chalons
Communes and Cantons of: - Vitry -le-Francois -Heiltz -le-Maurupt -Conde-en-Brie -Chateau-Thierry -Charly -Braine Vailly ( in Aisne)
When did the echelle des crus (scale of named places) get created
1911
What was the echelle des crus
- was used to set the price of grapes throughout the region and eliminated a lot of heavy handed negociations that occured each year between growers and producers
- Officially Validated a 200 year old text written by Nicolas Bidet evaluating the quality of the wines produced from various villages of Champagne
What law was put into place in 1911
- The word “champagne” must appear on labels, corks, and packing crates and the phrase
- ” Vin Declare Originaire de la Champagne Viticole” (Wine declared to be a native of Champagne) must appear on shipping documents
What was the Champagne Deuxieme Zone
A special appellation that was granted in 1911 to some growing areas that had been denied apart of the Champagne Viticole in 1908.
What areas were included in the Champagne Deuxieme Zone
- Bar-sur-Aube
- Bar-sur-Seine- Les Riceys
- Chavanges
- Villenaux
All are members of the Aube Department
Also:
- Wassy (Haut - Marne Department)
- Nanteuil-les-Meaux (Seine-et-Marne)
- Citry (Seine-et-Marne)
- Sainte - Menehould (Marne Deparment)
- Vitry -le-Francois
When was the Belle Epoque Era
1871 - 1914
- A time of endless partying
What halted trading in the early 20th century with countries such as Germany, Austria, Hungry and Poland
World War I
What halted trading with Russia in the early 20th Century
The Russian Revolution
What halted or slowed down exporting to the United States and Canada in the early 20th Century
Temperance Movement
What was the purpose of the AVC ( Association Viticole Champenoise)
- They wanted to make sure that everyone followed the best practices to restore the vineyards to a level equal to or superior to what had existed before the war so that champagne could regain its standing in the global wine market
What grapes did the AVC promote for planting
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
- These grapes were grown on sites the AVC knew they would excel at
What was a main reason for the decrease in champagee growers from the end of the 19th century til 1937
World War I and The Great Depression
When was the first vintage of Dom Perginon released
1937
- The grapes were from the 1921 vintage though
What year was Louis Roderer’s Cristal released and who was it for
1876 for the Tsar of Russia Alexandre II
The Great Depression helped give rise to what type of production
- Recoltant Manipulant (RM)
- Cooperative Manipulant (CM)
What variations in production can effect champage wine sales
- Climate Conditions
- Flexibility of the authorized yield per hectare
- Expansion of the area under vine
- improvements in the vineyards
In 1989 the Madrid Agreement was changed to
The Madrid Protocol
