Champagne winemaking

Question 1

Champagne pressing regulations/process

Answer 1

• Trad. method (historically méthode champenoise)
• Whole bunch pressing with gradual pressure increase for high juice quality and low phenolics
• White wine from black PN and Meunier
• Traditionally, 4,000 kg grapes loaded by hand into basket press
• Many wineries still use this, along with pneumatic and hydraulic horizontal presses
• Max yield: 79 hL/ha, can rise to 98 hL/ha with Comité Champagne approval, surplus goes to reserve

Question 2

Champagne: press fractions:
Why limit?

Answer 2

• Cuvée: First 2,050 L (per 4,000 kg grapes) = free run juice + first pressing
  • Rich in acids, gives wines with finesse and aging potential
• Taille: Second part, 500 L, lower acidity but richer in colour pigments and phenolics
  • Useful for wines expressive in youth, but lower aging potential
• Limiting pressing: Protects quality, avoids over-extraction of phenolics, and preserves fruit flavours
• Higher taille proportion used in NV vs. vintage/prestige cuvée
• Chaptalisation allowed to reach min. 11% ABV, final may not exceed 13% ABV (EU law)

Question 3

Champagne: Primary fermentation

Answer 3

option 1: Many: ferment in temperature-controlled SS
option 2: increasing number of quality minded - re-introducing some oak, esp. large oak foudres
to introduce more textural richness and mouthfeel

Question 4

Champagne: Malolactic conversion:

Answer 4

Many encourage to reduce and soften the acidity
Some choose to not:their style is better without
others: use when it’s beneficial (ie cooler years)
warmer harvests = choice of the producer

Question 5

Champagne: Blending aims

Answer 5

• Aim 1: Create a wine greater than the sum of its parts
  • Combines different vineyards, grape varieties, and vintages
  • Relies on chef de cave to predict development before second fermentation and maturation
• Aim 2:
  
  • Blending critical for NV to ensure consistent style year on year
• Aim 3:
  
  • Reduces vintage variation and retains house style
• Aim 4:
  • Larger houses: Have capacity to store 100+ wines for blending
  • Reduces impact of disease, frost, or hail
  • 10–15% of reserve wines from last 1–2 vintages (typical of large brands)
  • Premium brands: Use 30–40% older wines for added depth and complexity

Question 6

Champagne Reserve wine storage

Answer 6

• Option 1: Reductive in stainless steel → Small but important difference in complexity
• Option 2: Old oak → Adds mildly oxidative notes
• Option 3 (unusual): Many years in magnums (e.g., Bollinger)
• Option 4: Perpetual reserve → Proportion of wine drawn off each year for blending, replaced by young wine to create a blend of younger and older wines, adding complexity

Question 7

Rosé Champagne how its made:

Answer 7

• Most rosé made by blending a small % of still, dry red wine (from local PN and/or Meunier) with white base wines for desired colour and flavour profile
• Few made using skin contact (e.g., Laurent Perrier)
• Yeast absorbs colour pigments during fermentation, so achieving the right colour requires experience and expertise

Question 8

Lees ageing Champagne limits:

Answer 8

• Brioche/biscuit characters develop through yeast autolysis, more prominent in warmer climates with lower primary fruit intensity
• NV: Minimum 15 months in cellar, 12 months on lees
• Vintage: Minimum 3rd year after tirage, 12 months on lees
• Most aged longer than 12 months on lees
• Lees ageing can continue for years, little change after a decade
• Undisgorged wines in contact with lees protect against oxidation
• Can lead to ‘late disgorged’ wines, often priced higher
• Lees ageing adds to production costs and market price

Question 9

liqueur d’expédition in Champagne

Answer 9

• Sweetness determined by sugar in the liqueur d’expédition
• Nature of wine in liqueur d’expédition also important
  • Option 1: Youthful base wines from current vintage → light, fresh flavours
  • Option 2: Aged reserve wine (in cask, barrel, or magnum) → Adds baked apple and dried fruit aromas
• Rosé production: Liqueur d’expédition can correct colour differences

Question 10

Champagne packaging, closures

Answer 10

sealed with a cork.
cork must display the name ‘Champagne’ and state the vintage where appropriate

Question 11

THE QUALITY HIERARCHY IN CHAMPAGNE

Answer 11

• 1927 Échelle des Crus:
  • 17 villages = Grand Cru (100%)
  • 42 villages = Premier Cru (90–99%)
  • 257 villages = Other Villages (80–89%)
• Prices historically fixed by Comité Champagne, based on village rating
  • Grand Cru = 100% price
  • System ended due to EU pressure, but Grand Cru/Premier Cru still exist
  • Grand Cru grapes = most expensive
• Prices now market-driven, Moët & Chandon sets trend
• Grand Cru/Premier Cru = whole village designation
  • Single-village grapes = on label with name (e.g., ‘Grand Cru Cramant’)
  • Grand Cru on label = grapes from multiple Grand Cru villages.

Question 12

Grand Cru/Premier Crucontroversy:

Answer 12

• Grand Cru/Premier Cru designation = refers to the village as a whole, not individual vineyards
  • Variations exist within villages (aspect, soil, etc.)
  • Some villages are much larger than others
• Blended wines preferred due to need for large volumes
  • Focus on vintage/prestige cuvées rather than promoting individual villages/vineyards
  • Unlike Burgundy, where village names are commonly used.