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Questions and Answers
What is the purpose of malolactic fermentation in winemaking?
What is the purpose of malolactic fermentation in winemaking?
What is the name of the process where the bottle is moved and tilted downwards to collect dead yeast sediment in the bottle's neck?
What is the name of the process where the bottle is moved and tilted downwards to collect dead yeast sediment in the bottle's neck?
What is the term for a Champagne with 0-3 grams of sugar per liter?
What is the term for a Champagne with 0-3 grams of sugar per liter?
What is the name of the Italian sparkling wine made from the grape variety Glera?
What is the name of the Italian sparkling wine made from the grape variety Glera?
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What is the term for the process of removing dead yeast sediment from the bottle?
What is the term for the process of removing dead yeast sediment from the bottle?
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What is the name of the Spanish sparkling wine made using the Champagne method?
What is the name of the Spanish sparkling wine made using the Champagne method?
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What is the purpose of adding sugar and wine to the base wine in the bottle?
What is the purpose of adding sugar and wine to the base wine in the bottle?
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What is the term for the mixture of sugar and wine added to the bottle before sealing?
What is the term for the mixture of sugar and wine added to the bottle before sealing?
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What is the only region where Champagne can be produced?
What is the only region where Champagne can be produced?
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What is the term for a blend of several years of champagne?
What is the term for a blend of several years of champagne?
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What is the most expensive type of Champagne?
What is the most expensive type of Champagne?
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What are the three permitted grape varieties for making Champagne?
What are the three permitted grape varieties for making Champagne?
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What is the term for a Champagne made only from the Chardonnay grape variety?
What is the term for a Champagne made only from the Chardonnay grape variety?
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What is the term for a Champagne made from only the black/red grapes?
What is the term for a Champagne made from only the black/red grapes?
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How can Rosé Champagne be made in Champagne?
How can Rosé Champagne be made in Champagne?
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What is the term for the top wine from each Champagne house?
What is the term for the top wine from each Champagne house?
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What is the name of the traditional Prosecco that is fermented in a bottle?
What is the name of the traditional Prosecco that is fermented in a bottle?
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What is the name of the sparkling wine made using the ancestral method?
What is the name of the sparkling wine made using the ancestral method?
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Why should a bottle of sparkling wine be well-chilled before opening?
Why should a bottle of sparkling wine be well-chilled before opening?
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What is the correct way to remove the cork from a bottle of sparkling wine?
What is the correct way to remove the cork from a bottle of sparkling wine?
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What is the name of the sparkling wine from the Basque country in Spain?
What is the name of the sparkling wine from the Basque country in Spain?
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What is the purpose of having champagne lutes (or wine glasses) to hand when opening a bottle of sparkling wine?
What is the purpose of having champagne lutes (or wine glasses) to hand when opening a bottle of sparkling wine?
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Why is it important to handle a bottle of sparkling wine gently and carefully when opening?
Why is it important to handle a bottle of sparkling wine gently and carefully when opening?
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What should you do with the decorative foil when opening a bottle of sparkling wine?
What should you do with the decorative foil when opening a bottle of sparkling wine?
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What is the name of the rot that affects grapes in the production of sweet wines?
What is the name of the rot that affects grapes in the production of sweet wines?
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What is the purpose of adding alcohol to the fermentation process in the production of Vin Doux Natural?
What is the purpose of adding alcohol to the fermentation process in the production of Vin Doux Natural?
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Which region is known for producing sweet red wines using the drying method?
Which region is known for producing sweet red wines using the drying method?
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What is the characteristic flavor profile of Sauvignon Blanc?
What is the characteristic flavor profile of Sauvignon Blanc?
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Which region is known for producing Sauvignon Blanc wines with a fruity and pungent flavor profile?
Which region is known for producing Sauvignon Blanc wines with a fruity and pungent flavor profile?
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What is the typical body of Sauvignon Blanc wines?
What is the typical body of Sauvignon Blanc wines?
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What is the classic food pairing for Sauvignon Blanc?
What is the classic food pairing for Sauvignon Blanc?
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What is the name of the sweet wine style produced in Germany?
What is the name of the sweet wine style produced in Germany?
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What is the purpose of swirling the wine in the glass?
What is the purpose of swirling the wine in the glass?
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What is the primary difference between biodynamic and organic wine production?
What is the primary difference between biodynamic and organic wine production?
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What is a characteristic of natural wine?
What is a characteristic of natural wine?
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What type of wine is known for its lightness and purity of fruit?
What type of wine is known for its lightness and purity of fruit?
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What is a popular combination of sweet and salt in wine pairing?
What is a popular combination of sweet and salt in wine pairing?
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Which type of wine is known for its high levels of acidity and restrained levels of alcohol?
Which type of wine is known for its high levels of acidity and restrained levels of alcohol?
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What is a characteristic of organic wine production?
What is a characteristic of organic wine production?
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What is the purpose of labeling wine as 'no added sulphur'?
What is the purpose of labeling wine as 'no added sulphur'?
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Study Notes
Wine Style: Sparkling Wine
- Champagne is a sparkling wine made from the process outlined below, and can only be called "Champagne" if it comes from the Champagne region in France.
- Types of Champagne:
- Non-Vintage (N.V.): a blend of more than one year's wines
- Vintage: made from the grapes of one year, usually an excellent year
- Prestige Cuvée: the top wine from each Champagne house
- Grape varieties used in Champagne:
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Meunier
- Chardonnay
- Champagne production process:
- Ferment grapes as usual, usually in stainless steel, temperature-controlled tanks.
- Base wine is then blended and put in bottles with sugar and wine (liqueur de tirage).
- Second fermentation takes place in the bottle under seal.
- Bottles are rested in cool chalk cellars, then undergo riddling and disgorgement.
- Finished with a sugary wine (liqueur de dosage) and sealed with traditional cork and wire.
Labelling on Champagne and Sparkling Wine
- Brut nature, pas dosé, zéro dosage: 0-3 grams per litre (no sugar added)
- Extra brut: up to 6 grams per litre
- Brut: up to 12 grams per litre
- Extra dry: 12-17 grams per litre
- Sec/Dry: 17-32 grams per litre
- Demi-sec: 32-50 grams per litre
- Doux (sweet): > 50 grams per litre
Other Sparkling Wines
- Crémant: made in France, but not in Champagne, using the same method
- Cava: made in Spain, using local grape varieties, including Macabeu, Parellada, and Xarel-lo
- Prosecco: made in Italy, using the Glera grape variety, with second fermentation taking place in a tank
- Franciacorta: made in Italy, using the Champagne method
- Petillant Naturel (Pet Nat): made using the ancestral method, with partial fermentation in stainless steel vats and then bottled before fermentation
Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural Wines
- Organic:
- No synthetic chemicals added in the vineyard
- Permitted level of added sulphur
- Biodynamic:
- Follows a homeopathic approach using the cycles of nature and the planet
- Uses infusions of mineral, animal, and plant materials applied in homeopathic quantities
- Permitted level of added sulphur
- Natural:
- Takes organic or biodynamic practices as its starting point and extends them into the winery
- Aims to reduce chemical inputs and manipulations throughout the entire production process
- Often called "low intervention"
- Low or zero use of sulphur dioxide
Sweet Wine/Dessert Wine
- Made in different ways and varying degrees of sweetness
- Examples of sweet wine styles and regions:
- Sauternes, Barsac (Bordeaux, France)
- Jurancon (South-West France)
- Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise (Rhone, France)
- Tokaji Aszu (Hungary)
- Ice wine (Canada, Germany, and Austria)
- Fortified wines: e.g. Port (Portugal), Sherry, Madeira
Wine Tasting
- Sight: clarity and color
- Aromas/nose: put your nose right into the glass and sniff
- Taste: swish around the palate, noting acidity, tannin, alcohol, and sweetness
- Note the finish and length
- Aroma and flavor profiles:
- Fresh fruit
- Dried fruit
- Oaky-vanilla, toast
- Vegetation
- Floral
- Buttery
- Honey
- Nutty
- Spicy
- Animal
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Description
Learn about the process of making champagne and sparkling wine, and the differences between Non-Vintage, Vintage, and Prestige Cuvée.