Viticulture And Soils Flashcards
The Nature Of Chalk….
- A type of limestone with tremendous water retaining capacity: 79- 105 gallons per cubic yard/ 300- 400 litres per cubic meter
- Growing areas with chalk sub soil= Dry Champagne
- Grapes grown on chalk are usually high in acid producing lean wines with reserved aromatics
Limestone- rich Marl
- Marl soils: Limestone and clay
- Common to the Montagne De Reims, Val Du Reims, Vallee De la Marne and Val De Petit Morin
- Within the Champagne Viticole, Kimmeridgian Marl is exclusive to the Côte Des Bar
- Kimmeridgian soils form a ring around France
Nature of Marl
- Limestone rich Marl does not have the water- retention capacity of chalk
- The topsoil retains moisture
- They deliver Aromatic, earthy expressions of the grapes grown there
Sand/ Clay
- Val De Reims and the Vallee De la Marne; Clay, sand and Marl
- Val Du Petit Morin: chalk and clays, marls and sands
- Cote De Sezanne; chalk and clays
Sandy Soils versus Clay Soils
Sandy: open wines with more overt fruit characteristics and less structure
Clay Soils: dense, mineral- rich wines that display somewhat closed aromatics in their youth
True or False: Grapes are intentionally picked with less sugar than grapes destined for still wine production?
True
What were the traditional grapes of champagne in the 9th to 16th Century.
- Gouais Noir (black berried)
- Gouais Blanc (White berried)
- Fromenteau (grey-pink berried)- known as Pinot Gris
However up until the early 20 th Century, it was common practice to plant a mix of grape varieties including; white Pinot Blanc, it’s genetic off shoots such as Epinette, Bon Blanc, Petit Blanc, plus Arbanne/ Arbane, Petit Meslier and Chardonnay. Reds included Chasselas Rouge, Gamay, Morillon (Pinot Noir), Enfume Noir and Pinot Meunier
Pinot Noir- Champagne
Least amount of acid/ moderate alcohol
38% of total acreage
Pinot Meunier- Champagne
Moderate acid and the least alcohol
34% of total champagne acreage
Chardonnay- Champagne
28% of the total vineyard acreage
Contributes the most acid and alcohol
What are the uncommon grapes of champagne that are still authorised in the AOC?
Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, Petit Meslier
Where is Belemite chalk usually situated?
At the upper to mid slope levels…this is ideal for optimal sun exposure and moisture retention (like Bourgogne)
Kimmeridgian Marl
- Soils found in Cote Des Bar (Aube)- Kimmeridgian Ring (part of)
- Composed Of Viguliem Marl= Kimmeridgian
- Formed During Jurassic period (199- 145 million years ago)
- Deposits by comma shaped oysters, known Exogura Vingule
Chalk
- Porous Limestone- sedimentary Rock of calcium carbonate
- Quarried for building materials begging with the Romans
- Quarries, Romans are now used as wine cellars
- As a subsoil it stores water, it is like a subterranean sponge
One cubic metre of chalk……..
Can hold between 79- 105 gallons of water per cubic yard/ 300- 400 litres per cubic metre
What areas are part of Dry Champagne?
Reims, Epernay, Ay, Ambonnay and Verzenay, also the subregion Of the Côte De Blancs
What towns sit above Crayeres?
Epernay and Reims
Sand and Clay
- Vallee De la Marne and Val De Reims- Marl, Clay, sand
- Clay= mineral rich, more time aging to express their true flavours and aromas
- Sand= more overt fruit- open and easy drinking
- Cote De Seazanne= chalk and clay
Limestone- Rich Marls
- Only in the Côte Des Bar
- Not the water retaining capacity of Chalk
- Known as wet champagne
- Prefered for Pinot Noir- deeply Aromatic, earthy expression
What were the principals grapes from the 9th to 16th Century?
Gouais Blanc, Gouis Noir and Fromenteau
Grey- pink berried Fromenteau crafted…..
Vin de la riviere
Gouais Noir crafted…..
Vins de la Montagne
Gouais Blanc is also known as?
Weisser Heinrich, the mother of French and German varieties
Gouais is thought to be from…..
Northeast France (Franche- Comte, Champagne- Ardenne, Lorraine, Alsace) and Southwest Germany (Rheinland- Pfalz, Baden- Wurtemburg)
A sampling of Gouais Crosses…..
Aligote, Auxerois, Chardonnay, Petite Meslier, Melon, Sacy, Romorantin, Gamay Blanc, Gamay Noir, Colombard, Furmint, Elbling, Riesling, Folle Blanche, Jacquere and Arbois
What was worth more money in the Middle ages, Fromenteau or Gouais Blanc/ Noir?
Fromenteau
What was Gouais Blanc known as?
Marmot
- Used mainly for personal consumption until the 19th Century
- High yield high vigour
- Was thought to stave off phylloxera, but eventually succumbs to it
White grapes as of 1900s?
- Gouais Blanc
- Beaumois (Chardonnay)
- Pinot/ Morillion (Blanc) offshoots: Petit Blanc, Blanc Dore Gros Blanc, Epinette (or Epinette Blanche), Bon Blanc, Bargenois, Arboisler
Non Pinot related grapes of 1900s Champagne…..
Petit Meslier, Chasselas Dur (known as Chasselas Blanc, Bar- sur- Aube, Vert Blanc and, incorrectly, Muscat Blanc in the Aube)
Lesser White Grapes of 1900s…..
Gros Plant, various variations of Gouais Blanc, Gamay/ Gamet Blanc, Plant Verdilasse, Langudoc Blanc and in the Aube, Peurion (also known as Peurichon, Milleron and Troyen Blanc)
What was the red grape that replaced Gouais Noir?
In 1500s Pinot Noir (also known as Morillon Noir, Norien or Bon Noir)
What were the several types of Pinot Noir divided into by the 1900s?
Plants dores (Bronzed plants/ vines) Plants Gris (Grey plants/ vines)
Plants Dore?
- Petit Plant Dore (also called Petit Plant Dore d’Ay)
- Epernay: Demi- Plant- Noir
- Montagne de Reims: Rouge Dore
Both Demi- Plant- Noir and Rouge Dore were replaced by the more productive and superior clones: Gros Plant Dore Noir d’Ay and Vert Dore
Plant Gris?
- Petit Plant Gris- perfumed delicate wines
- Gros Plant Gris- less elegant, larger quantity
Red grapes of 1900?
- Teinturier (Noiraut/ Alicante)
- Enfume Noir
- Chasselas Rouge (Muscat Rouge)
- Gamay/ Gamet
- Francois Noir, Troyen Noir, Bachet, Beaunoir (hailing from the Aube)
- Gouais Noir
- Meunier
- Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir:
- Pinneau= latin pine cone
- Tight cluster and compact
- Early budding, susceptible to spring frosts, early ripening it is often harvested before autumn rains
- Thrives in cool climate
- Prefers limestone or marl soils
- Good acidity, moderate tannins, light pigments
- Pinot contributes least amount of acidity, moderate alc.
Pinot Meunier:
- Mutation of Pinot Noir
- Frost and freeze resistant, planted in areas that suffer from both
- Buds after P/ Noir and is harvested after P/ Noir
- Avoids the worst of spring and autumn wet and cold
- Happy on all soil types, yields small tight clusters
- Possesses good acid, bright red fruit with some earthiness
- Contributes moderate amount of acid and the least amount of acid and least amount of alcohol
- Juices oxidises quickly
Chardonnay:
- Pinot x Gouais cross
- Prefers limestone or limestone rich marls
- Early budding, early ripening and productive
- High sugar and high extract
- Contributes more acid and more alcohol than the other two principal champagne grapes
When did grape varieties get replaced in Champagne:?
After WW1- vineyards were destroyed
What are the rare, still used lesser varieties of Champagne?
Pinot Blanc, Arbanne/ Arbane and Petit Meslier, still in older v/yards
Arbanne/ Arbane
- Widely planted during the 1800s
- Sucumbed to the mildews bought over from North America
- Flowery bouquet, that was apparent even in small amounts in a cuvee
Petit Meslier
- Budded early
- Was an inconsistent ripener
- Contributed alcohol to the blend, lean years, contributed acid
What percentage of plantings are the grapes of Champagne?
P/ Noir 38%
P/ Meunier 34%
Chardonnay 28%
What are the three rootstocks of Champagne?
41B, SO4, 3309C
41B
- Chalky soils
- Most popular in Champagne
SO4
Limestone Soils
3309C
Little or no limestone, prefers
How many different clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier do the CIVC recommend in the viticole?
50
Pinot Noir clones for champagne?
- Bigger berried (more juice) than normal dry white (smaller berries higher skin to pulp ratio is desired
- Higher in acid
Pinot Meunier clones for champagne?
- Chosen for big berry size
- Later bud breaks tendencies
What lead to a rise of clones suggested by the CIVC in the 1970s?
Reliable production was a driving force for selection. Also happened to coincide with the rise of agrochemicals.
What does planting the right clones have for today’s growers have to be done?
- Strict pruning
- Grass in between rows
- Stop fertilising to limit yields and achieve a good crop
What do some growers prefer to use instead of planting clones?
Selection Massale
Pinot Noir 115
Reliable maturation to 9-10% alcohol, steady yields. Botrytis resistant
P/Noir 779 and 927
Good for red wine production, reliable maturation to 9-10% alc. Botrytis resistant
Chardonnay 76
Precocious nourason (development of berries), steady yields, botrytis resistant
Chardonnay 75 and 95
Maturation to 9-10% alc, low yields. Botrytis resistant.
Pinot Meunier 977
Late budding, reliable maturation 9-10% alcohol, steady yields. Botrytis resistant.
Pinot Meunier 900
Reliably higher maturation (10% potential alcohol), low botrytis resistance
Pinot Meunier 817
Precocious nouaison, botrytis resistance
What were the vineyards of old planted as?
Vigne en foule
How would people establish new vines in the olden days?
They would choose a healthy cane, dig a trench, add manure. They would bury the cane- while attached to the parent vine- leaving 3 terminal buds exposed to air
What is provinage?
Layering. Using a buried cane to root, sprout new buds and propergate
What was another type of pruning in days of old?
Root pruning. It encouraged more root growth on the existing root network
What was the vine density prior to WW1?
20,000 vines per acre/ 50,000 per hectare. This meant not even horses could be used.
What were the advantages of the high density Vignes en foul v/yards?
The large number of support stakes served as a wine break and the high density of the vines managed to trap heat within the core of v/yard at night.
When did phylloxera arrive in champagne?
In the Aube in 1888. 1889 it was in the Aisne and close to the Marne border. It crept forward five acres/ two hectares per annum. By 1901, all the Marne was riddled. 1911 half of all the v/yards of champagne were affected.
Are there pre- phylloxera vines in champagne?
Yes. Bollinger have some in Ay, and a small portion in Louvois. There is also 25 acres/ 10 hectares of phylloxera free v/yards in sandy soils of Sacy. Ecueil and Villedommage.
What were the vineyard scourges that arrived in the 19th Century?
Powdery and Downy mildew. They came from North America. Champenois had to spray sulphur 10-15 times in growing season to keep them at bay.
How was phylloxera addressed in champagne?
They grafted the vines on different rootstocks
What are vineyards planted in a row called?
Vignes en lignes
What was the planting density after the crowded v/yards?
3,200 vines per acre/ 8000 vines. This meant farm animals and later farm equipment could come through. It also allowed for more access paths to accommodate horses and tractors.
The allowed (with pruning) to produce 12-15 clusters, which made equivalent of one bottle of wine
What are the 4 approved pruning methods in Champagne?
Chablis
Cordon de Royat
Guyot
Vallee de la Marne
Chablis pruning…..
Long pruning method, leaves 4 long canes and 1 spur (for renewing the canes)
Cordon de Royat…..
Comprised of 1 permanent arm (cordon) with short renewable spurs
What are the two pruning methods for Grand Cru and Premier Cru v/yards?
Chablis and Cordon de Royat
Guyot….
Is one long cane and one long spur (for renewal) or two long canes and two spurs (for renewal). Best for frost prone areas as each cane is replaced each year thus ensuring new wood (and new viable buds)
Vallee de la Marne……
Same as double Guyot except both canes are shunted in the same direction on the trellis wire (vs opposite directions). Another pruning method with two spurs (for renewal). Exclusively for Pinot Meunier.
What revolutionised vineyard work in the 1950s?
The use of the tractor and pesticides/ herbicides
What do growers tend to do now in regards to spraying?
Lutte raisonnée…. not a prescribed schedule
What combats frost?
Chavettes (small portable heaters) and overhead sprinkler systems. Helicopters are used to combat disease.
What was banned on the 31st of December 2015?
Aerial spraying so agrochemicals are kept out of the water supply
What was dumped over the vineyards in champagne between 1960 and 1998 and is known as gadeux?
The trash of Paris and Reims. It was thought organic waste would help the soil. But everything, including batteries were put on there.
Champagne has some of the youngest……
Vines. Partly because of the frost of 1985 and partly because growers favour younger vines.
End of Feb/ Beginning of March: Vineyard year in Champagne
Groud temps rises to 48 degrees Fahrenheit/ 9 degrees celsius; sap runs from pruning wounds (Les Pieurs)
End of March: Vineyard year in Champagne
Bud break (Le Debourement)
Beginning of April: Vineyard year in Champagne
Leaves open (La Feuillaison)
End of May: Vineyard year in Champagne
Flowering (La Florassion): for successful pollination temps must reach a minimum of 68 degrees farenheit/ 20 degrees celcius and weather must be dry
June/ July: Vineyard year in Champagne
Grapes form and develop (La Nouasion)
August: Vineyard year in Champagne
Grapes ripen (La Verasion); acid drops, sugar increase
Mid September: Vineyard year in Champagne
Harvest (La Vendange)
October: Vineyard year in Champagne
Shoots harden into canes; leaves turn colour
November: Vineyard year in Champagne
Leaf fall; vines fall dormant
December/ January: Vineyard year in Champagne
Pruning (La Taille de la Vigne)
Why do producers buy grapes from growers?
so they can have control over the winemaking process and growers don’t want the added pressure and cost of winery equipment
Did the growers or the producers win in the old days of selling grapes by the kilo (1900s)?
Producers. They could buy grapes and store the reserve wines for many years, when there as lots of yield and prices were low
Grapes Prices from 1850- 1906
Grapes Prices per kilo
- 1850- 1859 between 0.30 F to 1.60 F
- 1880- 1888 between 0.30 F to 2 F
- 1889: 3.50 F
- 1890- 1899 between 0.25 F and 2.60 F
- 1906: 0.60 F
In the early 1900s what caused the eschelle des crus?
The price per kilo. It was formed in 1911. It was very one sided for producers.
When was the eschelle des crus dismantled?
- Producers and growers now come to contract agreement but Grand Cru and Premier Cru reputations remain
Why do land prices in the champagne viticole continue to rise?
Because the area is planted in full. 1939 area under vine was 11,860 ha. Now it is 34,000 ha
In 2003…….
Vignerons decided to put more villages under vine. However these villages had to be planted with vines pre phylloxera.
Le Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne
- Controls the supply of wine to market to maintain price stability
- Controls the harvest size
- Carries out research
- Defends the ‘Champagne’ name globally (average 850 court actions a year)
- Promotes ‘champagne’ globally
In 1984 what did the INAO do?
Issued a decree that enabled them to classify land based on bottle petition and proof that a specific parcel was worthy of the requested AOC status
Who opted to petition the INAO for a complete revision of the Champagne Viticole?
The Syndicat General des Vignerons de la Champagne (SGV). They wanted the full viticole revised of village by village.
Who considered the SGV request for the INAO?
A commission based on a historian, a geologist, a viticulturist, a climatologist and a botanist.
What were the two subcategories the INAO used when considering the revision of the champagne viticole?
- Production Zones (where wines are made/ production area including press houses to labelling operations)
- Growing Zones- where it is grown
What was the criteria for the champagne viticole revision in 2006?
- The village needed to prove they were part of the historic production zone of the champagne viticole
- The land being evaluated needed to be conductive to quality champagne production (evaluated based on soil, sub-soil, slope, aspect and meso- climate)
In 2006 how many villages included in the Champagne Viticole?
40 villages
What were the two villages excluded from the viticole?
Germaine and Orbais- l’Abbaye. They were given 30 years to do this.
Although the CIVC maintains the 2006 revision……
Isn’t an expansion, it will contribute to more increased champagne production
Has the 2006 revision to the viticole come to fruition?
Not as of 2017 and it seems to have come to a halt
