CHAMPAGNE

 

CHAMPAGNE

DEFINITION

Champagne is a sparkling white wine made in the delimited region of Champagne in France by following the méthode champenoise.

• The name comes from area + process.

·         Some countries use the name by following the process only.

·         Unlike the other areas, in Champagne the village names are not important as all champagnes are blended.

·         Champagnes are branded by the shipper’s name.

• Most northerly wine-region of France.
• The principal towns are Bouzy, Reims and Epernay.
• Champagne, the celebration wine, is the only French appellation wine without AOC printed on the label.
• Shippers own very small proportions of the vineyards – rest they buy from small growers.
• The three grapes used in the manufacturing process of Champagne include :

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier

• Total area: 27,000 acres.
• 2,000 ft above the sea-level which was once the seabed.
• Fossilised animals render the soil chalky.
• Catches and reflects sunshine → unique sugar-acid balance.
• River Marne bisects the region horizontally.

 

 

 

• North of Marne:

 Montagne de Reims

 Vallée de la Marne

            - very cold, grapes need to be picked early - pinot noir and pinot meuniére (ripens early)

• South of Marne:

 Côte des Blancs

 - east facing slopes – warmer and longer summers – more sunshine.

 - chardonnay

•         White wines, made from black and white grapes, are blended from several areas.

• Blanc de Blanc

       - Only from white grapes – lacks bouquet and balance.

·         Blanc de noir

       - Only from black grapes – heavy bouquet but lacks freshness and finesse.

• Some Rosé also (Pink Champagnes).

 

MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISE

Pressing

• Picked and sent to the hydraulic press – pressed four times.
• Only the first two pressings are used – rest for coteaux champenoise (still Champagne).

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First fermentation

• In cask – starts about 8 hours after pressing.
• A dry, still wine is produced. Temperature maintained at 18-20⁰ C.
• Left in cask for about 5 months – racked and fined during this period.

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Assemblage

• Any no. of wines from around 250 villages.
• Highly paid wine-tasters/blenders ensure brand-continuity.

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Coupage / Dosage de tirage

• Yeast and rock candy (from sugarcane) dissolved in old wine (liqueur de tirage).
• Added for secondary fermentation which is carried out in bottle.

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Bottling & Secondary Fermentation

• Immediately after dosage, bottled & corked – secured with a wire muzzle and agrafé.
• Bottles placed mis sur latte in the natural chalky caverns – constant cold temperature ideal for Secondary Fermentation.
• Temperature maintained at 10-12⁰ C.
• Secondary fermentation starts after about six weeks.
• Mis sur latte for about 2 to 5 years (minimum 1 year for non-vintage and 3 years for vintage champagnes).

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Remuage

(removal of debris by the remneur)

• Bottles placed at 45º on the pupître.
• Everyday the remneur grasps and shakes each bottle → sediments dislodged.
• Remneur changes the angle slightly.
• In 3 to 5 months the bottles are brought to sur le pointe.

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Dégorgement

• The neck is frozen.
• The muzzle is taken off and the debris go out like a bullet.
• Some wine is lost.

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Dosage

• Similar wine + sugar (as, and if, required) = liqueur d’expédition
• Added to replace lost wine.

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Final Dressing

• Corked finally and permanently.
• Wired and dressed in foil.
• * Regularly shipped to more than 160 countries.*

 

SWEETNESS IN CHAMPAGNES

Brute / Nature

Very dry: 0.5% to 1.5% sugar

Très Sec

Fairly dry: 1.5% to 3% sugar

Sec

Dry or medium sweet: 3% to 5% sugar

 

Demi Sec

Quite sweet: 5% to 7% sugar

Doux

Very sweet: 7% or more sugar

CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES

Quart: 185 ml

Pint: 375 ml

Regular / Standard: 750 ml

Magnum: 2 bottles

Jeroboam: 4 bottles

Rheoboam: 6 bottles

Methuselah: 8 bottles

Salmanazar: 12 bottles

Balthazar: 16 bottles

Nebuchadnezar: 20 bottles

 

OTHER METHODS OF MANUFACTURING SPARKLING WINES

Cuvé Closé

•         Also known as Charmat/Tank/Bulk process.

•         Started in France by M. Charmat.

•         Secondary fermentation in large sealed tanks.

•         Only 10 days to complete.

•         Cheaper.

 

Transfer Method

•         Similar to méthode champenoise but remuage is replaced by filtration.

 

Impregnation Method

•         Carbon-di-oxide is added from a cylinder.

•         Cheapest method.

MORE ABOUT SPARKLING WINES

•         Vin mousseux – Sparkling wine of France

•         Crémant – Bottle-fermented sparkling wine made outside Champagne.

      E.g. Crémant de Bourgogne

•         Coteaux Champenoise – Still wines from Champagne

•         Vin Petillant – Slightly sparkling wine (in the USA: Crackling wine).

•         Vin Perlant – Very slightly sparkling wine.

•          Sekt – German sparkling wine.

•         Schumwein - German sparkling wine.

•         Spumante – Italian sparkling wine.

•         Espumante – Portugese sparkling wine.

•         Cava / Espumosa – Spanish sparkling wine.

USES OF CHAMPAGNE

•         One of the most delicate and delightful wines – lengthy process – never cheap – glamour wine.

•         Celebration wine – indispensable at weddings, receptions, formal banquets, etc.

•         Good accompaniment – Brut with soup, Sec with mousse, etc.

•         A cold glass of Champagne – excellent apéritif.

•         Mixed drinks – Black Velvet, Champagne Cocktail, etc.

•         Kitchen – used for curing French ham.

IMPORTANT SHIPPERS

Laurent-Perrier, Perrier-Jouet, Taittinger, Charles Heidsieck, Deutz, Joseph Perrier, Moet & Chandon, G. H. Mumm, Piper Heidsieck , Pol Roger, Pommery, Bollinger, Canard-Duchine,   Henriot, Krug,  Mercier, Louis Roederer, Ruinart, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon