Champagne

Question 1

AOPs of Champagne?

Answer 1

Champagne AOP
Coteaux Champenois AOP
Rosé des Riceys AOP

Question 2

Champagne AOP Départements?

Answer 2

Aube, Aisne, Marne, Haute-Marne, Seine-et-Marne

Communes of Production: 357 villages

Question 3

Champagne AOP Styles?

Answer 3

Vin Mousseux Blanc

Vin Mousseux Rosé (either saignée or blending prior to tirage is authorized)

Question 4

Champagne AOP Encépagement?

Answer 4

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Arbane, Petit Meslier

Question 5

Champagne AOP Base Wine Statistics?

Answer 5

Minimum Potential Alcohol: 9%

Maximum Residual Sugar: 10 g/l

Question 6

Champagne AOP Tirage?

Answer 6

Secondary fermentation (prise de mousse) is accomplished in glass bottles
Tirage may not occur until at least January 1 of the year following the harvest
Volume of wine may not increase by more than 1.12% per 1% increase in alcohol during secondary fermentation
Wines may not be disgorged until at least 12 months after the date of tirage
Finished wines are marketed in the same bottle in which tirage occurred, except for bottle sizes with a volume smaller than 375 ml or larger than 3 liters. For NV bottlings, up to 20% of 375 ml bottles may also be transferred into new bottles.

Question 7

Champagne AOP Liqueur d’Expédition?

Answer 7

The addition of liqueur d’expédition may not lead to an increase in volume of wine (expressed in percentage) higher than the sum of the percentage increase in alcoholic strength (multiplied by a coefficient of 1.266) and the grams per liter increase in sugar content (multiplied by a coefficient of 0.0666). See the following formula:
Volume of Wine (%) = (1.266 × Alcohol Percent Increase) + (0.0666 × Sugar Increase)

Question 8

Champagne AOP Vintage Dated Wines?

Answer 8

Max. 80% of a year’s harvest may be sold as vintage Champagne
Vintage-dated wines must contain 100% of a stated vintage (with the exception of wine and products contained in the liqueur de tirage or the liqueur d’expédition)

Question 9

Champagne AOP Élevage?

Answer 9

NV wines: Min. 15 months from date of tirage

Vintage Wines: Min. 36 months from date of tirage

Question 10

Champagne AOP Minimum Must Weight?

Answer 10

143 g/l

Question 11

Champagne AOP Permitted Training Methods?

Answer 11

Chablis, Cordon de Royat, Vallée de la Marne (allowed for Meunier only), Guyot (simple or double)
Minimum Planting Density: max. 2.5 square meters per vine

Question 12

Champagne AOP Maximum Yields (Rendement de Base)?

Answer 12

10,400 kg/ha

Question 13

Champagne AOP Maximum Press Yield?

Answer 13

102 liters/160 kg (Additional pressed juice is rebêche, or the “end of pressing”, and must account for 0-10% of the total. This may only be used for distillation.)

Question 14

Sweetness Levels for Champagne Brut Nature*?

Answer 14

0-3 grams per liter
Brut Nature wines may not contain any added dosage. Equivalent terms include Non-Dosé, Brut Sauvage, Ultra Brut, Dosage Zéro, Sans Sucre, Pas Dosé.

Question 15

Sweetness Levels for Champagne Extra Brut?

Answer 15

0-6 grams per liter

Question 16

Sweetness Levels for Champagne Brut?

Answer 16

0-12 grams per liter

Question 17

Sweetness Levels for Champagne Extra Dry?

Answer 17

12-17 grams per liter

Question 18

Sweetness Levels for Champagne Sec?

Answer 18

17-32 grams per liter

Question 19

Sweetness Levels for Champagne Demi-Sec?

Answer 19

32-50 grams per liter

Question 20

Sweetness Levels for Champagne Doux?

Answer 20

50+ grams per liter

Question 21

Coteaux Champenois AOP Styles?

Answer 21

Blanc
Rosé
Rouge

Question 22

Coteaux Champenois AOP Encépagement?

Answer 22

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier, Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris
Assemblage: none specified

Question 23

Rosé des Riceys AOP Styles?

Answer 23

Rosé (tranquille): 100% Pinot Noir

Grapes are vinified as whole bunches (semi-carbonic maceration)

Question 24

Champagne Special Club General Rules for Membership?

Answer 24

Viticulture must occur on the estate (only RM producers may join)
Vinification and bottling must occur on the estate
Members must respect and uphold the Club’s charter

Question 25

Champagne Special Club Rules for “Special Club” Wines?

Answer 25

The “Special Club” is the top-of-the-range, prestige cuvée for all members
The Club Trésors will declare a vintage as being worthy of “Special Club” prestige cuvées, then each member may decide individually whether or not to produce a “Special Club” wine
All base wines and finished “Special Club” wines must undergo tasting analysis
All “Special Club” bottles share an identical label and bottle shape

Question 26

Champagne Grand Cru Villages located in Montagne de Reims?

Answer 26

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

Question 27

Champagne Grand Cru Villages located in Vallée de la Marne?

Answer 27

Aÿ

Tours-sur-Marne (red grapes 100%, white grapes 90%)

Question 28

Champagne Grand Cru Villages located in Côte des Blancs?

Answer 28

Chouilly* (white grapes 100%, red grapes 95%) 
    Oiry*               
    Cramant           
    Avize                
    Oger*              
    Le Mesnil-sur-Oger*
* added after 1985.