7. History
• The Champagne district lies at the crossroads
of Europe. French kings were crowned at the
cathedral in Reims.
• Dom Perignon 1670 – 1715
• CIVC founded in 1942 by Comte Robert-Jean
de Vogue (of Moet et Chandon). Comité
interprofessional du Vin de Champagne.
8. Regions
• 49° - 50° latitude
• Around the River Marne
• Main Towns: Reims, Epernay
• 13% vineyard area is owned by the various
Champagne houses. The rest split between
14,000 small independent growers.
9. Districts
• Montagne de Reims
• Cote des Blancs
• Vallée de la Marne
• Aube, Cote de Sezanne
10. Climate
• Between 48th and 49th parallel, average
temperature 10°C (50°F).
• Spring frost can be a problem, helped by
wooded areas in parts of the region.
11. Climate
• Northerly continental, some Atlantic
influence.
• Severe winters – vines killed in 1985. Average
annual temperature 10°C – the very minimum
at which the grape will ripen.
• Spring frosts damage or kill very young
vines/shoots. Fluctuating temperatures at
flowering can effect the set. Hail can destroy
the crop.
12. Soil
• A porous chalk, thin topsoil (often only 60cm).
• Chalk acts as storage heater, useful for
creating cellars underground.
13. Grape Varieties
• 35% Pinot Noir
• 39% Pinot Meunier
• 26% Chardonnay
• (mainly on the Cote des Blancs) one hectare
each of Arbane and Petit Meslier remain
planted in the Aube.
14. Attributes
• Pinot Noir: 36% Backbone and Structure
Montagne de Reims
• Pinot Meunier: 38% Aroma and Fruitiness
Vallée de la Marne
• Chardonnay: 26% Finesse and Elegance
Cote de Blancs
Two other sub-regions: Aube, and Cote de Sezanne.
Other grapes: Pinot Blanc, Arbanne, and Petit Meslier.
15. Classification
• Vineyards are graded from 100 to 80%
• This grading system known as Echelle des crus.
• Since 1985 17 villages have grand cru and 40
villages premier cru status – this is out of a
total of 200 classified villages.
16. The Champagne Method-step
1. Pressing
• Grapes from 3 varieties and different crus are
pressed separately.
• Pressing is carried out very quickly to prevent
oxidation. Usually in a traditional vertical
press.
17. Pressing the Juice – amount very strictly
limited
• Each 4000 kg = 2550 litres.
First pressing highest quality = Cuvée 2050 litres
Second pressing premiere taille = 500 litres
Third pressing deuxieme taille = 205 litres
(not permitted anymore)
Total 2550 litres
• Remaining juice can not be used for Champagne, known as
Vin de Rebeche.
18. 2. Assemblage(Blending)
• Chef des caves, makes blend from different
wines available often using 30-40 wines from
different grapes and districts, and in the case
of non-vintage wines, the addition of reserve
wines from other years.
• Wines are fined (gelatine and tannin no longer
permitted), using bentonite.
• 3rd and final racking takes place.
19. 3. Liqueur de Tirage
• Mixture of wine, sugar cane and selected
yeast culture is added to stimulate a second
fermentation, Then the wine is allowed to
settle.
• This produces 5-6 atmospheres of pressure
and raises alcohol content by 1.3% - 1.5%
20. 4. Second Fermentation &
5. Maturation
• Newly bottled wines are then stacked on their
sides in cellar
• This is where the wine takes on its sparkle
(prise de mousse)
• The longer the second fermentation lasts, the
finer the champagne will be
• This can range from 14 days – 3 months.
21. After Second Fermentation
• The bottles are left lying horizontally / sur
latte for a minimum of 1.5 year in non-vintage
and 5.0 years for vintage. In practise this
period is much longer.
• During this period, bottles are shook and re-stacked
several times. i.e. Poignettage.
• This makes sediment more homogenous and
less sticky.
22. 6.Remuage
• To remove sediment created by and
fermentation, bottles are placed in wooden
pupitres.
• Bottles are turned, tilted by Remueurs, until
they are inverted, and sediment is in the neck.
• Mechanical remuage is mostly carried out
today by a giropalette.
23. Stacking sur pointes
• Cheaper champagnes are then disgorged
immediately but finer more expensive wines
will be stacked vertically back to front for
further maturation. (Recently Disgorged)
24. 7. Degorgement – Two Ways
• A la glaze: necks are dipped in freezing brine.
When plug of ice, containing sediment is
formed, bottles are turned upright by
machine and moved to another machine,
which removes the crown cap, letting the
sediment out.
• Bottles sealed with cork, will be disgorded by
hand, having first undergone the ‘freezing
process’ this is known as á la Volée.
25. 8. Liquer d’Expedition
• Bottles are now topped up with a mix of wine
and sugar, to determine the final style from
Brut to Dom.
9. Corking
• Champagne must appear on the cork.
• Bottles are then sent to cellars for final rest
before being dressed, labelled, and packed.
26. Champagne Styles
• Non-vintage, Vintage, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc
des Noirs, Pink Champagne, Cremant [no
longer allowed in Champagne region], Cuvée
de Prestige.
27. Rosé
• Two methods –
• Saisnee method: Black grapes are left in
contact with must at start of first fermentation
– producing a rosé wine.
• Small amount of still red Coleaux Champanois
is added during assemblage – Only quality
product allowed do this under EU Law
28. Ultra Brut
• Wine is given less sugar during liqueur de
triage, producing less pressure, and finer
bubbles
29. Other sparkling wine producing
areas
• Bordeaux
• St Peray
• Blanquette de Limoux
• Cava – Spain
• Sekt – Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Slovenia
• New World Countries – Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, Tasmania, Chile, Argentina, California, Washington
State, Canada
