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Christophe Menozzi :

Une expérience qualifiée et approuvée à de nombreuses reprises depuis 1990 !

  • Elu meilleur sommelier de Suisse romande, Ruinart 1999.
  • Meilleur sommelier Jura-Franche-Comté, 2000.
  • Elu meilleur sommelier de l'année 2001, Gault Millau, Suisse.
  • Maître sommelier de France, UDSF 2001.
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Les différentes familles de Champagne

The 19/12/2011 at 08:00

Improve your knowledge of champagne to impress your friends at the end of the year

All this information was drawn from the journals that you can find on newsstands now. Displayed prices are "starting" property or your cellar.

You can count 10 families of Champagne:

Champagne blancs de blancs

The mention blanc de blancs means that champagne was made with only white grapes. Whether raw or non-vintage is not a selection criterion. The blancs de blancs in general quite difficult to get older than 5 to 8 years but there are always exceptions.

Some wine:

  • Krug clos du Mesnil (2000), 600€
  • Jacqueson Avize Champ Caïn (2002), 130€
  • Pol Roger (2000), 62€
  • R L Legras Presidence(2002), 30€
  • Pierre Moncuit (2000), 25€
  • Lancelot Pienne (2000), 16€

Champagne blancs de noirs

This means that it is a champagne made ​​only with grapes.

Some wine:

  • Jacqueson Ay Vauzelle Terme (2002), 130€
  • Mumm de Verzenay, 60€
  • Mailly Grand Cru, 34€
  • Marie-Noëlle Ledru la Goultée (2007), 24€
  • Didier Goussard Terroir Tentation, 13€

Champagne non dosé

Here we enjoy the sight of land. This means that bleeding at the time of the expulsion of dead yeast after aging bottles lying "sur lattes" and upside down "on edge", a liqueur wine and sugar is added to the bottles. This addition is legal sugar 15g of sugar per liter for crude. There are still three families in the unmeasured: Extra gross = less than 6 g per liter, the natures = less than 3 g per liter and zero without any added sugar.

Some wine:

  • Philippe Gonet extra brut blancs de blancs 3.2.1.0, 21€
  • Marie-Noëlle Ledru extra brut Grand Cru, 21€
  • Franck Pascal brut nature Sagesse, 29€
  • Benoit Lahaye brut nature Grand Cru, 24€
  • Lallier zéro dosage Grand Cru, 49€
  • Tarlant nature zéro, 22€

Champagnes vinifiés ou élevés en fûts

Before stainless steel and enameled steel, all champagnes were vinified undergrowth. Some houses come with this tradition. Wood modulates the expression of minerality and brings a fine touch of oxidation. The wood aging occurs before the secondary fermentation in barrels or casks. For this style of champagne you can enjoy at a higher temperature around 12-14 °.

Some wine:

  • Billecart-Salmon brut clos saint Hilaire (1998), 300€
  • Henri Girard fût de chêne (2000), 139€
  • Duval- Leroy brut Femme de champagne (2000), 63€
  • Egly-Ouriet extra brut V P, 40€
  • Veuve Fourny et fils extra brut R de Fourny, 29€

Champagne issu des cépages rares

Today only 7 grape varieties are allowed in three main champagne which cover 99% of the surface of the appellation, they are chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. 1% is represented by the arbanne varietals, Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau (= pinot gris). Some growers are surviving these varieties by micro-cuvée.

Some wine:

  • Ariston pére et fils Aspasie cépages d’antan, 50€
  • Duval-Leroy Authentis petit meslier (2005), 44€
  • Agrapart et fils extra brut complant (2007), 35€
  • Pierre gerbais L’originale, 24€

Champagne avec malo

This biological process is a transformation of malic acid into lactic acid in wine. This second fermentation begins after alcoholic fermentation, which causes a drop in the acidity of the wine. New flavors appear as the smell of fresh butter.

Some wine:

  • Taittinger brut grand Cru prélude, 43€
  • Veuve Clicquot brut carte jaune, 35€
  • Philipponnat brut royal réserve, 29€
  • Henriot brut souverain, 28€

Champagne sans malo

In years when warm enough acidity in the grapes are damaged, the tenants who wish to do champagnes of great care, must always preserve the acidity. Unlike the cold years, champagnes suffer from biting acidity and the malo can relax these wines incisive. A champagne made ​​malo, offer more rounded and champagnes will be warmest no malo, built for the future. They love the dishes full of energy.

Some wine:

  • Philipponnat clos des Goisses (2002), 120€
  • Ployez-Jacquemart brut Liesse D’harbonville (1998), 62€
  • Esterin, Cléo, 35€
  • Moutard pére et fils Champ Persin côte de bar, 22€

Champagne avec malo partielle

Since the temperature increase the acidity of the grapes harvested were lower. The decline of natural acidity reduces the time of the malolactic fermentation. Some houses of Champagne stop mid-term this second fermentation.

Some wine:

  • Gosset grande réserve, 39€
  • Pol Roger brut réserve, 33€
  • Mailly Grand Cru brut réserve, 29€
  • Charles Heidsieck brut réserve, 27€

Champagne rosés d’assemblages

Only champagne in France is allowed to produce rosé wine by adding red wine to white wine (before fermentation).

Some wine:

  • Ruinart Dom Ruinart rosé (1998), 135€
  • De Soussa et Fils cuvée des caudalies, 74€
  • Veuve A Devaux D, 40€
  • Alaya Majeur, 33€
  • Marie-Noëlle Ledru Grand Cru, 24€
  • Michel Loriot, 18€

Champagne rosés de saignée

The most common method is a blend of red wine and white wine. The other so-called bleeding is less common in champagne. The red grapes macerate for as long as their skin color the juice. After obtaining the desired color are separated and there bleeding all the vintage. The dresses are more sustained, more intense bubble and more intense fruit.

Some wine:

  • Nicolas feuillate Palmer D’or (2004), 140€
  • Jacquesson Dizy terre rouge, 60€
  • Larmandier-Bernier, 38€
  • André jacquart expérience, 26€
  • Barnaut Grand Cru authentique, 20€
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