France - Champagne

Question 1

Grape varieties? (main)

Champagne

Answer 1

pinot noir (red)
pinot meunier (red)
chardonnay (white)

Question 2

Soils?

Champagne

Answer 2

Limestone

Chalk

Question 3

Step 1 (making the base wine)
Why are grapes pressed quickly and gently ?
Fermentation can occur in inox or oak barrels?
Champagne

Answer 3

Avoids retaining color from the skins
prevents oxidation

Both!

Question 4

Step 2
what is it?
Champagne

Answer 4

Assemblante of the Cuvee, the blend of:

Grapes, vintages, regions, villages, vineyards

Question 5

Step 3
Secondary Fermentation - creating the bubbles
What is the syrupy mixture (sugar + yeast) called?
yeast + sugar = ? + ( ? = ?)
Champagne

Answer 5

liqueur de tirage

yeast + sugar = small amount of alcohol + (trapped CO2 = bubbles)

Question 6

Step 4
sur lie aging
what is autolysis?
by law, how long is champagne required to age sur lie?
Lie aging - what flavors (3) ???
Champagne

Answer 6

the gradual breakdown of yeast cells

12 months minimum (out of the minimum 15 months total aging)

yeast, dough, fresh baked bread

Question 7

Step 5
riddling (remuage)

what is it?
how? (name 2 methods)
Champagne

Answer 7

after aging, it’s the removal of the lees from the bottle in order to have a clear wine. Each bottle is gently turned to gradually move the lees into its neck

by hand: *pupitre by Clicquot (wooden a-frame wine rack)

• 60 bottles
• 8 weeks (process)

by machine: 8 gyropalette

• 504 bottles
• 8 days (process)

Question 8

Step 6
disgorging (degorgement)
what is it?
Champagne

Answer 8

To disgorge the sediment, each bottle’s neck is frozen in an ice bath, so that the yeast can be ejected
(by hand or by machine)

Question 9

Step 7
dosage

what is the mixture of wine + sugar called?
What are the sweetness levels + styles in Champagne?
Champagne

Answer 9

liqueur d’expedition
(added to the bottle, the amount of sugar determines the sweetness level)

• Brut nature (bone dry)
• extra brut (very dry)
• brut (dry)
• extra dry (off-dry)
• sec (semi-sweet)
• demi-sec (sweet)
• doux (very sweet)

Question 10

Wine Law - Champagne appellations
what is Champagne AOP?
What are 3 important sub-regions?
Champagne

Answer 10

Sparkling wine made via the methode champenoise

• Vallee de la marde
• Cote des Blancs
• Montagne de Reims

Question 11

Aging
For non-vintage (NV) Champagne?
For vintage Champagne?
Champagne

Answer 11

Minimum 15 months (12 on lees minimum)

minimum 36 months

Question 12

Champagne styles

Champagne

Answer 12

Rose: pink coloured champagne
Blanc de blancs: 100% chardonnayx
Blanc de noirs: made with only dark grapes (pinot noir et pinot meunier)

Question 13

Top Vintages champagne (5)?

Champagne

Answer 13

2005 - 2008 - 2012 - 2013 - 2015

Question 14

Examples of methode champenoise? (4)

Champagne

Answer 14

Champagne
Cremant
Cava
Franciacorta

Question 15

What is the transfer method?

Champagne

Answer 15

1. base wine is bottled
2. sugar + yeast added
3. 2nd fermentation
4. yeast autolysis
   * 5. bottles emptied into large tanks under pressure
5. filtered
6. dosage
7. rebottled

Question 16

What is tank method?
What are the advantages?
Champagne

Answer 16

Tank Method / Charmat / Cuve-close

1. Base wine is sealed in pressurized tank
2. Sugar + yeast added
   * 3.2nd fermentation in tank
   * 4.filtered under pressure
   * 5.dosage under pressure

saves time!

• fermentation finishes in 4-5 days
• no costly riddling or disgorging
• best process for aromatic varities

Question 17

Examples of Charmat?

Champagne

Answer 17

Proseco (Veneto)
Lambrusco (Emilia-Romagna)
Moscato d’Asti (asti DOCG - Piedmonte)

Question 18

What a Cremant?
+ examples?
Champagne

Answer 18

All French sparkling wines in France grown outside Champagne, by methode champenoise

law: label “methode classique”
exemples. ..

Question 19

Grape varieties for Franciacorta DOCG (Lombardy)?

Champagne

Answer 19

Chardonnay
Pinot Nero
Pinot Bianco

Question 20

Grape varieties for Cava Do (catalunya)?

Champagne

Answer 20

Xarel-lo
Paxellada
Macabeo