Champagne Flashcards
(20 cards)
What are the main climatic influences in Champagne?
Cool continental climate, northern latitude (~49°N), risk of spring frost, low sunshine, and frequent rain—contributing to high acidity.
What are the five sub-regions of Champagne?
- Montagne de Reims
- Vallée de la Marne
- Côte des Blancs
- Côte de Sézanne
- Aube (Côte des Bar)
What are the permitted grape varietals in Champagne?
- Major: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Meunier
- Minor (rare): Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier, Arbanne
What is the dominant soil type in Champagne?
Chalk, with variations of marl, limestone, clay, and sand—especially important for drainage and root penetration.
What production method is used to make Champagne?
Traditional method (Méthode Traditionnelle) – involving secondary fermentation in the bottle.
List the key steps in traditional method Champagne production.
- Base wine fermentation
- Assemblage (blending)
- Tirage (bottling with yeast + sugar)
- Second fermentation
- Aging on lees (min. 15 months NV, 36 months vintage)
- Riddling (remuage)
- Disgorgement
- Dosage
- Corking and labeling
What are the main styles of Champagne?
- Non-Vintage (NV)
- Vintage
- Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay)
- Blanc de Noirs (100% PN or Meunier)
- Rosé (blending or saignée)
- Prestige Cuvée / Tête de Cuvée
What are the main sweetness levels of Champagne (from driest to sweetest)?
Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec, Doux.
What is “Brut Nature” on a Champagne label?
No sugar added in dosage; 0–3 g/L residual sugar.
What is a “Prestige Cuvée” Champagne?
A producer’s top-quality bottling, often from the best grapes and best vintages (e.g., Dom Pérignon, Cristal).
What is the minimum aging requirement for non-vintage and vintage Champagne?
- Non-vintage: 15 months (12 on lees)
- Vintage: 36 months
What do the following Champagne label terms mean:
- Récoltant-Manipulant (RM)
- Négociant-Manipulant (NM)
- Coopérative de Manipulation (CM)
- RM: Grower-producer who makes wine from own grapes
- NM: House that buys grapes and produces wine
- CM: Cooperative that vinifies and sells Champagne for its members
What are the common Champagne bottle sizes from smallest to largest?
- Piccolo (187.5 mL)
- Half-bottle (375 mL)
- Standard (750 mL)
- Magnum (1.5 L)
- Jeroboam (3 L)
- Rehoboam (4.5 L)
- Methuselah (6 L)
- Salmanazar (9 L)
- Balthazar (12 L)
- Nebuchadnezzar (15 L)
Why is Champagne traditionally aged in bottle on lees?
To develop complexity, creaminess, and autolytic character (notes of brioche, bread dough, etc.)
What is the maximum permitted yield in Champagne (as of current regulations)?
Approximately 66 hl/ha (can vary by year depending on Comité Champagne rules).
What is the legal extraction amount for the cuvée and taille in Champagne production?
- Cuvée: First 2,050 liters from 4,000 kg of grapes
- Taille: Next 500 liters
- Total extraction: 2,550 liters from 4,000 kg
What are Coteaux Champenois wines?
Still wines (red or white) produced under AOC Coteaux Champenois, usually from Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, not sparkling.
Name three well-known Prestige Cuvées (quality marques) from leading Champagne houses.
- Moët & Chandon – Dom Pérignon
- Louis Roederer – Cristal
- Pol Roger – Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill
Name three more Prestige Cuvées from other famous producers.
- Bollinger – La Grande Année / R.D.
- Taittinger – Comtes de Champagne
- Veuve Clicquot – La Grande Dame
List classic Champagne vintages from the past 10 years.
- Excellent: 2008, 2012, 2015, 2018
- Very Good: 2013, 2019
- Good: 2014, 2016
- Challenging: 2011, 2017
