Week 2g: Champagne Flashcards
Champagne climate:
Crossroads between Maritime and Continental climates
Cool even though summers can be hot
Global warming impact on Champagne:
Heatwaves becoming more common
When is the Atlantic influence strongest? Impact on grape growing:
Strongest during mid-August to late October. Drives rainy weather during harvest
On what parallel is Champagne:
48-49 parallel
Impact of latitude on Champagne:
Acute angle of sun’s rays makes it harder to ripen grapes
Champagne soil type:
Ancient seabed rich in limestone
Mix of limestone, calcareous clay, limestone rich marl, soft white chalk
Define calcareous.
Mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate. Autrement dit, containing lime or being chalky.
Define marl.
An earthy material rich in carbonate minerals, clays, and silt
When hardened into rock, this becomes marlstone.
Acid level of chalk soil. How wine is impacted:
Chalk soils are basic. Makes wine more acidic
Notable characteristics of chalk:
Coolant and water reservoir
Holds water in a way that allows roots to thrive
Historical strategic importance of Champagne:
Crossroads of European trade routes
Historic rivals of Champagne:
Burgundy, often over who made the better wine
When was Champagne invented
1700’s
When was the Champagne region defined?
1908 but this is not the AOC system yet
When did phylloxera hit Champagne? What happened as a result?
1863.
Major fraud with other sparkling wine being passed off as Champagne
When did the Aube revolt?
1908
What is the CIVC?
Comité Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne
Why was the CIVC formed?
In response to the Nazi occupation
What does the CIVC do?
Controls every aspect of Champagne production.
How did British glass become stronger than French glass? What impact did this have on Champagne production?
Due to wars, Britain had to switch to coal to make glass. Hotter temperatures, stronger glass
How did the invention of stronger glass help Champagne?
Better glass and market interest started the Champagne industry
Better understanding of the fermentation process
Allowed Champagne to distinguish itself form Burgundy
Who released the first Tête de Cuvée? When?
Moët Chandon: Dom Perignon
1921 vintage
Dom Perignon’s contribution to Champagne production:
Invented a more gentle press
Able to make white wine from red grapes which offered more flavour
André François’ contribution to Champagne production:
Discovered the exact amount of sugar needed to complete 2nd fermentation in bottle without bottles exploding
Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin’s contribution to Champagne production:
Invented riddling as a way to speed up prep for disgorging
Caused by race to get Champagne to Russian markets first.
Louise Pommery’s contribution to Champagne production:
Pioneer’s dryer style of wine
Released first Brut
Captivates English market
Lilly Bollinger’s contribution to Champagne production:
Pioneers recently disgorged style of wine.
Describe NV Champagne:
80% of production
Goal is consistency year over year
15 months ageing during second ferment
Can include Têtes de Cuvée
Vintage Champagne harvest, amount of production, ageing requirements:
Max 80% of any harvest (far lower in reality)
2% of Champagne sold each year is Vintage
36 months on lees
What is a Négotiant Manipulant
Buy grapes from growers
Some limit on how much they can own land
80% of all Champagne
What is a Recoltant Manipulant?
Grower Champagne. The own their own vineyards and vinify their own grapes
What is a Recoltant Cooperateur?
Grower who uses a coop facility to vinify and then bottle under their own label
What is a Cooperative Manipulant?
Many growers vinify and label their fruit under one coop label.
Sweetness levels of Champagne:
Brut Zero: 0-3g/l
Extra Brut: 0-6
Brut: 0-12
Extra Sec: 12-17
Sec: 17-32
Demi Sec: 32-50
Doux: 50+
Grapes in Blanc de Blancs:
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris / Blanc
Arbane
Petit Meslier
Grapes in Blanc de Noirs:
100% black grapes:
Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
Moët Chandon Tête de Cuvée:
Dom Perignon
Louis Roederer Tête de Cuvée:
Cristal
Bollinger Tête de Cuvée:
La Grande Année
Vielles Vignes Français
Gossett Tête de Cuvée:
Celebris
Taittinger Tête de Cuvée:
Comte de Champagne
Perriet Jouet Tête de Cuvée:
Belle Epoque
What is a Single Vineyard Champagne?
Increasingly popular category
Often overlaps Vintage and Prestige Cuvée Categories
Single Vineyard Champagne of Billecart Salmon:
Clos Saint Hilaire
Two Single Vineyard champagnes of Krug:
Clos de Mesnil
Clos d’Ambonnay
Single Vineyard Champagne of Philpponat:
Clos de Goisses
Single Vineyard Champagne of Pierre Peters:
Les Chetillons
What is a Special Club Champagne:
Collective formed by some producers in 1971 to show quality of Grower Champagnes which lived under the shadow of big houses
What do members of Special Club Champagne members do?
25 members who all release their individual wines in the same unique style bottle.
Tasting panel tests both vin clair and finished Champagne
3 original members who remain a member of Special Club Champagnes:
Paul Bara
Pierre Gimonnet
Gaston Chiquet
What is Cru status accorded to in Champagne?
Whole villages
How did the Echelle de Crus system work?
Rating out of 100 dictated the purchase price for the grapes.
Ranked villages into Grand Cru, Premier Cru or Cru vineyards.
When was the Echelle de Cru system introduced and abolished? Why is it still important?
Introduced in the 1800’s.
Abolished in 2010.
Still recognized by consumers so producers add it to the label.
Grape grown in Montagne de Reims:
Pinot Noir
Best sites in Montagne de Reims:
Grand Montagne
How many GC villages in Montagne de Reims?
10
Bouzy
Ambonnay
Grape grown in the Vallée de la Marne:
Pinot Meunier
GC in Vallée de la Marne:
Ay
Soil in Vallée de la Marne:
Heavier
More clay
Rich soils
Alluvial soil around the river
Grape grown in Côte de Blanc:
Chardonnay
Grape grown in Côte de Sézanne:
Chardonnay
More ripe, lush, aromatic than other regions
