Tasting Summary: 2014-1212
Champagne/Methode Champenoise
Hosted by: Robin and Steve
Notes
From Wikipedia:
There are four main methods of sparkling wine production.
- The first is simple injection of carbon dioxide (CO2), the process used in soft drinks.
- The second is the Metodo Martinotti created and patented by Italian Federico Martinotti (1860-1924) in 1895[1] and adapted by Eugene Charmat in 1907, a French vine grower in Saint-Pourcain-sur-Sioule, in which the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in bulk tanks, and is bottled under pressure. This method is used for Prosecco and Asti in particular.
- The third method is the traditional method or methode champenoise. With this method the effervescence is produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle. As the name suggests, this is used for the production of Champagne, but is slightly more expensive than the Charmat process.
- The fourth method is the "transfer method". This method will take the cuvee to bottle for secondary fermentation, which allows for the additional complexity, but then will transfer the wine out of the individual bottles into a larger tank after it has spent the desired amount of time on yeast.
Champagne, Cava (Spain), Cremant d'Alsace, and some Californian wines all use methode champenoise. Grapes:
- Champagne: Arbane, Chardonnay, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir
- Cava: Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel-lo, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Grenache, Malvasia and Trepat, Monastrell
- Cremant d'Alsace: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Auxerrois and Chardonnay.
Terms
- Blanc de blanc: White wine from white grapes
- Blanc de noir: White wine from dark (red) grapes
Sweetness (grams residual sugar per liter)
- Extra Brut (less than 6 grams of residual sugar per litre)
- Brut (less than 12 grams)
- Extra Dry (between 12 and 17 grams)
- Sec (between 17 and 32 grams)
- Demi-sec (between 32 and 50 grams)
- Doux (50 grams)
Wines Tasted:
| Name |
Region |
|
|---|---|---|
| Rondel Brut Cava | Spain | $8.99 |
| Chandon Blanc de Noirs | California | $18.99 |
| Francois Montard Blanc de Blancs | Jura, France | $14.99 |
| Louis Bouillot Rose | Burgundy, France | $18.99 |
| Albrecht Cremant Brut Rose Trad | Alsace | $19.99 |
| De Margerie Grand Cru Brut | Champagne, France | $39.99 |
| Mailly Brut Reserve Grand Cru | Champagne, France | $39.99 |
| Montaudon Grande Rose Brut | Champagne, France | $34.99 |