Champagne is loved by all wine lovers. Even if you don't know much about wine, you've probably heard of Champagne.
In Japan, it is known as ``Champagne'', but its official name is ``Champagne'' in French. Many people refer to all sparkling wines collectively as ``champagne,'' but in reality, ``sparkling wine'' and ``champagne'' are completely different things.
So, what exactly is the difference between "sparkling wine" and "champagne"? This time we will introduce some basic knowledge about Champagne that you may not know.
What is champagne?
Simply put, champagne refers to sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France. In other words, sparkling wine produced outside the Champagne region cannot be called Champagne. In addition, France has a law called the Wine Law, which allows only wines that meet strict conditions such as grape variety, production area, and manufacturing method to be given the name ``Champagne.'' The Champagne region has five departments, and Champagne is only made using grapes from designated areas within these regions.
Main grape varieties of Champagne
There are currently seven types of grape varieties that are permitted to be used in Champagne, but in reality, the following three varieties account for more than 99%, and the remaining four varieties are rarely used. Champagne is made by blending these three grape varieties with different characteristics, or by using a single variety to create a variety of flavors.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a white grape variety commonly grown in the Côte des Blancs region. Champagne that uses a lot of Chardonnay has a sharp acidity, giving it a delicate and elegant impression.
pinot noir
This is a black grape variety that is mostly grown in the Montagne de Reims area, which receives relatively a lot of sunlight. It has a rich fruit flavor and is strong and full-bodied.
Meunier
This is a black grape variety that is often found in the Vallée de la Marne area, which is located along rivers where frost is common due to fog. It is characterized by its mild acidity, rich fruit flavor, and quick ripening. It gives complexity and richness to wine.
Field grading
Champagne fields are classified on a village-by-village basis, with the village where the best grapes are grown being classified as a Grand Cru, followed by Premier Cru, and villages with no classification. Divided. However, in recent years, there are many producers who are making superior quality Champagne from grapes harvested in unclassified village fields.
How to make champagne
All grapes used in Champagne are harvested by hand. The juice is gently squeezed from the harvested grapes, and primary fermentation takes place for 10 to 15 days in stainless steel tanks or wooden barrels. When performing primary fermentation, tanks and barrels are carefully divided depending on the field, grape variety, age of the grapes, etc. After that, we proceed to an important process called "assemblage".
In assemblage, wines that have undergone primary fermentation are tasted in tanks and barrels separated by field and variety, and the taste is determined by mixing these wines together. This assemblage ratio determines the flavor style of the wine, so this is a very important process in Champagne making. In the case of non-vintage wine, we use wine called ``reserve wine'' that was brewed the previous year or several years ago for the assemblage.
Assembled wine is bottled with a liquid called ``liqueur de tirage,'' which is a mixture of yeast and sugar. At this time, yeast breaks down sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide in the bottle, turning still wine into sparkling wine. This process is called secondary fermentation in the bottle. The wine is then aged in the bottle for at least 15 months for non-vintage Champagne and for at least 3 years for vintage Champagne, allowing the yeast in the bottle to develop flavor in the wine.
Then, over a period of about three months, we slowly perform a process called ``lumiage,'' in which we turn the wine bottle's mouth downwards and gradually collect the yeast lees that have accumulated inside the bottle. . Once the lees have collected at the mouth of the bottle, a process called ``disgorgement'' is performed to remove the lees from the inside of the bottle.
Finally, to compensate for the loss of liquid in the bottle during disgorgement, a liqueur with added sugar is added to the undiluted champagne wine, and the bottle is sealed with a cork to complete the champagne.
Sweet and dry Champagne
The sweet or dry type of Champagne is determined by the final process of Champagne making. The addition of sugar-added liqueur to the undiluted champagne wine after disgorgement is called ``dosage.'' The sweetness (sugar content) of the liqueur added during dosage determines the sweetness and spiciness of the champagne. Adjust it. The sweetness and spiciness of Champagne is expressed as follows depending on the residual sugar content in 1.
・Doux: Very sweet...Over 50g of sugar per 1?
・Deme-sec: Sweet...Sugar content 33-50g per 1?
・Sec: Slightly sweet...Sugar content 17-35g per 1?
・Extra sec: Slightly dry…12 to 20 g of sugar per 1?
・Brut: Dry…Sugar within 15g per 1?
・Extra brut: Super dry…Within 6g of sugar per 1?
・Brut nature: Super dry…Within 3g of sugar per 1?
*It is also called Pas dose and Dosage zero.
There is no need to memorize the specific amount of residual sugar content, but remembering the sweetness level and its display name will be helpful when choosing wine, so why not use it as a reference?
Differences between types of champagne
There are various types of Champagne. Champagne types can be divided into three categories: the color of the champagne, the color of the grapes used, and the grade of the wine.
champagne color
There are two types of Champagne: white and rosé. When making rosé wine, the method of blending red wine and white wine to make rosé is basically prohibited under EU wine law, but there is an exception for Champagne. (For more information, please refer to "How to Enjoy Wine Even More - Pay Attention to the Color of Wine, Not Just the Flavor!")
grape color
Champagne types can also be classified by the color of the grape skins used. "Blanc de Blancs" means white wine made using only white grapes, and "Blanc de Noirs" means white wine made only from black grapes. means.
champagne grades
Champagne can also be divided by wine grade.
"Brut Non-Vintage Champagne" is standard Champagne and is required by law to age for at least 15 months in bottle.
"Vintage Champagne", as the name suggests, is Champagne with a vintage (harvest year) written on it, and is made using only grapes from the same harvest year, when the grapes are of good quality. It is allowed to mature in bottles for at least 3 years before being released.
"Prestige Champagne" is the highest quality Champagne made using only high quality grapes. It is mostly made as a vintage type, but occasionally you can find non-vintage Prestige Champagne.
Champagne is a very profound drink, with many different types depending on taste, color, and grade. First of all, by knowing the basics of Champagne, you can enjoy choosing your favorite Champagne.
