Shinh - Champagne Decoded

Champagne Decoded

By Shammi Shinh

Copyright Prodiguer Brands

Index

Introduction

Circa 2004 I began my journey into the Champagne world. Over ten years of experience, education and knowledge from production to marketing to the lifestyle it comes with. My aim was to make a mark in the industry I wanted to pursue, which I did, gracefully.

Only a few of us know Champagne comes from Champagne, only a few of us know Champagne begins its life as wine. Allow this simple, yet illustrative guide Champagne Decoded to educate you in all things Champagne.

School of Champagne

Every enthusiast about anything must know the basics of their passion.

Champagne is a sparkling wine that comes from a region in France named Champagne. If it originates from anywhere else it cannot legally be called Champagne. Therefore, sparkling wine from Italy is called Prosecco and sparkling wine from Spain is Cava. A common misconception is that Champagne is not a brand but the product itself with different variations. However, it is a variation of sparkling wine itself.

There are variations of how champagne began in various print and digital articles. In the very early stages of its invention it is quite well known that during the second fermentation of champagne production bottles would simply explode and cause a domino effect in cellars causing almost a whole harvest worth of bottles to explode, the reason behind this was that the bottles simply were not strong enough to hold the pressure. The search began for stronger bottles and this led the early champagne producers, across the ocean to Newcastle, UK. There, they used coal instead of charcoal for heating the furnaces, resulting in stronger glass due to the higher combustion temperatures. So the United Kingdom played a big role in getting the champagne industry stabilised, until the French were able to produce stronger bottles themselves.

It is useful to know things that matter to your consumption of champagne, such as what variations of champagne there are, i.e. Brut, Ros, Blanc de Blancs, the differences between them, sweet or dry champagnes, what classifies as vintage, the different bottle sizes available and the temperature for chilling and serving.

Glossary

The process of creating Champagne is extensive and detailed and requires a separate glossary. It is useful knowing the different terms and for every enthusiast it is a must to know and understand the process.

Assemblage

Assemblage is what makes champagne so different from other wines. It is the process of combining many still wines from a variation of grapes, of different years and villages and blending them precisely. It goes without saying; this is a highly skilled task to do correctly. Experienced Oenologists are able to meticulously create some of the finest blends.

Base Wine

Before the Assemblage takes place a base wine is chosen to act as a starting component.

Btonnage

Using a wooden stick, the still wine is stirred after the first fermentation so the dead yeast sediment is not sitting idle, this will in turn affect the balance and aroma of the wine. Not all champagne producers do this.

Champagne

Legally, Champagne can only be called Champagne if it is produced and originates from the Champagne region. Most regions around the world have their own name for sparking wines. The UK and USA simply have Sparking Wine. Cava is the Spanish version, Prosecco the Italian and Sekt the German.

Chef de Cave

This means cellar master, the person that leads the team of wine makers within a champagne house. The Chef de Cave is typically a highly skilled and experienced individual that does not only understand wine, but also the science behind it.

Clos

Clos is a term that refers to prestigious vineyards that have a walled enclosure to improve the climate and prevent theft.

Corked

The general conception for the term corked, leads on to believe a wine has bits of cork in the wine, this is not always the case. There are in fact different levels of corked; these can range from simply undrinkable to offensive. A tainted cork can affect a wines aroma and flavour leaving it flawed and of course corked.

Crown Cap

Used on beer bottles all around the world, not many know that crown caps are also used in the production of champagne. During the second fermentation and ageing a crown cap is used to seal champagne bottles. Once the bottles are ready they go through a process called Disgorgement where the cap is then replaced with a cork.

Cru

Cru is a word used to determine the quality ranking amongst vineyards belonging to different Champagne Villages. There are very few villages that rank in at 100%. These villages are known as Grand Cru. Next in order are Premier Cru villages, these villages rank at 90-99%. The remainder of villages that fall below 90% are given the rank of just Cru.

Cuve

The term cuve is mainly known for being a specific blend of wine, however it does hold a second reference. The term cuve is also given to the first pressing juice. The first juice usually represents the highest quality juice from the pressing process.

Dbourbage

After the pressing process, sediment needs to be removed. The juice must be clear before fermentation begins.

Disgorgement, Dgorgement

This is the process champagne bottles go through before being sold. After fermentation and ageing, the yeast sediments need to be removed from the bottle. Through riddling by hand or a gyropalette the sediment is collected at the neck of the bottle. The neck is placed in freezing liquid (several bottles at the same time) this forms an ice cube trapping the sediment. The crown cap is then removed and the ice ejected. Very few houses still riddle and disgorge by hand. Machinery has now made the process not only quicker but also more precise. There is no evidence supporting that doing these processes by hand is better. It may sound good on a brands marketing but the truth is the machines do it better.

Dosage

After disgorgement some wine is lost and is topped up by a dosage. This dosage gives the producer a chance to alter the champagnes flavour by adding sugar in a solution form. The original sugar in the champagne is lost during fermentation so a sweetener is required. The dosage doesn't only make the champagne sweeter but adjusts acidity as well. The exact level of dosage determines the category of champagne (Brut, Demi-Sec etc) Between 0-15 grams is Brut.

Fermentation

During champagne production there are two fermentation stages. The first usually takes place in tanks or barrels to create a still wine. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle. During the second fermentation the yeast interacts with the sugar thus creating alcohol and carbon dioxide bubbles.

Grower Champagne

When an estate produces and bottles their own champagne this is typically known as growers champagne. Globally, an increasing number of restaurants and bars are advertising themselves as only serving grower champagnes. A grower champagne is not superior to other producers but they have their own distinct way of production.

Liqueur de Tirage

This is the solution added at bottling that promotes the second fermentation. Some refer to it as the third fermentation. The solution consists of wine, sugar and yeast.

Mthode Champenoise

This is the term given to the traditional method of making champagne. The EU has protected this term and is only applicable to champagne.