Champagne Flashcards
(48 cards)
Champagne location
90 miles NE of Paris
Located at 49th parallel
Champagne Climate
Cool, continental
One of the coldest, most northernly regions in the world
Threats of rain, frost and hail
Champagne Soil
Limestone and chalk (mineral driven soil)
Champagne main grapes
Chardonnay: greatest potential of longevity. Linear/lean structure, great finesse
Pinot Noir: Most complex, provides much of structure
Pinot Meunier: flowery/perfumed on nose, youthful fruitiness on palate
Champagne subregions
Coe des Blancs: mostly chardonnay, most sought after
Montagne de Reims: renowned Pinot noir, great Rose
Valee de La Marne: Easy drinking- Pinot meunier
Cote de Sezanne: softer, approachable early
Cote de Bar: southmost
Number of Grand crus in each Champagne region
17 total
Code des Blancs: 6
Montagne de Reims: 10
Valee de la Marne 1 (Ay)
Blanc des Blancs vs Blanc de Noirs vs Rose
Blancs de Blancs: “white of whites” chardonnay only. Leanest, lightest, longest potential to age. Lemony minerality, great aperitif
Blanc de Noirs: “white of blacks” Made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Fleshy, muscular, apple, spice
Rose: made from macerating grapes to extract pigment, or adding a little red wine. Floral, perfume, depth
Malolactic Fermentation
Bacterial conversion of hard malic acid to soft lactic acid
Lowers acidity of wine
Champagne sweetness from dry to sweet
Brut Nature- Bone dry Extra Brut- Very dry Brut- dry Extra Dry- off dry Sec- semi sweet Demi Sec- sweet Doux- very sweet
Grams/Liter of sugar in Champagne
Brut Nature: 0-2 Extra Brut: 0-6 Brut: Up to 12 Extra Dry: 12-17 Sec: 17-32 Demi Sec: 33-50 Doux: over 50
Oidium
Parasitic Fungus
Number of Grand Cru vs Premier Cru in Champagne
17 Grand Cru
42 Premier Cru
Methode Champenoise
Pressing: hand picked, pressed in bunches quickly to prevent oxidation, lightly to prevent color
1st Fermentation: Short and simple, may be done in stainless steel vats or oak barrels. (most undergo malolactic fermentation)
Assemblage of Cuvee: blending of base wines
2nd Fermentation: bottled with “Liqueur de Tirage” then sealed with crown cap, yeast metabolizes sugar making more alcohol and C02.
Sur Lie Aging/bottle aging: after 2nd fermentation is complete bottles are transferred to pupitres
Remauge (riddling): put into pupitres or gyropalette. Pupitres take about 8 weeks, gyropalette takes about 8 days
Disgorgement: neck frozen in ice bath to eject “puck”
Dosage: liquer d’expedition is added to bottle, determines sweetness of champagne
Corking
“Prise de Mousse”
“capturing the sparkle” 2nd fermentation of Champagne
Autolysis
process of yeast cells breaking down after liqueur de tirage has induced secondary fermentation. think sur lie aging
liqueur de tirage
syrupy mixture of yeast and sugar added to champagne before 2nd fermentation, creates more alcohol and C02
Champagne Sur Lie aging requirements
at least 12 months on the lees out of 15 month total aging, although most go a lot longer
(18 months-4 years on lees is best)
Pupitre
Wooden A-frame wine rack for riddling champagne bottles, holds 60 bottles, takes about 8 weeks to complete
Created by widow Cliquot
Liquer d’expedition
the “dosage” added sur lie aging>remuage>disgorgement
determines the sweetness level, and therefore the style of champagne
NV Champagne vs Vintage champagne aging
NV: minimum of 15 months, at least 12 spent of lees
Vintage: minimum of 36 months
(many producers exceed both of these)
Dom Perignon innovations
Master the art of making white wine from red grapes
insisted vines be pruned severely and sparingly fertilized, lowering yield and improving concentration of wine.
Mandated that grapes would be picked early in the morning so that their delicate aromas and flavors would not be compromised by afternoon sun
first to keep wines from different vineyards and lots separate, first to realize blending several still wines ultimately leads to a more interesting champagne
First to experiment with glass flasks as a way to preserve Champagne’s freshness instead of leaving it in wooden barrels
Hautvillers Abbey
Former Benedictine monastery where Dom (Pierre) Perignon contributed to the development of sparkling wine in the Champagne Region.
the “fourth grape” of Champagne
Time itself, because of how long it is aged
Number of AOC’s in Champagne
Just one, Champagne is the only AOC
