Ch 2 part 1 Flashcards by Rita Allan

Name of French Champagne wine organization

Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne CIVC

Comite Champagne

works to ensure traditional method sparking wine from grapes in the appellation

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

describe the most common style produced?

white, fully sparking, non vintage, Chard, PN, PM

med intensity

aroma and flavors, of apple, lemon fruit

biscuit autolytic notes

high acidity

med abv

typically good to outstanding – mid to premium prices

vintage & prestige cuvee command premium and super prem

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

name the range of style produced?

Non-vintage NV Vintage

Rose Blanc de Blanc

Blanc de Noir Grand Cru

Premier Cru Prestige Cuvee

Late released, recently disgorged wines

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Non- vintage NV

blend of a number of vintages

follows set house style

blend parcels of base wine to smooth out vintage variation

goal to create same profile each year

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Vintage

100% by law from that year indicated

produced in best growing condition years 2002, 2008

still reflect house style with characteristics of that year

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Rose

Rose d’assemblage blend of red and white

Rose de Saignee - skin maceration of black grapes is also permitted and bled off

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Blanc de Blanc

a white wine made from white grapes only

can be leaner and more austere in youth

does have age potential

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Blanc de Noir

white wine from black grapes only

fuller bodied

generally thought to age more rapidly

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Grand Cru

term mentioned on label as a quality statement

all grapes must have been grown within the vineyards that belong to grand cru villages

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Premier Cru

term mentioned on label as a quality statement

all grapes must have been grown within the vineyard belonging to premier cru and or grand cru villages

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Prestige Cuvee

wine is the product of strict selection of best grapes

meticulous wine making techniques

can be non vintage or vintage

usually top wine in champagne that producer make

Krug specialize in making a range of ____

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STYLES OF CHAMPAGNE

Late released, recently disgorged wines

wine has seen extend lees ageing, disgorged just before released onto the market

ready to be consumed immediately

wine has different flavors from same wine disgorged earlier

rapid ageing more than stander occurs after disgorgement

eg: Bollinger’s R.D. Dom Perignon’s P2

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Other AOCs in the Champagne regions include?

AOC Rose de Riceys- in the Cote des Bar

-PN Rose still wine

AOC Coteaux Champenois

red, white, or rose
mostly produced is light bodied, high acid, pale ruby PN

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HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE

Mid 17^th century contribution?

England contributed glass production from coal fired ovens which could reliably withstand the pressure

____ made from PN, and was pink

cold winters ferm halted and started again as temp rose resulting in sparking wine

slightly fizzy -became fashionable in the English market

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HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE

Dom Pierre Perignon contribution?

died in 1715- development of white wine from black grapes

invented the Coquard press which delineated fraction allowing for blending resulting in superior wines

re-introduced cork stoppers into France

pioneered stronger English glass

Regarded fizz as fault

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HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE

Madame Veuve Clicquot contribution?

19^th century

developed controlled 2^nd ferm in bottle using a measured amount of sugar and yeast

developed riddling (remuage) using pupitres

Riddling led into freezing neck in salty water for disgorgement

last quarter of century, dry style was created popular in the English Market

HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE

AOC Boundary set

in 1927 ____ - critical in the defense of the GI

HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE

Echelle des crus system

system used to define grand cru and premier cru villages

literally means Ladder of growths

a rating system to determine grape prices

HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE

Blocage system

latter called reserve wines

initially meant to save a portion of young wine as insurance policy for future disasters of reduced yields

became a system of storing reserve wine for blending purpose to reduce vintage variation

adding depth, complexity on non-vintage wines

LOCATION AND CLIMATE

where is champagne?

just south of the 50^th Parallel, directly east of Paris

150KM north to south, 120KM east to west

five sub regions

3 around Epernay: Montage de Reims, Vallee del la Marne, Cotes des Blancs

South of Cotes des Blancs: Cots de Sezanne

Closer to Chablis: Cotes des Bar

LOCATION AND CLIMATE

What climate does Champagne experience?

cool continental with some oceanic influence

Rain 700mm/ year

low average temp results in low-alcohol, acidic base wines better for sparkling wines than still wines most years

90-300 M above sea level

LOCATION AND CLIMATE

What are the risk faced by growers concerning weather and climate?

Rain during flowering or fruit set can reduce yields and spread fungal disease and dilute crop

___ has warmed over last 30 years, harvest dates have moved forward on average 18 days

resulting in average acidity dropped and ABV potential rise .7%

TOPOGRAPHY AND SOILS

describe the Paris basin?

Chalky soils in N valuable for high quality Chard base wine wine

most common soil chalky with limestone subsoil & chalk alone

Chalk is porous & stores water for dry periods

well drained soil & plantings on slopes avoid negative health

PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS

Map:

PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS Montagne de Reims

**Verzenay, Mailly, Verzy, Bourzy, Ambonnay** Topography: **a wide plateau (more than mountain)** Some top villages **face N, cool climate, frost prone** Very **high acidity and austere in youth** **Best known for black grapes** but important vineyards w/Chard Soil type varices -**grand cru is chalkey providing balance water/ drainage**

PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS Vallee de la Marne

**Ay-Champagne** Major planting **West of Epernay is Meunier on clay, marl, and sandy soil producing fruity PM** **Bud break is later** and **ripening earlier than Chard or PN**, less frost risk **Char also grown & used for blending** into **early drinking wines**

PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS Cotes des Blancs

**Cramant, Avize, Oger, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger** Region is **south of Vallee de la Marne** almost **exclusively produces white grapes 95% Chard** **purest from of chalk, balance between water & drainage** wine with **great intensity and longevity, austere** in youth

PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS Cotes de Sezanne

**region continueation of the Cotes des Blancs** Soil **clay and clay/ silt with some pockets of chalk** **Chard** planted on the warmer **SE facing slopes** resulting in **fruitier, riper grapes** **Fruit quality, in general, rated lower** of the regions around Epernay: Montage de Reims, Vallee del la Marne, Cotes des Blancs

PORODUCTION SUB-REGIONS Cotes des bar

**South of Champagne region** **¼** of vineyards are mainly **planted in PN** **Kimmeridgian Calcareous** marls soils found near **Chablis & Sancerre** **Steep slopes & soils with stony limestone** elements = **High drainage** Relatively low plantings of PN in other regions region important **source of full flavored PN to blend into NV** **Merchants based in N part buy much of wine**

GRAPE VARIETIES Principal Varieties?

\_\_\_\_ for which **99%** of nearly 35,000 H **PN= 38% PM= 32% Chard=30% and is increasing** tiny amounts of **Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, Petit Meslier** and **Fromenteau** are grown and either blended into wine or contribute to niche cuvees

GRAPE VARIRTIES Chardonnay

**30%** of planting and increasing. **demand for it from big houses** **commands slightly higher price per Kilo** for growers and produces larger yields

GRAPE VARIRTIES Meunier grows where?

**Mutation of Pinot Noir** that has **white hairs on its leaves** giving it a **floury appearance** (Meunier = miller in French) **Valle de la Marne** Does well on heavier soils **(more clay)**

GRAPE VARIRTIES Meunier characteristics of varietal?

**early budding** (after PN and Chard)- **less spring frost risk** ripens **earlier than PN** helpful in season where harvest is interrupted by rain contributes **softness and fruitiness** to blend **sensitive to botrytis infections**

GRAPE VARIRTIES Meunier production choices?

**reliable producer** of **typically fruity wine** contributes softness to blend **good for NV blends which are aged on lees shorter and drunk young at released** tends not to be used in wines intended for long ageing Champions at Krug