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Ageing
Period of cellaring when the wines evolve in taste; ranges from a minimum period of 15 months to at least three years for vintages and much longer for the Special Cuvées.
Young, Mature or at its peak?
Video : Ageing
AOC
L'Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée guarantees the place of origin of each product and its method of production.
The Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC)
The Laws Governing Champagne
AOC Champagne
The area of Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée Champagne lies in the Champagne-Ardenne region, in the departements of the Aisne, the Marne, the Seine et Marne, the Aube and the Haute-Marne.
The Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC)
The Laws Governing Champagne
Aromas
The aromas of Champagne can be divided into five categories evoking: flowers, fruits, vegetables, dried fruit or indulgent delicacies.
Champagne notebooks
You and Champagne wines
Video : Aromas and tastes
AVC
Association Viticole Champenoise (The Champagne Viticultural Organisation).
Blanc de Blancs
White Champagne wine, made exclusively from white Chardonnay grapes.
The Traditional Blend, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs?
Blending crus and years
Blanc de Noirs
White Champagne wine, made exclusively from black Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier grapes.
The Traditional Blend, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs?
Blending crus and years
Blending
The art of blending wines from various crus, grape varieties and years.
Blending crus and years
The Traditional Blend, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs?
Video : Blending
Bottle
Most Champagne bottles are 75 cl capacity. They are specially designed to resist the build up of pressure during the second fermentation.
Serving Champagne
Small or big?
Video : Serving Champagne
Bottle capacities
A quart (20cl), half-bottle (37,5cl), bottle (75cl), magnum (2 bottles), jeroboam (4), methuselah (8), salmanazar (12), balthazar (16).
Small or big?
Brut
A small amount of sugar is added at the end of the vinification process. Brut Champagne wines contain the least sugar.
Blending crus and years
Brut or demi-sec?
Bubbles
The bubbles capture the carbon dioxide in the wine and rise to the surface to form a delicate pearl necklace.
Serving Champagne
The gift of effervescence.
Video : Effervescence
Côte des Bar
Part of the Champagne wine-producing area, in the Aube, mainly planted with Pinot Noir.
An exceptional terroir
Come toChampagne : La Côte des Bar
Video : Location
Côte des Blancs
Part of the Champagne wine-producing area, in the Marne, mainly planted with Chardonnay.
An exceptional terroir
Come to Champagne : Epernay
Video : Localisation
Celebration
An integral part of the history of Champagne wine which has become a symbol of celebration.
Champagne occasions
Feasts and celebrations
Video : A Champagne to suit the occasion
Cellar master
The architect of the wine making process and the person responsible for the style of the House.
Wines with names
Chalk
Limestone of maritime origin that plays a role in temperature control and drainage of the vineyards of Champagne.
An exceptional terroir
Video : Chalk
Champagne Growers
They cultivate the vines and occasionally produce their own Champagne. There are currently more than 15,000 growers.
Come to Champagne
The Champagne Growers
Champagne Houses
A business that makes its wines using grapes from a variety of crus. Thanks to selective blending of crus and grape varieties, customers are assured of a brand of wine of distinctive character. Champagne Houses are grouped under the UMC (Union des Maisons de Champagne).
Come to Champagne
The Champagne Houses
Champagne vineyards
The vineyards in Champagne are very fragmented - rather like gardens - and mainly planted on slopes.
An exceptional 'terroir'
Gardeners of the wines
Video : Location
Champagne with food
Champagne wines are sufficiently diverse to accompany a wide variety of dishes. They are divided into four broad families (Champagne wines of the Body, Spirit, Heart and Soul)making it easy to match the Champagne to the food.
Food pairings with Champagne Wines
Videos : Foie-gras, Bass filet, Veal cutlets
Champagne wines with Body
Powerful, robust, intense.
The Four Families of Champagne Wines
How to find them?
To suit the occasion or celebration
Champagne wines with Heart
Generous, heart-warming and smooth.
The Four Families of Champagne Wines
How to find them?
To suit the occasion or celebration
Champagne wines with Soul
Complex, rich and complete.
The Four Families of Champagne Wines
How to find them?
To suit the occasion or celebration
Champagne wines with Spirit
Vivacious, light and delicate.
The Four Families of Champagne Wines
How to find them?
To suit the occasion or celebration
Chardonnay
A grape variety that brings finesse, with floral and sometimes mineral notes.
An exceptional terroir
Video : Grape varieties
Chilling champagne
The ideal serving temperature is 8° C for young wines and 10° C for more mature wines.
Chilling
Video : Serving Champagne
CIVC
Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne - the trade association representing Champagne Houses and Growers.
Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne
Cork
To make sure the bottle is airtight, it is sealed with a cork which is squeezed into the neck and secured to the bottle with a wire muzzle.
Ouvrir
Video : Serving Champagne
Coteaux
Typical vineyards planted on slopes in Champagne where the vines receive the most sunlight and the soil is well drained.
An exceptional terroir
Video : Location
Cru
A wine growing commune in Champagne - 324 crus in all.
Traditionnal blend
Blending crus and years
Video : Blending
Cuvées
The wine produced by blending.
Traditionnal blend
Blending crus and years
Demarcation of the vineyards
Geographical boundaries of the region of Appellation Contrôlée status.
The Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC)
Demi-sec
At the end of vinification, a small amount of sugar is added to the Champagne. Demi-sec denotes wines that are slightly sweeter than Brut.
Blending crus and years
Brut or demi-sec?
Effervescence
The natural formation of carbon dioxide bubbles that rise to the surface to form a beaded necklace.
Serving Champagne
The gift of effervescence
Video : Effervescence
Exploring Champagne
Just an hour from Paris, Champagne is rich in centres of historic interest and vineyards that make a wide variety of Champagne wines.
A story like no other
Come to Champagne
The Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC)
Flutes
Narrow, slender Champagne glasses.
Serving Champagne
The gift of effervescence
Video : Serving Champagne
Fullness
Very mature Champagne with complex aromas.
Young, Mature or at its peak?
Glasses
The tulip glass is the ideal glass for sipping Champagne as it makes the most of the flavours and effervescence.
Serving Champagne
The gift of effervescence
Grape varieties
Only three grape varieties are allowed for the production of AOC Champagne : Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
An exceptional terroir
Harvesting
Grapes are always picked manually in Champagne to ensure that they reach the presses intact. Harvesting usually takes place in the second half of September.
Gardeners of the wines
Video : Harvesting
Label
Each bottle's individual 'identity card' displaying Champagne appellation, the House or name of the producer, dosage and blending details.
How to read a label?
Méthode champenoise
Method of producing effervescent wines that was perfected by the Champenois and characterised by a second alcoholic fermentation in the bottle.
The gift of effervescence
Video : Effervescence
Marne Valley
Part of the Champagne wine-producing region, in the Aisne and the Marne, mainly planted with Pinot Meunier.
An exceptional terroir
Come to Chamapgne : The Marne valley
Video : Location
Maturing
The development of the gustatory properties of a wine, linked to ageing.
Young, Mature or at its peak ?
Video : Ageing
Montagne de Reims
Part of the Champagne wine-producing area, in the Marne, mainly planted with Pinot Noir.
An exceptional terroir
Come to Champagne : Reims and the surrounding region
Video : Localisation
Muzzle
Wire muzzle that secures the cork to the Champagne bottle.
Opening
Video : Serving Champagne
Northern
Champagne is the northernmost wine-growing region in France, at the very limit of the climatic conditions required for viticulture.
An exceptional terroir
Video : Harsch climate
Pinot Meunier
Grape variety packed with supple fruit that brings roundness to the wine.
An exceptional terroir
Blending crus and years
Pinot Noir
Grape variety with aromas of red berries that gives the wine body and strength.
An exceptional terroir
Blending crus and years
Pressing
A very slow method of pressing developed by the Champenois to obtain juices with subtle, discrete aromas.
An unusual wine
Three centuries of genius
Video : Pressing
Range
Every Champagne House or Grower has a particular style that is reflected in their range of wines : Brut Non-Vintage, Vintage, Rosé, Demi-Sec, Special Cuvées, etc.
Blending crus and years
How to read a label?
Rosé Champagne
Champagne with a rosy colour created by blending or maceration.
Blending crus and years
How to read a label?
White or Rosé?
Second fermentation
Second fermentation that produces effervescence.
The gift of effervescence
Video : Effervescence
Serving
There is an art to chilling, opening and serving Champagne.
Chilling
Opening
Serving Champagne
Video : Serving Champagne
Special cuvées
Champagne wines made according to exacting criteria (ie blended from the Grands Crus, single grape varieties, wines that have aged for a specific period, etc.).
Blending crus and years
Classic or original?
Storage
In a cool, dark place with a fairly constant temperature and approximately 70 per cent humidity.
Style
Every House or grower has a particular style that is the mark of their wines over the years.
Wines with names
Video : Blending
Tasting
The sensory analysis of the wine in terms of appearance, smell and taste. A Champagne notebook is available that gives a simple introduction to the art of tasting.
Tasting Champagne
You and Champagne wines
Terroir
A combination of each vineyard's geophysical, climatic and traditional characteristics that defines the unique qualities of wines.
An exceptional terroir
Video : Location
Vintage
A blend of wines from the same year - only in years when the unique personality of the grapes deserves special recognition.
Blending crus and years
Vintage or Non-Vintage?
Wines for laying down
Champagne wines are aged in the wine producer's cellars and require no further cellaring following disgorgement and final corking.
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