Champagne, France

Overview

The word Champagne refers to chalky soil, and so you will find the word champagne not only associated with the great sparkling wine, but with the region of Cognac as well.

Champagne is a process as well as a wine, here is an over simplification of the process:

• The grapes are pressed, with the reds especially pressed gently to keep any color out of the wine.
• The wine is fermented, more or less the same as all white wines.
• The wine is placed in a bottle with some sugar and yeast, and then capped tightly.
• The secondary fermentation that takes place from the added yeast and sugar results in Carbon Dioxide which is mixed with the wine in the closed bottle.
• Either time and skilled labor, or a machine, coax the sediment caused by the dead yeast to end up in the neck of the bottle.
• The neck of the bottle is plunged into a salt water solution that causes ice to form in the bottle.
• The cap is removed, and the plug of ice, along with the sediment are removed.
• The lost wine is replaced and a little sweetener is added to the wine (this determines how sweet the style of the Champagne is).
• The finished Champagne has a special cork added to the bottle, and it is now ready to drink.

Grapes

Chardonnay and the red wine grape Pinot Noir are the main grapes. Pinot Meunier is also used regularly, but it is considered a poor cousin of Pinot Noir.

Sub Regions

The villages of Champagne are host to a most unique and in many ways, fitting, form of economic rating. Every year an official price is set for a measure of grapes. Each village has a rating based on what percentage of this official price they can charge. Thus the finest grapes come from towns that rate 99% or more, and high average is 90% - 98%. Below 90% are not quality grapes, and are mostly used for rounding out the non vintage house styles of the numerous smaller Champagne houses that are almost never seen.

Only a few of the finest Champagnes are village designated, and it is hotly debated if this is marketing or if a distinct character can be found. Among these well known villages are Cramant, Avize and Le Mesnil.

Within the area of Champagne are also the larger sub regions of the Montagne de Reims, home of quality Pinot Noir, the Valllee de la Marne with its vineyards full of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier and the Cote des Blancs covered throughout with Chardonnay.

Label Info

• Demi-Sec (literally half-dry) - Is the sweetest
• Extra Dry - Is the next driest, but is still slightly sweet
• Brut (literally raw or unrefined) - Traditionally the driest, but Natural with no added sweetness is sometimes found.

Rose' - Shame I can't add the accent, but Rose Champagne is like Rose Wine, slightly red to pink, and fun and easy to enjoy. The best are dry and serious with just a taste of the red wine (which is often added at the end).

Tete du Cuvee - Not usually found on the label, but the term refers to the best of the lot. These wines have benefited from extended contact with the sediment and have a richer more expressive flavor. These are the expensive wines.

Cremant - Not very common any more this is a dessert style Champagne with less bubbles and usually a sweet style.