Unit 2 - Champagne Climate Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 5 departments of Champagne

A
  • Marne
  • Haut - Marne
  • Seine-et-Marne
  • Aube
  • Aisne
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2
Q

What are the 4 sections of Champagne

A

Montage de Reims

Vallée de la Marne

Côte des Blancs

Aube

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3
Q

How many sub sections are there in Champagne

A

21+

Examples

Grand Vallée - Vallée de la Marne

Vallée de l’Ardre - Vallée de la Marne

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4
Q

How miles is the Region of Champagne from Paris

A

150 km (93 miles) east of Paris

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5
Q

How many acres / ha of vines are planted in Champagne

A

34,000 hectares / 84,000 acres

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6
Q

How many estimated individual plots are there in Champagne

A

278,000

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7
Q

Who sets at a higher Latitude and Altitude? Reims or Épernay?

A

Reims

  • Latitude: 49.2 degrees
  • Longitude: 4 degrees
  • Altitude: 88 meters

Épernay

  • Latitude: 49 degrees
  • Longitude:3.95 degrees
  • Altitude: 79 meters
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8
Q

Which department has the most plantings

A

Marne with 66% of the planted vines

  • next is Aube 23% , Aisne 11%
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9
Q

What is the climate of Champagne

A

Oceanic and Continental

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10
Q

What effect does the oceanic climate have on Champagne

A

Mild Weather Patterns

Lots of Cloud Cover

Temperature (tendency low temps)

Precipitation(tendency consistent yet moderate levels and lots of rain)

Minimum YoY fluctuation

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11
Q

What is the average temperature in Champagne

A

10 degrees Celsius / 50 degrees Fahrenheit

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12
Q

What effect does the continent climate have on Champagne

A

Allows the region to have all 4 seasons

Harsh

Cold Winter Temperatures with potential frosts

Warm to Hot Summers

Conversely abundance of sunshine during summer months

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13
Q

What is the average amount of Sunshine (hours / years on average) the region of Champagne gets

A

1,650

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14
Q

What is the average amount of rainfall (mm/year on average) the region of champagne receives

A

700mm a year on average

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15
Q

What is the main soil types of Champagne

A
  • Chalky Limestone (+/-75% of AOC Champagne)
  • Calcareous Sands
  • Marls (calcareous clays)
  • Clays
  • Siliceous sands
  • Slope wash (rock formations)
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16
Q

What impacts do the soils have on the vines in Champange

A
  • H2O drainage / retention
  • pH (natural minerals)
  • presence / intake capacity of essential elements
  • vine health / development
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17
Q

What are the 7 authorized grapes of Champagne

A
Pinot Noir
Meunier
Chardonnay
Arbanne
Petit Meslier
Pinot Gris
Pinot Blanc
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18
Q

What are the 3 principal grapes of Champagne

A

Pinot Noir

Meunier

Chardonnay

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19
Q

What are the 4 heirlooms or forgotten grapes

A

Arbane

Petit Meslier

Pinot Blanc

Pinot Gris (aka Fromenteau)

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20
Q

What is the most grown grape in Champagne

A

Pinot Noir at 38.3%

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21
Q

What is the least grown principal grape in Champagne

A

Chardonnay 30.4%

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22
Q

The heirloom or forgotten grapes make up what percentage of the vines

A

0.3%

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23
Q

How many authorized clones are there in Champagne

A

41

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24
Q

How many different approved Pinot noir clones are there in Champagne

A

19

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25
Q

How many different authorized clones of Meunier are there in Champagne

A

11

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26
Q

How many different authorized clones of Chardonnay are there in Champagne

A

11

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27
Q

Champagne sets between what two parallels

A

49th and 49.5 parallel north

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28
Q

How many days typically does Champagne experience frost

A

60-80 days

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29
Q

What is the average amount of days a year the temperature dips below -10 degrees Celsius / 14 degrees Fahrenheit

A

an average of 3.8 days a year

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30
Q

What are the rivers of Champagne

A

Ardre

Aube

Landion

Laignes

Marne

Ource

Surmelin

Seine

Velse

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31
Q

How far is Champagne from the English Channel

A

150 miles / 240 km

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32
Q

Fog, frost, hail, rain, and low temperatures have what influence on the vines in Champagne

A

These are all major threats to the vines

33
Q

What in Champagnes meso climate helps bring balance to the vine

A
  • The folded and convoluted hills help create suntraps

- The network of rivers help moderate the temperatures and mitigate frost damage

34
Q

Typically, is ripeness uniform during the annual harvest throughout the region and why?

A

No, due to the wide range of disparate growing environments

  • the climate is so challenging
35
Q

What is the Average Annual Rainfall in Reims

A

24 inches / 604 mm

36
Q

What is the Average Annual Rainfall in Epernay

A

27 inches / 674 mm

37
Q

What is the Average Annual Rainfall in Troyes

A

25.5 inches / 648 mm

38
Q

On average, how many days of rain per year does the region of Champagne receive

A

177

39
Q

Over the past 30 years how much has the temperature of Champagne increased

A

2 degrees Fahrenheit / 1.2 degrees Celsius

40
Q

What effect does the increase in temperature have on the vine

A

Both flowering and harvest will shift forward and will come earlier

41
Q

Typically when does harvest take place in Champagne and does this typically today still occur around this date

A

Around September 20th

  • No, today grapes are picked 10 to 14 days earlier
42
Q

What are some warm years climate wise in Champagne

A

1947, 1949, 1959, 1961, 1976, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018

43
Q

What are some cold years climate wise in Champagne

A

1955, 1988, 1996, 2013

44
Q

How long is the growing season for the vine from flowering to harvest

A

a full 96 days

45
Q

Are temperatures in Champagne estimated to rise, stay the same, or lower in the future?

A

They are projected to rise even higher

  • The Champenois are doing what they can do on their end to reduce their carbon footprint
46
Q

What things have the region of Champagne done to help reduce the carbon foot print

A
  • They have reduced the weight of the champagne bottle by 7% due to 1/3 of the regions CO2 emissions comes from packaging
  • This has resulted in the reduction of CO2 emissions by 15% per bottle shipped
  • The goal is to reduce CO2 emissions by 75% by 2050
47
Q

What causes the development of mildew in Champagne

A

Champagne has a average minimum of 2mm of rainfall at around 11c / 52f. This causes a lot of mildew in the region

48
Q

What are the main types of soils you find in the Cote des Blancs

A

Chalky Limestone, Clay, and Organic soils

49
Q

Historically where were most of the vines planted and why

A

The hill, hillsides (Upper and Middle Slope), and Plains (flat land) due to they had the most fertile soil and it was easier to plow and work the vines.

50
Q

In the Cote des Blancs, the vines that are on the Upper slopes, do they produce more selenic wines

A

Yes, due to there isn’t much top soil. The vines dig deep into the chalky limestone

  • this can vary from place to place
51
Q

In the Cote des Blancs, the vines that are on the mid slopes, do they produce more selenic wines

A

No, the soil is comprised of more organic material. This causes the wines to be less selenic

  • this can vary from place to place
52
Q

What is it called when you are identifying individual Rootstocks which yield the best quality fruit (greater aromatic expression), balance of sugar & acidity (for ageing potential)

A

Mass - Selection (Selection Massale)

53
Q

How many authorized rootstocks are approved in Champagne

A

11

54
Q

How many principal rootstocks are approved in Champagne

A

1 / Rootstock 41B

55
Q

For wine growth during the winter ( December to March) what is going on with the vines

A

The vines are resting

56
Q

For the work on the vines what is taking place in winter (December to March)

A

Pruning (La Taille)

57
Q

For wine growth during the spring (March to June) what is going on with the vines

A

Budburst ( debourrement)

58
Q

For the work on the vines, what is taking place in the spring (March to June)

A
  • desuckering (ebourgeonnage)

- lifting and trellising (relevage and palissage)

59
Q

For wine growth during the summer (June to September) what is going on with the vines

A
  • Flowering (floraison)

- Colour Development (Veraison)

60
Q

For the work on the vines, what is taking place in the summer ( June to September)

A
  • Treatments (Disease & Pests)
  • Pollard (Ecimer)
  • Pinching Back (Ronage)
61
Q

For wine growth during the Fall / Autumn (September to December what is going on with the vines

A
  • Maturation
  • Leaves Drop
  • Post Harvest
62
Q

For the work on the vines, what is taking place in the Fall / Autumn ( September to December)

A

Harvest

63
Q

How does pruning (la taille) help the vines

A
  • helps to determine the growth of the grape
  • Help Minimizes the risk of pest disease
  • Establishes the future of the coming years (1 to 2 years)
  • Helps determine the quality of the grapes
64
Q

What grapes use the pruning method of Chablis

A

Chardonnay

65
Q

What grapes use the pruning method of Cordon de Royat

A

Pinot Noir

66
Q

The first arm of the Chablis pruning is called what and what is its purpose

A

Rachet ( 2 years old)

  • it is a short spur with two buds which will not bear fruit in the current season
  • but will grow spigs to use in the next season
67
Q

What is the second arm of Chablis pruning called and what is its purpose

A

Lancement ( 5 years old)

  • is the development of last years rachet
  • a fruitful shoot bearing 5 buds
68
Q

In the Chablis pruning method the old branches are divided into how many parts and what are their purposes

A
  • Charpent - (Original Lancement) the lower part

- Prolongment - the higher part of the vine that carries 5 buds

69
Q

How many buds does the Chablis pruning method have

A

22

70
Q

How many buds does Cordon de Royat pruning method have

A

15

71
Q

How many buds does Vallee de la Marne pruning method have

A

18

72
Q

What grapes uses the Vallee de la Marne pruning method

A

Meunier (only this grape can use this pruning method)

73
Q

The Double Guyot is more used in what areas of Champagne

A

Northwest Champagne Viticole

74
Q

For vineyard management strategies / certificates

To achieve this certificate one must do the following:
- Biodiversity, strategy for contact products, management of fertilizers, management of irrigation

  • Only Level 3 yields a certificate
A

HVE - Haute Valuer Environmental or High Environment Value

75
Q

For vineyard management strategies / certificates

To achieve this certificate one must do the following:

  • Biodiversity, carbon footprint, H2O
  • 124-point - check list - audit comprehensive for the domain
A

VDC - Viticulture Durable en Champagne or Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne

76
Q

For vineyard management strategies / certificates

To achieve this certificate one must do the following:

  • No “SYNTHETIC” chemical treatments ( fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides)
  • 158 domains organic (1.2% of all Champagne domains) 667 ha organically (2.1% of total AOC surface)
A

Organic - Biodynamic

77
Q

Is there a difference in the tasting profile of organic / biodynamic wines to non organic / biodynamic wines

A

Yes, you get a truer expression of freshness and purity of the terrior

78
Q

BONUS NOTE

A

When acid levels go up in the grape, the sugar level goes down