Unit 2 - Champagne Climate Flashcards
1
Q
What are the 5 departments of Champagne
A
- Marne
- Haut - Marne
- Seine-et-Marne
- Aube
- Aisne
2
Q
What are the 4 sections of Champagne
A
Montage de Reims
Vallée de la Marne
Côte des Blancs
Aube
3
Q
How many sub sections are there in Champagne
A
21+
Examples
Grand Vallée - Vallée de la Marne
Vallée de l’Ardre - Vallée de la Marne
4
Q
How miles is the Region of Champagne from Paris
A
150 km (93 miles) east of Paris
5
Q
How many acres / ha of vines are planted in Champagne
A
34,000 hectares / 84,000 acres
6
Q
How many estimated individual plots are there in Champagne
A
278,000
7
Q
Who sets at a higher Latitude and Altitude? Reims or Épernay?
A
Reims
- Latitude: 49.2 degrees
- Longitude: 4 degrees
- Altitude: 88 meters
Épernay
- Latitude: 49 degrees
- Longitude:3.95 degrees
- Altitude: 79 meters
8
Q
Which department has the most plantings
A
Marne with 66% of the planted vines
- next is Aube 23% , Aisne 11%
9
Q
What is the climate of Champagne
A
Oceanic and Continental
10
Q
What effect does the oceanic climate have on Champagne
A
Mild Weather Patterns
Lots of Cloud Cover
Temperature (tendency low temps)
Precipitation(tendency consistent yet moderate levels and lots of rain)
Minimum YoY fluctuation
11
Q
What is the average temperature in Champagne
A
10 degrees Celsius / 50 degrees Fahrenheit
12
Q
What effect does the continent climate have on Champagne
A
Allows the region to have all 4 seasons
Harsh
Cold Winter Temperatures with potential frosts
Warm to Hot Summers
Conversely abundance of sunshine during summer months
13
Q
What is the average amount of Sunshine (hours / years on average) the region of Champagne gets
A
1,650
14
Q
What is the average amount of rainfall (mm/year on average) the region of champagne receives
A
700mm a year on average
15
Q
What is the main soil types of Champagne
A
- Chalky Limestone (+/-75% of AOC Champagne)
- Calcareous Sands
- Marls (calcareous clays)
- Clays
- Siliceous sands
- Slope wash (rock formations)
16
Q
What impacts do the soils have on the vines in Champange
A
- H2O drainage / retention
- pH (natural minerals)
- presence / intake capacity of essential elements
- vine health / development
17
Q
What are the 7 authorized grapes of Champagne
A
Pinot Noir Meunier Chardonnay Arbanne Petit Meslier Pinot Gris Pinot Blanc
18
Q
What are the 3 principal grapes of Champagne
A
Pinot Noir
Meunier
Chardonnay
19
Q
What are the 4 heirlooms or forgotten grapes
A
Arbane
Petit Meslier
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Gris (aka Fromenteau)
20
Q
What is the most grown grape in Champagne
A
Pinot Noir at 38.3%
21
Q
What is the least grown principal grape in Champagne
A
Chardonnay 30.4%
22
Q
The heirloom or forgotten grapes make up what percentage of the vines
A
0.3%
23
Q
How many authorized clones are there in Champagne
A
41
24
Q
How many different approved Pinot noir clones are there in Champagne
A
19
25
How many different authorized clones of Meunier are there in Champagne
11
26
How many different authorized clones of Chardonnay are there in Champagne
11
27
Champagne sets between what two parallels
49th and 49.5 parallel north
28
How many days typically does Champagne experience frost
60-80 days
29
What is the average amount of days a year the temperature dips below -10 degrees Celsius / 14 degrees Fahrenheit
an average of 3.8 days a year
30
What are the rivers of Champagne
Ardre
Aube
Landion
Laignes
Marne
Ource
Surmelin
Seine
Velse
31
How far is Champagne from the English Channel
150 miles / 240 km
32
Fog, frost, hail, rain, and low temperatures have what influence on the vines in Champagne
These are all major threats to the vines
33
What in Champagnes meso climate helps bring balance to the vine
- The folded and convoluted hills help create suntraps
| - The network of rivers help moderate the temperatures and mitigate frost damage
34
Typically, is ripeness uniform during the annual harvest throughout the region and why?
No, due to the wide range of disparate growing environments
- the climate is so challenging
35
What is the Average Annual Rainfall in Reims
24 inches / 604 mm
36
What is the Average Annual Rainfall in Epernay
27 inches / 674 mm
37
What is the Average Annual Rainfall in Troyes
25.5 inches / 648 mm
38
On average, how many days of rain per year does the region of Champagne receive
177
39
Over the past 30 years how much has the temperature of Champagne increased
2 degrees Fahrenheit / 1.2 degrees Celsius
40
What effect does the increase in temperature have on the vine
Both flowering and harvest will shift forward and will come earlier
41
Typically when does harvest take place in Champagne and does this typically today still occur around this date
Around September 20th
- No, today grapes are picked 10 to 14 days earlier
42
What are some warm years climate wise in Champagne
1947, 1949, 1959, 1961, 1976, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
43
What are some cold years climate wise in Champagne
1955, 1988, 1996, 2013
44
How long is the growing season for the vine from flowering to harvest
a full 96 days
45
Are temperatures in Champagne estimated to rise, stay the same, or lower in the future?
They are projected to rise even higher
- The Champenois are doing what they can do on their end to reduce their carbon footprint
46
What things have the region of Champagne done to help reduce the carbon foot print
- They have reduced the weight of the champagne bottle by 7% due to 1/3 of the regions CO2 emissions comes from packaging
- This has resulted in the reduction of CO2 emissions by 15% per bottle shipped
- The goal is to reduce CO2 emissions by 75% by 2050
47
What causes the development of mildew in Champagne
Champagne has a average minimum of 2mm of rainfall at around 11c / 52f. This causes a lot of mildew in the region
48
What are the main types of soils you find in the Cote des Blancs
Chalky Limestone, Clay, and Organic soils
49
Historically where were most of the vines planted and why
The hill, hillsides (Upper and Middle Slope), and Plains (flat land) due to they had the most fertile soil and it was easier to plow and work the vines.
50
In the Cote des Blancs, the vines that are on the Upper slopes, do they produce more selenic wines
Yes, due to there isn't much top soil. The vines dig deep into the chalky limestone
* this can vary from place to place
51
In the Cote des Blancs, the vines that are on the mid slopes, do they produce more selenic wines
No, the soil is comprised of more organic material. This causes the wines to be less selenic
* this can vary from place to place
52
What is it called when you are identifying individual Rootstocks which yield the best quality fruit (greater aromatic expression), balance of sugar & acidity (for ageing potential)
Mass - Selection (Selection Massale)
53
How many authorized rootstocks are approved in Champagne
11
54
How many principal rootstocks are approved in Champagne
1 / Rootstock 41B
55
For wine growth during the winter ( December to March) what is going on with the vines
The vines are resting
56
For the work on the vines what is taking place in winter (December to March)
Pruning (La Taille)
57
For wine growth during the spring (March to June) what is going on with the vines
Budburst ( debourrement)
58
For the work on the vines, what is taking place in the spring (March to June)
- desuckering (ebourgeonnage)
| - lifting and trellising (relevage and palissage)
59
For wine growth during the summer (June to September) what is going on with the vines
- Flowering (floraison)
| - Colour Development (Veraison)
60
For the work on the vines, what is taking place in the summer ( June to September)
- Treatments (Disease & Pests)
- Pollard (Ecimer)
- Pinching Back (Ronage)
61
For wine growth during the Fall / Autumn (September to December what is going on with the vines
- Maturation
- Leaves Drop
* Post Harvest
62
For the work on the vines, what is taking place in the Fall / Autumn ( September to December)
Harvest
63
How does pruning (la taille) help the vines
- helps to determine the growth of the grape
- Help Minimizes the risk of pest disease
- Establishes the future of the coming years (1 to 2 years)
- Helps determine the quality of the grapes
64
What grapes use the pruning method of Chablis
Chardonnay
65
What grapes use the pruning method of Cordon de Royat
Pinot Noir
66
The first arm of the Chablis pruning is called what and what is its purpose
Rachet ( 2 years old)
- it is a short spur with two buds which will not bear fruit in the current season
- but will grow spigs to use in the next season
67
What is the second arm of Chablis pruning called and what is its purpose
Lancement ( 5 years old)
- is the development of last years rachet
- a fruitful shoot bearing 5 buds
68
In the Chablis pruning method the old branches are divided into how many parts and what are their purposes
- Charpent - (Original Lancement) the lower part
| - Prolongment - the higher part of the vine that carries 5 buds
69
How many buds does the Chablis pruning method have
22
70
How many buds does Cordon de Royat pruning method have
15
71
How many buds does Vallee de la Marne pruning method have
18
72
What grapes uses the Vallee de la Marne pruning method
Meunier (only this grape can use this pruning method)
73
The Double Guyot is more used in what areas of Champagne
Northwest Champagne Viticole
74
For vineyard management strategies / certificates
To achieve this certificate one must do the following:
- Biodiversity, strategy for contact products, management of fertilizers, management of irrigation
- Only Level 3 yields a certificate
HVE - Haute Valuer Environmental or High Environment Value
75
For vineyard management strategies / certificates
To achieve this certificate one must do the following:
- Biodiversity, carbon footprint, H2O
- 124-point - check list - audit comprehensive for the domain
VDC - Viticulture Durable en Champagne or Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne
76
For vineyard management strategies / certificates
To achieve this certificate one must do the following:
- No "SYNTHETIC" chemical treatments ( fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides)
- 158 domains organic (1.2% of all Champagne domains) 667 ha organically (2.1% of total AOC surface)
Organic - Biodynamic
77
Is there a difference in the tasting profile of organic / biodynamic wines to non organic / biodynamic wines
Yes, you get a truer expression of freshness and purity of the terrior
78
BONUS NOTE
When acid levels go up in the grape, the sugar level goes down
