Chapter 9 – Champagne (NXPowerLite)

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CHAPTER 9 – CHAMPAGNE

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CHAPTER 9 – CHAMPAGNE

Contents• Overview• Geography• Terroir• Harvest & Pressing• Fermentation• Blending & Ageing• Riddling & Disgorgement

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CHAPTER 9 – CHAMPAGNE

Grapes Must• Harvest• Pressing

Wine• Fermentation

(s)

Champagne

• Blending• Maturation

Bottle

• Riddling• Disgorgement

Overview - producing champagne

CHAPTER 9 – CHAMPAGNE

EQUATOR

49th parallel South

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49th parallel North

Geographical position

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CHAPTER 9 – CHAMPAGNE

ChâteauThierry

Épernay

ReimsPinot Noir

Pinot Meunier

Chardonnay

Bar/Aube

Map of Champagne

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Chalk - regulates water cycle and temperature- offers optimum minerality for local grape

varieties

Champagne Terroir: the soil

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•East or South-East aspect (exposure)•Canopy management optimising sunshine exposure

Champagne Terroir: Aspect

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Continental climate with oceanic influence Average yearly temperature : 10.5 °C (54°F), frequent frost

periods,low rainfalls, favourable summer and fall

Champagne Terroir: the climate

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CHAPTER 9 – CHAMPAGNE

Pinot Noir Black Grape, Clear Pulp Montagne de Reims

Pinot Meunier Black Grape, Clear

Pulp Vallée de la Marne

andMontagne Ouest

Chardonnay White Grape, Clear Pulp Côte des Blancs

Grape varieties

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Grape varieties, Crus and even blocks are kept separate

Grapes are all hand-harvested

Harvest

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Minimum time between harvesting and pressing Juice fractions : "cuvée" and "taille" are kept separateLimited extraction : 2550 litres/4000 kgs ("marc"), or 1,2 kg for 1 bottle

Pressing

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Sugar + Yeast = Alcohol

From the grape juice

Selected strains added

The must turns into wine

+CO2

Escapes in the air

Alcoholic fermentation

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Malic Acid+ Bacterias

= Lactic Acid

Strong Acid from the grape juice

Selected strains added

Milder acid

Malo-lactic Fermentation

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Blending different grape varieties,

Pinot Meunier for fruitiness, roundness,

Pinot Noir for body, structure, length,

Chardonnay for freshness, finesse, delicacy

coming from different crus and several vintages.

Blending

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Daily tastings from November to January Several hundreds of wines tasted to create the different

"cuvées"

Blending

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Once the blends have been made, wines are bottled for the 2nd alcoholic fermentation

Ageing

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Allows to eliminate the dead yeast sediment

Riddling

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Ejection of the dead yeast sediment

Disgorgement

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CHAPTER 9 – CHAMPAGNE

Brut nature

Extra Brut

Brut

Extra Dry

Dry ou Sec

Demi Sec

Doux

Grammes of added sugar per liter

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

The Final Touch for a Champagne

Dosage

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Corking and muzzling

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From Quarter bottle to … Nebucchadnezzar (20 bottles)

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Labelling

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Recommended temperatures : - Brut NV : 8 to 10°C (46/50 °F)- Vintages : 10 to 12°C (50/54°F)

Tasting and serving champagne

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• The style is defined by the fundamental elements that characterize all the different champagnes made by a given House, and which recur year after year.

• It is perceptible through:– Effervescence & foam– Colour– Structure on the palate– Texture– Taste

Style

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CHAPTER 9 – CHAMPAGNE

`In victory, you deserve Champagne, in defeat, you need

it.`Napoleon Bonaparte