Champagne / Sparkling Wines Flashcards

1
Q

Champagne delimited region

A

34300ha / 15700 growers / 31000 ha under vines

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2
Q

5 areas of champagne

A

Montagne de Reims
Vallee de la Marne
Cote des blancs
Cote de Sezanne
Cote des Bars (the aube)

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3
Q

Villages / 1st cru / grand cru in Champagne

A

357 villages / 17 gran cru / 42 premier cru

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4
Q

Oldest champagne house

A

Gosset (1584 - still wine)

Ruinart ( 1729 - sparkling wine)

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5
Q

Climate of champagne

A

10C average temperature
Cold Atlantic influenced climate
Extreme vintage variation= blending
Frost, rain, fungal disease, hail are serious issues
Rain often interrupt flowering = bouvreux (second crop, left on the vine)

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6
Q

Soils of champagne

A
  • Belemnite chalk: provides excellent drainage / absorbs heat to protect vines at night / high limestone content = allows roots to dig deeply (high acidity) / derived from millions of fossilised cephalopods
  • microcaster chalk = 2nd layer in the valley vineyards
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7
Q

Varieties allowed in champagne

A

Chardonnay: elegance & longevity

Pinot N : supports wine structure

Meunier: youthful fruitiness , approachability

+ Pinot blanc / Arbane / Pinot Gris / Petit Meslier / Voltis (hybrid)

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8
Q

Yield restriction in champagne

A

66hl/ha = 2550lt per 4000kg of grapes

(High max yield + limit on extraction)

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9
Q

Montagne de Reims

A

U shaped hillside / 283 m asl
South / southeast aspect
Limestone + marl soils

Top region = 9 grand cru
Renowned for PN

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10
Q

Vallee de la Marne

A

Meunier predominant grape = flowers late, ripens early = safe from frost

AY CHAMPAGNE = only grand cru

Epernay = important village

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11
Q

Cote des blancs

A

95% Chardonnay

6 grand cru

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12
Q

Cote de Sezanne

A

Chardonnay predominant

No GC or 1st cru

Slightly warmer = softer wines , less fine, high minerality

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13
Q

Cote des Bars (the aube)

A

Most southerly / warmest region
Kimmeridgian soils = like Chablis
Comprises nearly 25% of champagne vineyards
Mostly Pinot noir (84%)
DRAPPIER = biggest producer

Rose de Riceys AOC= still table wine / 100% Pinot noir

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14
Q

CIVC

A

Governing body for champagne / enforces AOC regulations

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15
Q

Types of champagne producers

A

NM = negotiant manipulant = house that purchase grapes or base wine (Moët e chandon, Louis Roederer, Vevue Cliquot, Billecart Salmon, tattinger, pol roger)

RM = recoltant manipulant = grower-producer making champagne from own estate grown grapes

CM= cooperative manipulant = growers cooperative that produce wine under a single brand

RC = recoltant cooperateur = grower that vinifies own grapes at a local cooperative then sells it under his
Own name

SR = societe de recoltants = sold under the name of a company by growers usually related

ND = negociant distributeur = company buys champagne , re brands it and sells it

MA = marque d’Archeteur = a buyers own brand, usually a big supermarket chain or restaurant

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16
Q

Vin de cuvee (champagne)

A

First press (2050lt)

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17
Q

Vin de taille (champagne)

A

2nd press (500lt) / richer in pigment and tannins (often sold or included in small portions)

18
Q

Rebeche (champagne)

A

3rd press / must comprise the 1-10% of the total / used for distillate

19
Q

Debourbage

A

Settling of the juice after pressing in order to allow sediment to settle and be removed by racking prior fermentation

20
Q

Vin clairs (champagne)

A

Base wine resulted from primary fermentation / high acid wine / either stainless steel or oak barrel (krug, Bollinger) / approximately 11%

21
Q

Assemblage

A

Blending of the clarified base wine with other vintages, grape varietals, growing areas to reach a balanced house style

22
Q

Liqueur de tirage

A

Mix of still wine , yeasts , sugar and fining agents it added to the blend and bottled

23
Q

Prise de Mousse

A

2nd fermentation in bottle

Every bottle is closed with a crown cap equipped with a BIDULE that will serve to capture the sediment at the end of the riddling

2nd fermentation last for 8 weeks
Alcohol rises approximately 1.2-1.3% abv
Co2 creates a pressure of 6 atmospheres

24
Q

Autolysis

A

Breakdown of dead yeast cells that creates sediment (LEES)

Bottles are stored horizontally = SUR LATTE

wine will age on the lees for a min of 13 months for Non Vintage , 3 years for vintage champagne

25
Q

Remuage

A

Riddling = the sediment is slowly moved towards the bidule by turning the bottles regularly over a period of 8 weeks

26
Q

Pupitres

A

“A” shaped planks of wood used for Remuage

27
Q

Sur Pointe

A

Bottles are left upside down for a short period of time prior disgorgement

28
Q

Recemment Degorge’

A

Late disgorgement (LD or RD)

29
Q

Disgorgement methods

A

A la volee’ = no preparatory steps

A la glacé = frozen neck in -25C brine

30
Q

Dosage

A

“Liqueur de expedition”

Bottles are topped up after disgorgement with sweetened wine / percentage of sugar syrup will determine the style of the wine

31
Q

Style according to liqueur de expedition

A

Brut Nature = 0-3g/L
Extra brut = 0-6g/L
Brut = 0-12g/L
Extra dry = 12-17g/L
Sec = 17-32g/L
Demi-sec = 32-50g/L
Doux = 50+ g/L

32
Q

Coteaux champenoise

A

AOC for still wine in champagne

33
Q

Marc de champagne

A

Brandy produced from pips skins and stalks after pressing the grapes for champagne

34
Q

Ratafia de champagne

A

VDL made by adding a neutral spirit to unfermented grape juice

35
Q

Blocage / unblocage

A

Reserve of base wine from good years stored to be used in poor vintages

Must be approved by CIVC

36
Q

Best vintages champagne

A

1990, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008.

37
Q

Montagne de Reims Grand Cru

A

Sillery
Puisieulx
Tours-sur-Marne
Ambonnay
Beaumont-Sur-Vesle
Verzenay
Mailly-Champagne
Verzy*
Louvois
Bouzy

38
Q

Valle’ de la Marne Grand Cru

A

Ay

39
Q

Cote de Blancs Grand Cru

A

Chouilly
Oiry
Cramant
Avize
Oger
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger

40
Q

Champagne top cuvee

A

Tattinger - Comte
Bollinger - la grande Anne’
Laurent Perrier - la grand siecle
Louis roederer - crystal
Moet & Chandon - Dom Perignon
Ruinart - Dom Ruinart
Billecart salmon - cuvee Francois
Pommery - cuvee Louise
Perrier Jouet - Belle epoque
Krug - clos de mesnil
Charles Heidsick - blanc de millionaires
Pol roger - winston Churchill
Vevue Cliquo - la grande dame