Champagne

Champagne is a historic province in northeastern France. It is located about 100 miles east of Paris. It was incorporated into France in 1314. The region's has been known for its wine production dating back to the Middle Ages. There are four departments in the Champagne region: Ardennes, Marne, Haute-Marne, and Aube. Champagne is divided into five wine producing districts; Aube, CÐ"Ò'te des Blancs, CÐ"Ò'te de SÐ"©zanne Montagne de Reims, and VallÐ"©e de la Marne. Each district produces grapes that have their own unique characteristics that add distinctness to each wine. The towns of Reims and Ð"‰pernay are the commercial centers of the area. Champagne is a unique region with its northern location, rugged climate, soil type and hillside vineyards.

Champagne is the most northerly wine-growing region in France. The winters are cool and the summers and falls are rich in sunshine. This weather beneficial for Champagne’s infamous sparkling wine because cool temperatures cause more acidy in grapes which is an important factor in the production of this type of wine. The growing season is longer than in other areas and also makes it beneficial to the wine making process.

The soil is made up of chalk covered by a thin layer of a rich topsoil. The differences in topsoil vary upon vineyards causing grapes to differ slightly. The chalk can hold up to 40 percent of its volume in water. It provides good humidity, storing the heat of the sun and reflecting warmth to vine roots. It also assures excellent drainage.

There are three different varieties of grapes used in the production of Champagne. The first, Pinot Noir, is one of the oldest grape varieties to be grown for the purpose of making wine. It is often called the black grape because of its blue skin and red inside. However, its juice is white. It is full-bodied and rich but not heavy giving the Champagne structure. Pinot Noir pairs well with a wide variety of foods. The best matches to show off the delicacy and texture of Pinot Noir are: grilled salmon, plain roast beef, or any dish that uses mushrooms as the main flavor element.

The second grape variety is Pinot Meunier. Pinot Meunier is a mutation of Pinot Noir and has a slightly higher natural acidity than it. It buds later and ripens earlier than Pinot Noir. Pinot Meunier gives some brightness and fruitiness to Champagne blends. Wines that use Meunier in their blend are not as long-lived as Pinot Noir.

The final grape used in Champagne production is Chardonnay. Chardonnay berries are , thin-skinned, fragile, and oxidize easily. Chardonnay adds to Champagne’s freshness and elegance. This makes chardonnay more sensitive to winemaking techniques and more difficult to handle from harvest to bottling than most other grape types. Its aroma is distinct, with a delightful scent. It is difficult to characterize, but easier to recognize. It often smells like apples, lemons, peaches or tropical fruits. Its delicacy is so great that even a small percentage of another varietal blended into a Chardonnay will often completely take away from its aroma and flavor. Oak commonly takes over Chardonnay if the wine is fermented or aged in new barrels or for too long in seasoned.

The first wine was produced in Champagne about 2,000 years ago. But it was not the same Champagne that we drink today. The first Champagne was made in the 17th century. A monk called Dom Perignon was the first to understand the process of Champagne fermentation and to explain the process, although it was accidental. He was actually trying to find a way to get rid of bubbles in the wine. Rather, he caused more carbonic gas to build up. He managed to mix red and white grapes from different villages and therefore perfected the way winemakers at that time used to produce sparkling wine. The monks developed a method of making Champagne wine by using a second fermentation process that took place in the bottle during the following spring. The second fermentation creates the carbon dioxide bubbles that are the sparkling part of Champagne.

The type of sparkling wine that can be truly called Champagne is made only from grapes of the Champagne region of France. Not only that, but French law requires that all sparkling wines made in that area must be made by a special process