Champagne

Question 1

What are the parents of Chardonnay

Answer 1

Pinot x Guais Blanc

Question 2

Which was the first Champagne house founded?

Answer 2

Ruinart 1729

Question 3

Where does the name Champagne come from?

Answer 3

Latin: campagna

Unforested land / open country

Question 4

Under what names were Champagne wines known in the 9th century, what was the wine style?

Answer 4

Vins de la montagne, vins de la rivière

Still wines, mostly red

Question 5

Climate Champagne

Answer 5

Continental with maritime / atlantic influence

Question 6

What were the traditional grapes in Champagne (9th - 16th century)?

Answer 6

Gouais (blanc & noir)

Fromenteau (Pinot Gris)

Question 7

What are the main grape varieties in Champagne today?

Answer 7

Pinot Noir (38%)
Pinot Meunier (34%)
Chardonnay (28%)

Question 8

Which grape variety contributes the most acidity and alcohol in the Champagne blend?

Answer 8

Chardonnay

Question 9

4 principal sub regions of Champagne

Answer 9

The Montagne & Val de Reims
Vallé de la Marne
Côte de Blancs
Côte de Bar

Question 10

4 Terroirs of Montagne / Val de Reims and dominating varieties

Answer 10

Massif de Saint-Thierry: Pinot Meunier
Val de Reims (Vesle & Ardre Valleys): Pinot Meunier
Monts de Berru: Chardonnay
Grande Montagne de Reims: Pinot Noir

Question 11

2 Valleys in Val de Reims

Answer 11

Vesle Valley

Ardre Valley

Question 12

6 Terroirs of Vallé de la Marne and dominating varieties

Answer 12

Grand Vallée de Marne: Pinot Noir
Coteaux Sud d’Epernay: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
Vallée de la Marne Rive Gauche: Pinot Meunier
Vallée de la Marne Rive Droite: Pinot Meunier
Condé: Pinot Meunier
Vallée de la Marne Ouest: Pinot Meunier

Question 13

Côte de Blancs 5 Terroirs and dominating varieties

Answer 13

Côte de Blancs: Chardonnay
Val du Petit Morin: Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay
Côte de Sézanne: Chardonnay
Vitryat: Chardonnay
Montgeux: Chardonnay

Question 14

2 Terroirs of Côte de Bar and dominant varieties

Answer 14

Bar sur Aubois: Pinot Noir

Barséquanais: Pinot Noir

Question 15

Name the 2 primary types of chalk found in Champagne. Which is preferred and why?

Answer 15

Belemnite
Micraster

Belemnite is preferred, as found in upper and mid slopes, optimal sun exposure and moisture retainance.

Question 16

What is chalk?

Answer 16

Type of porous limestone

Question 17

Characteristics of wine grown on Chalk

Answer 17

High acidity, lean with reserved aromatics

Question 18

Crayère

Answer 18

Underground quarries dug out by romans, serve as wine cellars today

Question 19

‘Wet Champagne’

Answer 19

Limestone rich marl, subsoil is not pulling moisture from topsoil as chalk

Question 20

Soil of Côte des Bar

Answer 20

Limestone rich marl (Kimmeridgean Marl) = Virgulien Marl

Preferred soils of Pinot Noir, aromatic, earthy

Question 21

Echelle de Crus, what is ranked and rating scale

Answer 21

Rates villages and surrounding
80% to 100%

100% Grand Cru
90-99% Premier Cru
80-89% Champagne AOC eligible

Question 22

What is the rating scale of Echelle de Cru?

Answer 22

100% Grand Cru -
90-99% Premier Cru
80-89% Champagne AOC

Question 23

Echelle de Crus, how many Grand Cru and how many Premier Cru?

Answer 23

Grand Cru - 17

Premier Cru - 42

Question 24

Historical impact of Echelle de Crus

Answer 24

Used to establish prices for grapes, since 2003 per individual contract

Question 25

Tête de Cuvée

Answer 25

Prestige bottling of Champagne house

Question 26

Recently Disgorged (R.D.) / Late Disgorged

Answer 26

Prolonged aging sur lee | Aged Champagne without oxidative effect or loss ogf effervescence

Question 27

Dosage Levels Champagne

Answer 27

``` Brut Nature 0-0.3% RS Extra Brut 0-0.6% Brut 0-1.2% Extra-Sec 1.2 - 1.7% Sec 1.7 - 3.2% Demi-Sec 3.2 - 5% Doux > 5% ```

Question 28

3 Champagne AOC's

Answer 28

AOC Champagne (Sparkling) AOC Coteaux Champenois (still) AOC Rosé de Riceys

Question 29

NM

Answer 29

Négociant-Manipulant Icorporate purchased grapes, all big Champagne houses

Question 30

RM

Answer 30

Récoltant-Manipulant Producer that only vinifies own grapes

Question 31

Remuage

Answer 31

Riddling

Question 32

Juponé

Answer 32

Mushroom shaped, young cork

Question 33

Chevillé

Answer 33

Peg-shaped older cork

Question 34

Which city in Champagne hosted the coronation of 27 french kings

Answer 34

Reims

Question 35

Tirage

Answer 35

Bottling

Question 36

Disgorgement

Answer 36

Removing the yeast

Question 37

AOC Rosé de Riceys

Answer 37

Pinot Noir Rosé | Produced in 3 villages of Les Riceys, Aube

Question 38

Which is the preferred soil type in Champagne

Answer 38

Belemnite Chalk

Question 39

Liqueur de tirage

Answer 39

Yeast and sugar mix added in order to start second fermentation

Question 40

Ageing requirements Champagne

Answer 40

12 months sur lie Non-vintage: 15 month from tirage to release Vintage: 3 years in total

Question 41

Liqueur de dosage

Answer 41

Mix of reserve wine and sugar, defines sweetness level

Question 42

Who are credited to make the first sparkling wines?

Answer 42

The monks of Saint Hilaire, near Limoux 1531 - Blanquette de limoux

Question 43

When did wines of Champagne become deliberately sparkling?

Answer 43

End of 17th century

Question 44

What tecnical advances made sparkling production / trade possible

Answer 44

Re-discovery of cork seal Stronger Glass Uniform bottle openings

Question 45

Which variety adds the most acidity and alcohol?

Answer 45

Chardonnay

Question 46

Which variety adds the - least acidity - least alcohol

Answer 46

least acidity: Pinot Noir | least alcohol: Pinot Meunier

Question 47

What is "dry Champagne"?

Answer 47

Treeless, open, rests on chalk, can't support higher plant life

Question 48

Coteaux Champenois AOC

Answer 48

Still wine AOC within zone of Champagne | Mostly Non Vintage and white

Question 49

Massif de St Thierry - variety

Answer 49

Pinot Meunier

Question 50

Ardre & Vesles valley / Valle de Reims - variety

Answer 50

Pinot Meunier

Question 51

Vallé de la Marne Ouest / West Marne - Variety

Answer 51

Pinot Meunier

Question 52

Condé - Variety

Answer 52

Pinit Meunier

Question 53

Vallée de la Marne Rive Gauche / Rive Droite - Variety

Answer 53

Pinot Meunier

Question 54

Grande Vallée de la Marne - Variety

Answer 54

Pinot Noir

Question 55

Coteaux Sud d'Epernay - variety

Answer 55

Chardonnay / Pinot Meunier

Question 56

Montagne de Reims - Variety

Answer 56

Pinot Noir

Question 57

Mont de Berru - Variety

Answer 57

Chardonnay

Question 58

Côte de Blancs - Variety

Answer 58

Chardonnay

Question 59

Val du Petit Morin - Variety

Answer 59

Pinot Meunier / Chardonnay

Question 60

Côte de Sézanne - Variety

Answer 60

Chardonnay

Question 61

Montgeux - Variety

Answer 61

Chardonnay

Question 62

Vitryat (Vitry-le-François) - Variety

Answer 62

Chardonnay

Question 63

Côtes de Bar: Bar sur Aubois Barséquanais Variety

Answer 63

Pinot Noir

Question 64

Rosé de Riceys - Variety

Answer 64

Pinot Noir

Question 65

The Echelle des Crus ranked the vineyards of Champagne. T/F

Answer 65

False - Villages were ranked

Question 66

How many Grand Cru Villages are in Champagne?

Answer 66

17

Question 67

What percentage ranking did the Grand Cru villages receive?

Answer 67

100%

Question 68

How many Premier Cru Villages and what % ranking do they have?

Answer 68

42 | 90 - 99%

Question 69

Grapes in Champagne are handpicked, why?

Answer 69

White wine from red grapes, | broken grapes bleed pigments and bitter phenolics

Question 70

Debourage

Answer 70

Must rests so particulates can settle

Question 71

How are rosé Champagnes made?

Answer 71

2 options: - Add Pinot Noir to white cuvée (blend undergoes 2nd fermentation); illegal in other regions - Vinify as rosé (saignée)

Question 72

Liqueur de Tirage

Answer 72

Mix of sugar and yeast to start second fermentation

Question 73

How many atm of pressure are captured in Champagne bottle?

Answer 73

4.9 - 6 atm

Question 74

Tirage - translation

Answer 74

Bottling

Question 75

What is minimum time of NV Champagne on lees?

Answer 75

12 months

Question 76

What is minimum time NV Champagne has to be in cellar - tirage to release?

Answer 76

15 months (12 months of it on lees)

Question 77

What is the minimum cellar time (tirage to release) of vintage Champagne?

Answer 77

3 years

Question 78

Remuage

Answer 78

Riddling of bottles

Question 79

Name of chalk cellars found in Champagne

Answer 79

Crayère

Question 80

Dégorgement à la volée

Answer 80

Disgorging by hand

Question 81

RM

Answer 81

Récoltant-Manipulant: | Producer only using own grapes

Question 82

What did Dom Pérignon contribute to Champagne?

Answer 82

Blends Natural Cork English glass

Question 83

Nicole Barbe Pinsardin

Answer 83

Veuve Cliquot | Invented riddling / remuage and disgorgement / degorgement

Question 84

Contribution of Madame Pommery to Champagne

Answer 84

Drier for english market

Question 85

What is the key difference between Rural/Ancestral and traditional method

Answer 85

Rural: One fermentation interrupted by winter cold temp Traditional: Two fermentations in same bottle

Question 86

When did Champagne start to produce sparkling wine?

Answer 86

Late 17th century

Question 87

Where else in France are sparkling wines made according to Méthode Champenois?

Answer 87

Nowhere - trick question - Méthode Traditionelle

Question 88

2 Terroirs of Vallée de la Marne where Pinot Meunier is not the major grape

Answer 88

Grand Vallée de la Marne: Pinot Noir Coteaux Sud d'Epernay: Chardonnay/Pinot Meunier

Question 89

Only Terroir in Côte de Blancs where Chardonnay is not the major grape

Answer 89

Val du Petit Morin: Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay

Question 90

2 Terroirs in Vallé de la Marne that do not have Pinot Meunier as main variety?

Answer 90

Grand Vallée de la Marne: Pinot Noir | Coteaux Sud d'Epernay: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Question 91

4 principal subregions Champagne

Answer 91

Montagne & Val de Reims Vallée de la Marne Côte des Blancs Côte de Bar

Question 92

Only terroir in Vallé de la Marne where Pinot Meunier is not major variety, which grape is?

Answer 92

Grand Vallé de la Marne | Pinot Noir

Question 93

2 Terroirs in Vallée de la Marne where Pinot Meunier is not major grape.

Answer 93

Grand Vallée de la Marne - Pinot Noir Coteaux Sud d'Epernay - Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier

Question 94

What is Virgulien Marl?

Answer 94

= Kimmeridgean Marl limestone rich clay, fossilized marine deposits