CHAMPAGNE TOP OF THE POPS A brief but thorough guide to Champagne by Michèle Shah – the grapes, the growth, the processes that make this glorious wine othing is more titillating city of Reims is a good starting point to tour than popping a bottle the Champagne area and has all the feel of of Champagne. Its very a bustling regional capital. The old city is name evokes the tingle of dominated by the 13th century cathedral – one celebration. Known as “the of the great gothic cathedrals of northern France Nwine of kings and the king of wines”, as far – which is a UNESCO world heritage site. The back as the 9th century in the time of the famous combed vineyards of Champagne lie on Emperor Charlemagne, Champagne was a the chalky hills to the southwest of Reims, and rich agricultural area. Today, Champagne is around the town of Epernay. the industry leader in French wine and spirits, The Champagne area is generally divided to the tune of 4.7 billion euros, of which 2.6 into three parts – the Montagne de Reims, billion come from export. the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des The Champagne appellation today covers Blancs. The Aube region, 110 km to the 33,762 ha, representing 4% of France’s total southeast, is important for wines that go into vineyard area and producing some 309 million many of the non-vintage blends of the major bottles, comprising 13% by volume of world champagne houses. consumption of sparkling wines. Its exports The subsoil in Champagne is reach more than 190 countries, with the main predominantly limestone. So too are the export markets being the UK with 36 million outcrops of sedimentary rock (75% limestone), bottles and USA with 20.5 million bottles. composed of chalk, marl and limestone The heart of the Champagne region lies proper which provides for good drainage and 145 km to the northeast of Paris. The vibrant also imparts that particular mineral flavour 62 Sommelier INDIA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 found in certain Champagne wines. CHAMPAGNE: KEY MARKET STATISTICS Sloping vineyards are so much a feature of Champagne, that in the 17th century its CHAMPAGNE wines were known as vin de coteaux (wine of the slopes). The terrain, from undulating to moderately steep, creates ideal vineyard sites that combine good drainage with excellent exposure to sunlight. The manicured TOP OF landscapes, the abundance of lush green in the spring and summer and the history that one breathes while visiting the wineries is truly magical. THE POPS he main grape varieties found in A brief but thorough guide to Champagne by Champagne can almost be divided Tinto one-thirds, with Pinot Noir Michèle Shah – the grapes, the growth, the taking the slightly larger share, followed by Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Yields are processes that make this glorious wine kept to a low of 10,600 kg per hectare, to keep the grapes healthy and dry and aid their ripening. Each Champagne grape variety has its own unique personality, which is expressed at its purest in single-varietal Champagne wines: Un blanc de blancs blended exclusively othing is more titillating city of Reims is a good starting point to tour from white Chardonnay grapes, un blanc de than popping a bottle the Champagne area and has all the feel of noirs blended exclusively from red Pinot Noir of Champagne. Its very a bustling regional capital. The old city is and Pinot Meunier. name evokes the tingle of dominated by the 13th century cathedral – one Cru, the French term for “growth”, refers celebration. Known as “the of the great gothic cathedrals of northern France to a certain winegrowing location with a Nwine of kings and the king of wines”, as far – which is a UNESCO world heritage site. The particular growing environment, especially back as the 9th century in the time of the famous combed vineyards of Champagne lie on with regard to soil and climate, which favours Emperor Charlemagne, Champagne was a the chalky hills to the southwest of Reims, and a particular grape variety. Champagne rich agricultural area. Today, Champagne is around the town of Epernay. is represented by 320 crus and 275,000 the industry leader in French wine and spirits, The Champagne area is generally divided individual vineyard parcels, each with its own to the tune of 4.7 billion euros, of which 2.6 into three parts – the Montagne de Reims, specific profile. billion come from export. the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Back in the time of the monasteries, The Champagne appellation today covers Blancs. The Aube region, 110 km to the blending was an automatic part of the 33,762 ha, representing 4% of France’s total southeast, is important for wines that go into winemaking process. Grapes were delivered by vineyard area and producing some 309 million many of the non-vintage blends of the major local farmers as payment of their tithes to the bottles, comprising 13% by volume of world champagne houses. church, and then pressed collectively, regardless consumption of sparkling wines. Its exports The subsoil in Champagne is of differences in grape variety or vineyard site. reach more than 190 countries, with the main predominantly limestone. So too are the Blending became an art in the hands of export markets being the UK with 36 million outcrops of sedimentary rock (75% limestone), notable monastic winemakers, such as the bottles and USA with 20.5 million bottles. composed of chalk, marl and limestone monk, Dom Perignon, bursar of the Abbey of The heart of the Champagne region lies proper which provides for good drainage and Hautvilliers in Champagne. Their particular 145 km to the northeast of Paris. The vibrant also imparts that particular mineral flavour expertise lay in combining selected grapes 62 Sommelier INDIA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 Sommelier INDIA 63 VISITING CHAMPAGNE INFORMATION YOU CAN USE WHEN TO GO May, June and July are the best months to enjoy the beautiful green vines and sunny blue skies. Also, the harvest months of September and October HOW TO GET THERE Fly to Charles de Gaulle airport and then take the RER train to Reims or rent a car at Paris airport on arrival WHERE TO STAY Relais Châteaux Hôtel Restaurant Les Cràyeres. A handsome château in 17 acres of grounds on the outskirts of Reims, situated next to the Pommery champagne house. It has an excellent restaurant with two Michelin stars Source : Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne – 2016 and a more affordable Le Jardin Brasserie. Chef Philippe Mille’s gourmet restaurant has a wine list of various origins to improve the balance featuring more than 600 champagne labels. of the finished wine. Many years later, I Relais Châteaux Hôtel Restaurant L’Assiette the Champagne houses adopted the same Champenoise just outside Riems in Tinqueux approach, exploiting the rich diversity of their has three star Michelin restaurant with great terroir by blending wines from different grape food by chef Arnaud Lallement. Suites have varieties, different sites and even different recently been refurbished. vintages to create more harmonious wines. I Les Avisés situated on the hills of Avize, in the heart of the Côte des Blancs area. A magnificent on-vintage Champagne wines are neo-classical mansion, associated with wine traditionally blended from grapes production since 1820. The hotel offers ten Ngrown in different vintages, but they rooms as well as an excellent restaurant run by may also combine wines from a whole range chef Stéphane Rossillon and his wife Nathalie. of crus and varietals – it all depends on the Great wine list and excellent value lunch menu. style of the Champagne house. Non-vintage I Villa Eugène in Epernay. Magnificent 19th blends are the means to achieve a consistent Les Avisés hotel, century villa set in a park. Its 15 rooms have house style regardless of vintage variability. a handsome neo- been newly renovated. An outdoor heated classical mansion in The house style is unique to each brand the heart of the Côte swimming pool. of Champagne. Today many of the smaller des Blancs area houses are looking to vintage variability in order to make their product more true to the terroir. Vintage Champagne is blended from the wines of a single “millésime”: a single outstanding year that the individual producer chooses to declare as a vintage. All Champagne wines must spend at least 15 months ageing in the producer’s cellars. This increases to three years for Vintage Champagne and considerably longer for the Special Cuvées. Time brings out the richness and flavour of Champagne wines. Bonne Santé! O 64 Sommelier INDIA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 VISITING CHAMPAGNE I Hôtel de la Paix in Reims. Located in the INFORMATION YOU CAN USE heart of Reims, a stone’s throw from the WHEN TO GO May, June and July are the Cathedral. Spacious rooms and an outstanding best months to enjoy the beautiful green vines Champagne bar offering one of the best and sunny blue skies. Also, the harvest months selections from the region. of September and October I La Chevalée in Hautvillers (3.69 kms from HOW TO GET THERE Fly to Charles de Épernay). A small B&B in the charming village Champagne Gaulle airport and then take the RER train to of Hautvillers, overlooking the vineyards. Family Jacquesson from Jacquesson & Fils a Reims or rent a car at Paris airport on arrival atmosphere, offering two comfortable suites. family-owned winery WHERE TO STAY Relais Châteaux Hôtel RESTAURANTS Racine Just a few steps away in Dizy, Champagne Restaurant Les Cràyeres.