Champagne (wine region)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Champagne (archaic English: Champany) is a historic province in the northeast of France, best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name. The area is about 100 miles (160 km) east of Paris. There are five départements within the region; Aisne, Aube, Haute-Marne, Marne, and Seine-et-Marne. The towns of Reims and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area.
Champagne is now part of the French administrative region of Champagne-Ardenne.
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[edit] Geography and climate
The Champagne province is located near the northern limits of the wine world along the 49th parallel. The high latitude and mean annual temperature of 50°F (10°C) creates a difficult environment for wine grapes to fully ripen. Ripening is aided by the presence of forests which helps to stablize temperatures and maintain moisture in the soil. The cool temperatures serve to produce high levels of acidity in the resulting grape which is ideal for sparkling wine.[1]
During the growing season, the mean July temperature is 66°F with average annual rainfall of 25 inches (1.8 inches during the harvest month of September). Throughout the year, growers have to be mindful of the hazards of fungal disease and early spring frost.[2]
Ancient oceans left behind chalk subsoil deposits when they receded 70 million years ago. Earthquakes that rocked the region over 10 million years ago pushed the marine sediments of belemnite fossils up to the surface to create the belemnite chalk terrain. The belemnite soil allows it to absorb heat from the sun and gradually release it during the night as well as provides good drainage. This soil contributes to the lightness and finesse that is characteristics of Champagne wine. The Aube area is an exception with predominately clay based soil.[1] The chalk is also used in the construction of underground cellars that can keep the wines cool through the bottle maturation process.[2]
[edit] History
The Carolingian reign saw periods or prosperity for the Champagne region beginning with Charlemagne's encouragement for the area to start planting vines and continuing with the coronation of his son Louis the Pious at Reims. The tradition of crowning kings at Reims contributed to the reputation of the wines that came from this area.[3]
The Counts of Champagne ruled the area as an independent county from 950 to 1316. In 1314, the last Count of Champagne assumed the throne as King Louis X of France and the region became part of the Crown territories.
[edit] Military Conflicts
The location of Champagne played a large role in its historical prominence as it served as a "crossroads" for both military and trade routes. This also made the area open to devastation and destruction during military conflicts that were frequently waged in the area. In 451 A.D. near Châlons-en-Champagne Attila and the Huns were defeated by an alliance of Roman legions, Franks and Visigoths. This defeat was a turning point in the Huns invasion of Europe.[4]
During The Hundred Years War, the land was repeatedly ravaged and devastated by battles. The Abbey of Hautvillers, including its vineyards, was destroyed in 1560 during the War of Religion between the Huguenots and Catholics. This was followed by conflicts during the Thirty Year War and the Fronde Civil War where soldiers and mercenaries held the area in occupation. It wasn't till the 1660s during the reign of Louis XIV that the region saw enough peace to allow advances in sparkling wine production to take place.[5]
[edit] History of wine production
The region's reputation for wine production dates back to the Middle Ages when Pope Urban II, a native Champenois, declared that the wine of Aÿ in the Marne département was the best wine produced in the world. For a time Aÿ was used as a shorthand designation for wines from the entire Champagne region, similar to the use of Beaune for the wines of Burgundy.[6] The poet Henry d'Andeli's work La Bataille des Vins rated wines from the towns of Épernay, Hautvillers and Reims as some of the best in Europe. As the region's reputation grew, Popes and Royalty sought to own pieces of the land with Pope Leo X, Francis I of France, Charles V of Spain, and Henry VIII of England all owning vineyard land in the region. A batch of wine from Aÿ received in 1518 by Henry VIII's chancellor, Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, is the first recorded export of wine from the Champagne region to England.[7]
The still wines of the area were highly prized in Paris under the designation of vins de la rivière and vins de la montagne- wines of the river and wines of the mountain in reference to the wooded terrain and the river Marne which carried the wines down to the Seine and into Paris.[8] The region was in competition with Burgundy for the Flemish wine trade and tried to capitalize on Reims' location along the the trade route from Beaune. In the 15th century, Pinot Noir became heavily planted in the area. The resulting red wine had difficulty comparing well to the richness and coloring of Burgundy wines, despite the addition of elderberries to deepen the color. This lead to a greater focus on white wines.[9]
The Champagne house of Gosset was founded as a still wine producer in 1584 and is the oldest Champagne house still in operation today. Ruinart was founded in 1729 and was soon followed by Taittinger (1734), Moët et Chandon (1743) and Veuve Clicquot (1772).[7]
The nineteenth century saw an explosive growth in champagne production going from a regional production of 300,000 bottles a year in 1800 to 20 million bottles in 1850.[10]
[edit] Rivalry with Burgundy
A strong influence on Champagne wine production was the centuries old rivalry between the region and Burgundy. From the key market of Paris to the palace of Louis XIV of France at Versailles, proponents of Champagne and Burgundy would spar to get the upper hand. For most of his life, Louis XIV would drink only Champagne wine with the support of his doctor Antoine d'Aquin who advocated the King drink champagne with every meal for the benefit of his health. As the King aged and his ailments increased, competing doctors would propose alternative treatments with alternative wines, to sooth the King's ills. One of these doctors, Guy-Crescent Fagon conspired with the King's mistress to oust d'Aquin and have himself appointed as Royal Doctor. Fagon quickly attributed the King's continuing ailments to champagne and ordered that only Burgundy wine must be served at the royal table.[11]
This development had a ripple effect throughout both regions and in the Paris markets. Both Champagne and Burgundy were deeply concerned with the "healthiness" reputation of their wines, even to the extent of paying medical students to write theses touting the health benefit of their wines. These theses were then used as advertising pamphlets that were sent to merchants and customers. The Faculty of Medicine in Reims published several papers to refute Fagon's claim that Burgundy wine was healthier then champagne. In response, Burgundian winemakers hired physician Jean-Baptiste de Salins, dean of the medical school in Beaune, to speak to a packed auditorium at the Paris Faculty of Medicine. Salins spoke favorably of Burgundy wine's deep color and robust nature and compared it to the pale red color of Champagne and the "instability" of the wine to travel long distances and the flaws of the bubbles from when secondary fermentation would take place. The text of his speech was published in newspapers and pamphlets throughout France and had a damaging affect on champagne sales.[12]
The war of words would continue for another 130 years with endless commentary from doctors, poets, playwrights and authors all arguing for their favorite region and their polemics being reproduce in advertisements for Burgundy and Champagne. On a few occasion, the two regions were on the brink of civil war.[13] A turning point occurred when several Champagne wine makers abandoned efforts to produce red wine in favor of focusing on harnessing the effervescent nature of sparkling champagne. As the bubbles became more popular, doctors throughout France and Europe commented on the health benefits of the sparkling bubbles which were said to cure malaria. As more Champenois winemakers embarked on this new and completely different wine style, the rivalry with Burgundy mellowed and eventually waned.[13]
[edit] Classifications and vineyard regulations
In 1927, viticultural boundaries of Champagne were legally defined and split into five wine producing districts-the Aube, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne. This area covers 76,000 acres of vineyards around 300 villages that are home to 5,000 growers who make their own wine and 14,000 growers who only sell grapes.[1]
The different district produces grapes of varying characteristics that are blended by the champagne houses to create their distinct house styles. The Pinots of the Montagne de Reims that are planted on northern facing slopes are known for their high levels of acid and the delicacy they add to the blend. The grapes on the southern facing slope add more power and character. Grapes across the district contribute to the bouquet and headiness. The abundance of southern facing slopes in the Vallée de la Marne produces the ripest wines with full aroma. The Côte des Blancs grapes are known for their finesse and the freshness they add to blends with the extension of the nearby Côte de Sézanne offering similar though slightly less distinguished traits.[8]
In 1942, the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) was formed with the purpose of protecting Champagne's reputation and marketing forces as well as setting up and monitoring regulations for vineyard production and vinification methods. Champagne is the only region that is permitted to exclude AOC or Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée from their labels.[1]
For each vintage, the CVIC rates the villages of the area based on the quality of their grapes and vineyards. The rating is then used to determine the price and the percentage of the price that growers get. The Grand Cru rated vineyards get 100 percent rating which entitles the grower to 100% of the price. Premier Crus are vineyards with 90–99% ratings while Deuxième Crus have 80–89% ratings.[14]
Under appellation rules, around 8,820 pounds of grapes can be pressed to create up to 673 gallons of juice. The first 541 gallons are the cuvée and the next 132 gallons are the taille. Prior to 1992, a second taille of 44 gallons was previously allowed. For vintage champagne, 100% of the grapes must come from that vintage year while non-vintage wine is a blend of vintages. Vintage champagne must spend a minimum three years on its lees with some of premier champagne houses keeping their wines on lines for upwards of five to ten years. Non-vintage champagne must spend a minimum of 15 months on the lees.[14]
Non-sparkling still wines, like those made around the village Bouzy, are sold under the appellation label Coteaux Champenois.[8]
[edit] Grapes
Three main grape varietals are permitted in the region-Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Pinot Noir is the most widely planted grape in the Aube region and grows very well in Montagne de Reims. Pinot Meunier is the dominate grape in the Vallée de la Marne region. The Côte des Blancs is dedicated almost exclusively to Chardonnay.[14]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d K. Gargett, P. Forrestal, & C. Fallis The Encyclopedic Atlas of Wine pg 163 Global Book Publishing 2004 ISBN 1740480503
- ^ a b H. Johnson & J. Robinson The World Atlas of Wine pg 79 Octupus Publishing Group 2005 ISBN 1840003324
- ^ R. Phillips A Short History of Wine pg 75 Harper Collins 2000 ISBN 0066212820
- ^ H. Johnson Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 96–97 Simon and Schuster 1989 ISBN 0671687026
- ^ H. Johnson Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 210–211 Simon and Schuster 1989 ISBN 0671687026
- ^ H. Johnson Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 211 Simon and Schuster 1989 ISBN 0671687026
- ^ a b K. Gargett, P. Forrestal, & C. Fallis The Encyclopedic Atlas of Wine pg 162 Global Book Publishing 2004 ISBN 1740480503
- ^ a b c H. Johnson & J. Robinson The World Atlas of Wine pg 80 Octupus Publishing Group 2005 ISBN 1840003324
- ^ H. Johnson Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 212 Simon and Schuster 1989 ISBN 0671687026
- ^ R. Phillips A Short History of Wine pg 241 Harper Collins 2000 ISBN 0066212820
- ^ D. & P. Kladstrup Champagne pg 32 Harper Collins Publisher ISBN 0060737921
- ^ D. & P. Kladstrup Champagne pg 33–34 Harper Collins Publisher ISBN 0060737921
- ^ a b D. & P. Kladstrup Champagne pg 36 Harper Collins Publisher ISBN 0060737921
- ^ a b c K. Gargett, P. Forrestal, & C. Fallis The Encyclopedic Atlas of Wine pg 164 Global Book Publishing 2004 ISBN 1740480503
