Unit 1 - The Process - History of Champagne Flashcards
(276 cards)
What time of year is very important as the starting point for the wine process in Champagne
Winter
- because that is when yeast goes dormant and arrest the 2nd fermentation until spring
When did the Romans settle in Champagne
5th Century
Why did the Romans like Champagne so much
The area of Champagne grew “a lot” agriculturally
Who was the first king of France and where did he have his baptism
Clovis and at the Cathedral Notre Dame de Reims in Reims
Which King of France was very fond of Champagne and would patronize the region
Louis XIV (14th) “Sun King”
What two cities were major centers of the wool and cloth trade in Champagne
Reims and Troyes
What impact did armies have on Champagne
Champagne always found itself in the middle of major conflicts in France, both domestically and abroad. There were 5 major wars that heavily impacted Champagne. They were:
- 100 years war
- 30 years war
- 16th Century Religious Conflict
- World War I
- World War II
During medieval times was Champagne a popular place to live
No, it was a region known more for trading than for living
What style of wine was being made in Champagne during Medieval times
Still wines
slight effervescence has been included ( but not captured)
The wines were usually a light pink color
Who controlled the wine trade in not only Champagne but in France
Courtiers (Brokers) They knew where all the wine could be purchased.
- Courtiers controlled the wine trade until the end of the 17th Century
First recorded wine house in Champagne is
Gosset in 1584 as a still wine house
In the Early modern period what help make Champagne wines so successful
Its close proximity to Paris and the Royal Court connection to the region
How long has Champagne (Reims) been the coronation location for the Court
1575
Wines during the Early Modern Period were promoted how
By broad origin
For example vins de la riviere wines (river wines) or vins de la montagne wines (mountain wines)
What is vins de la riviere and what villages are associated with it
The River
Wines from Vallee de la Marne
- Epernay and Ay
What is vins de la montagne and what villages are associated with it
The Mountain
Wines from Montagne de Reims
Bouzy and Verzenay
By the time the origins of sparkling champagne began, how long has wine been made in Champagne
1500 years
What was going on in Champagne between 1550 - 1730
A little ice age
Why did the wines in Champagne have such high acidity
due to the cold weather, it would not allow the grapes to over ripen
What temperature does yeast go dormant
41 degrees F (5 degrees C)
How did the wines of Champagne originally ferment and mature
In Cask until the Mid 17th Century
What were some early characteristics of wines from Champagne
Acidic
Pale Red Wine
Vin Gris (light pink)
What time of year typically does yeast stop being dormant and what does it do to the wines in Champagne
Spring time cause the temperature in the cellar rises above 41 degrees (5 degrees C)
Who was Dom Perignon and why was he important
The Celler Master at the Abbey of Hautviller from 1668/70 - 1715
- Gets credit for being the inventor of Champagne but he was not
- He at best might have been experimenting with trying to trap the sparkling or at best get rid of the sparkling all together
- Wanted to make a white wine from black grapes. ( a still wine version of a blanc de noirs) Which he did achieve
- First to put thought on how certain grapes effect or make a blend