Champagne Lexicon & Glossary
We have 225 entries in the Champagne Encyclopedia or also called glossary summarized for you. Thus, we explain and cover a comprehensive knowledge about champagne below. Learn interesting and worth knowing things about champagne, the Champagne and production, learn technical terms in our lexicon. Because every champagne is a sparkling wine, but for a long time not every sparkling wine or sparkling wine is a champagne.
Jouy-lès-Reims
Jouy-lès-Reims (PLZ 51390) ist eine kleine Gemeinde in Frankreich, in der Champagne Region Montagne de Reims, 8 km südwestlich von Reims. Der Ort Jouy-lès-Reims verfügt lediglich über 215 Einwohner (Stand 2016), aber trägt den Status der Champagne Klassifizierung als Premier Cru Ort, bewertet mit 90%. Jouy-lès-Reims hält erst seit 1985, mit der letzten Änderung der […]
Rheims
Reims is located in the French Grand Est, northwest of the Marne department and west of the Grand Est region on the axis between Paris and Germany, just south of the European megalopolis. As the crow flies, the city is 130 km from Paris, 157 km from Metz, 168 km from Lille and 282 km from Strasbourg. Regionally, Reims is [...]
Épernay
Épernay is a French commune in the Marne department in the new Grand Est region. The commune is divided into two cantons. Épernay is the capital and had 23 084 inhabitants in 2016. It is the third largest city on the Marne after Reims and Châlons-en-Champagne. It is the center of the communal community of Épernay Pays de Champagne. [...]
INAO
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine des Vins Society or body responsible for compliance and implementation of AOC regulations.
Historical grape varieties
The forgotten grape varieties of Champagne. What is not known to many in the public, in Champagne and for the production of champagne are allowed seven grape varieties. These are two black grape varieties and five white. For decades now in Champagne only almost exclusively the three grape varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and [...]
Hautvillers
Hautvillers (zip code 51160) is a small commune, of 717 inhabitants (as of 2016), in France, in the wine-growing region of Champagne Montagne de Reims. The commune is known for its Benedictine abbey of Saint Pierre d'Hautvillers. It was in this abbey that the monk Dom Pérignon (Pierre Pérignon, 1638 to †14.09.1715) worked for several decades, from 1668 until his death. Dom [...]
Shelf life & storage
Like all alcoholic beverages, champagne does not have a best-before date. Alcohol has a disinfecting effect. Therefore, a best-before date can be dispensed with. Rather, the shelf life depends on various other factors. Champagnes are very sensitive and react relatively quickly to the environment in which the bottles are stored. In order for champagne to retain its [...]
Grey's
Grauves (zip code 51190) is a small commune of 626 inhabitants (as of 2016), in France, in the Champagne region Côte des Blancs. The village is located about 8 km south of Épernay, opposite Avize, but on the southwestern slopes of the Montagne d'Avize. Grauves carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru place. The Premier Cru status [...]
Champagne glasses
The perfect enjoyment requires the right glasses. A significant part of the enjoyment of champagne is determined by the scents, the bouquet. In order for a bouquet not only to develop ideally, but also to last, champagne glasses must meet certain criteria. A sensible champagne glass is colorless, clear, thin-walled, slightly bulbous and tapering toward the top, [...]
Fermentation in the bottle
Production method of some types of sparkling wine, is often equated by sparkling wine producers with the production method of champagne (Méthode Champenoise) and thus confused, e.g. transvasation method.
Cylinder pressure
The carbonic acid dissolved in the bottle leads to high bottle pressure in sparkling wines. The pressure is regulated by law. Sparkling wines are under a minimum pressure of 3 bar. Sparkling wines include all sparkling wines, but also Spanish Cava and few Italian Prosecco. Champagne is also a sparkling wine. However, the 2nd fermentation process, which in the case of champagne leads exclusively [...]
Fermentation
Fermentation is an old-fashioned term for the fermentation process. It is a biochemical reaction in the production of wine. In the process, sugar is transformed into alcohol. In the production of champagne, a second fermentation process is started, which is already completed in the bottle. This is when the carbonic acid is formed.
Extra Brut
Champagne flavor, with a dosage, or residual sugar content of 0-6 gr/L.. Extra Brut is a very dry, or tart flavor. The taste is not astringent in any way. It is not the residual sugar content that is primarily responsible for the taste sensation, but the amount of acidity present, in harmony with the sugar and fruit. Furthermore, it depends on [...]
Étréchy
Étréchy (zip code 51130) is a small commune with 107 inhabitants (as of 2016), in France, in the Champagne region Côte des Blancs. The village is located about 30 km south of Épernay, 5 km west of Bergères-lès-Vertus, at the southern end of the Côte des Blancs. Étréchy carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru place. The Premier [...]
Écueil
Écueil (zip code 51500) is a small commune with 303 inhabitants (as of 2016), in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. The village is located about 7 km southwest of Reims, on the northern slopes of the Montagne de Reims. Écueil carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru locality. The grapes of the commune are produced with [...]
Doux
Taste of champagne. A Doux Champagne is a sweet Champagne, with a dosage, or residual sugar content above 50 g/l. Champagnes with the Doux flavor are very rare. Currently, only two Doux champagnes are known, the Cuvée Francois I. Grand Millésime 2009 BdB Doux Premier Cru, from Francois Vallois, a vintage champagne, aged 11 years, varietal from [...]
Dizy
Dizy (zip code 51530) is a commune, with 1,540 inhabitants (as of 2016), in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. The commune is located about 2 km north of Épernay, along the Marne River, on the south to southwest slopes of the Montagne de Reims. Dizy carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru place. The grapes of the [...]
Cumières
Cumières (zip code 51480), is a commune, located in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. The commune is located about 3 km northwest of Épernay. Cumières is located directly on the north bank of the Marne River. The vineyards are located immediately north of the commune, on the southern slopes of the Bois de Saint-Marc. They range in altitude from 100 to 200 meters. The [...]
Cuis
Cuis (zip code 51530), with its 395 inhabitants (as of 2016) is the northernmost commune, in the Champagne region Côte des Blancs. The population has remained almost constant for more than 200 years. Since 1793, every five years, censuses determine the population. The commune is located about 4 km southeast of Épernay. The vast majority of [...]
Côte des Blancs
Region and production area of Champagne. The Côte des Blancs extends in a north/south orientation, starting south of Épernay. Approximately 3,100 hectares of vineyards are planted. The vineyards are almost exclusively planted with Chardonnay. The high concentration of limestone gave the region its name and, together with the microclimate, forms the outstanding basis for the preferred cultivation [...]
Côte des Bar
Region and production area of Champagne. The Côte des Bar extends in the southeastern part of Champagne, in the department of Aube. The region is crossed by various rivers. As a result, many valleys have formed. Here you can find a very varied hilly landscape. Geologically, the Côte des Bar is distinguished by its varied layers of limestone and clay. The Côte des [...]
Coligny
Coligny (zip code 51130), with its 566 inhabitants (as of 2016) is the southernmost commune, in the Champagne region Côte des Blancs, in France. Coligny was incorporated into the village of Val-des-Marais. The small village is located about 22 km south of Épernay, in the southwestern neighborhood of Bergères-les-Vertus.In 1985, with the reclassification, in Champagne, Coligny was upgraded and [...]
CIVC
Comité Interprofessionnell du Vin de Champagne The CIVC is a French semi-governmental body with the task of supervising the entire Champagne trade.
Chouilly
Chouilly (zip code 51530) is a small commune in France, in the Champagne region Côte des Blancs. The commune has 1,013 inhabitants (as of 2016). Chouilly is located about 4 km east of Épernay. In 1985, with the reclassification, in Champagne, Chouilly was upgraded and since then carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Grand Cru place. The [...]
Chlorosis
Symptom of disease in grapevines. Can be attributed to an imbalance in mineral content, including iron and magnesium deficiency. A characteristic appearance is the yellowing of the leaves.
Chigny-les-Roses
Chigny-les-Roses (ZIP code 51500) is a small commune, with 560 inhabitants (as of 2016), in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. The population has remained relatively constant since the end of the 18th century. The commune was originally called Chigny. At the request of Madame Pommery (Jeanne Alexandrine Louise Pommery, *1819-1890†), it was renamed after her death, in 1902, [...]
Chaufferettes
Small oil stoves used in the vineyards. They are designed to protect the vineyards from excessive frost damage.
Champillon
Champillon (zip code 51160) is a small commune, with 502 inhabitants (as of 2016), in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. The commune is located about 5 km north of Épernay, southwest of the Montagne de Reims, completely embedded in the hills in a U-shape. Champillon carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru place. The grapes of the [...]
Champagne House
A champagne house produces champagne under its own label. The correct French name for Champagne House is (NM) Négociant Manipulant. Champagne houses are legally allowed to buy in grapes for their production. This is done on a significant scale. While about 2/3 of the total sales of Champagne, comes from the Champagne Houses, they own only about 10% of the vineyards. Champagne houses must accordingly each [...]
Chamery
Chamery (zip code 51500) is a small commune, with 411 inhabitants (as of 2016), in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. The commune is located about 12 km southwest of Reims, on the northwest foothills of the Montagne de Reims. The history of Chamery dates back to the 11th century, to 1067. From 1419 to 1788, Chamery was [...]
Butte de Saran
The Butte de Saran is an elevation in France, in the Champagne region Côte des Blancs, located between the communes of Chouilly and Oiry, to the north, Cuis to the west and Cramant to the south. Perched on the hill of the Butte de Saran is the Château de Saran. The lands around the Château were acquired in 1801 by Jean-Remy Moët [...]
Brood Zero
Taste of champagne. A Brut Zero champagne is a very dry champagne. A Brut Zero Champagne, like the Brut Non Dosage Champagne, was made without dosage, residual sugar content 0gr/L..
Brut Non Dosage
Taste of champagne. A Brut Non Dosage Champagne is a very dry champagne. A Brut Non Dosage Champagne was made without dosage, residual sugar content 0gr/L..
Brut Nature
Taste of champagne. A Brut Nature Champagne is a very dry Champagne. A Brut Nature Champagne varies between a residual sugar content of 0 to 3 g/L. A champagne called Brut Nature can therefore also have been produced without dosage, with a residual sugar content of 0gr/L. The Brut Nature flavor, as well as Extra Brut, Brut Zero or [...]
Bouzy
Bouzy (zip code 51150) is a small commune in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims, with 948 inhabitants (as of 2016). Bouzy is located about 14 km northeast of Épernay, on the southern slopes of the Reims Hills. The commune carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Grand Cru place. The vineyards of Bouzy amount to 375 [...]
Bisseuil
Bisseuil (zip code 51150), is a small commune with 637 inhabitants (as of 2016). The village is located in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims, about 10 km east of Épernay, between the communes of Mareuil-sur-Ay to the west and Tours-sur-Marne to the east. Bisseuil carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru place. The grapes of Bisseuil [...]
Billy-le-Grand
Billy-le-Grand (zip code 51400), is a small commune with 123 inhabitants (as of 2016). The village is located in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims, about 27 km northeast of Épernay. Billy-le-Grand holds the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru locality. The grapes have a reliably high quality. The commune is rated 95%. [...]
Bezannes
Bezannes (zip code 51430), is a commune with 1,692 inhabitants (as of 2016). The village is located in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. Bezannes directly adjoins Reims to the southwest. Since 1985, the commune has carried the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru place. The grapes are rated 90%. The vineyards are limited [...]
Bergères-lès-Vertus
Bergères-lès-Vertus (zip code 51130), a village of 637 inhabitants (as of 2016), is a small commune in France, in the Champagne region Côte des Blancs. The commune is located on the southern edge of the Côte des Blancs, next to Vertus, about 21 km south of Épernay. Bergères-lès-Vertus carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Premier Cru place. The white [...]
Beaumont-sur-Vesle
Beaumont-sur-Vesle (zip code 51360) is a small commune in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. The commune consists of 800 inhabitants (as of 2016). It is located about 13 km southeast of Reims. The commune carries the status of Champagne classification, as a Grand Cru place. The vineyards of Beaumont-sur-Vesle are primarily limited to [...]
BdN
Abbreviation for Blanc de Noirs (Blanc de Noirs Champagne)
BdB
Abbreviation for Blanc de Blancs (Blanc de Blancs Champagne)
Ay
Ay (zip code 51160) is a small commune in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims. Ay was merged in 2016 with Bisseuil and Mareuil-sur-Ay, to form a new commune called Ay-Champagne. The village of Ay consists of 3923 inhabitants (as of 2016). The new commune of Ay-Champagne consists of 5741 inhabitants (as of 2016). Ay is located [...]
Avize
Avize (zip code 51190) is a small commune in France, in the Champagne region Côte des Blancs. The commune consists of 1,763 inhabitants (as of 2016). Geographically, Avize is placed about 10 km southeast of Épernay. While the origins of Avize lie in early times, so the economic boom and later prosperity, came with the development [...]
Avenay
The small French commune of Avenay (zip code 51160) is located in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims and has 1,019 inhabitants (as of 2016). Avenay is located about 8 km northeast of Épernay. The commune holds the status of Champagne classification, as Premier Cru place, with 93%. The vineyards are distributed very differently. The best sites are the [...]
Autochthonous
Autochthonous refers to plant and animal species that originated and developed in a particular region. The grape variety Arbane, almost only historical in Champagne, is an autochthonous grape variety. The grape variety originated in southern Champagne, in the Côte des Bar, and is cultivated only in this region. Unfortunately, [...]
Arbane
Arbane (Arbane B) is a white wine grape variety. For a long time, this exceptional vine has played almost only a historical role. Only a few hectares of vineyards cultivated with Arbane remain. This noble vine has its origins in the southern Champagne region and is cultivated only here. It is very demanding. Even if the importance in the [...]
Ambonnay
Ambonnay (zip code 51150) is a small commune in France, in the Champagne region Montagne de Reims, with 976 inhabitants (as of 2016). Ambonnay is located about 15 km east of Épernay. According to the traditions, the name of the commune is said to go back to a Roman officer Amboniacus, at the times when Emperor Probus (Marcus Aurelius Probus) ordered [...]
Astringency
Astringency (astringent) is understood as the contraction of the corners of the mouth. This phenomenon occurs when drinking unbalanced, acidic wines and champagnes. It does not allow any conclusion to be drawn about the residual sugar content. Well-prepared champagnes, as well as wines tasting Extra Brut, Brut (tart) or Sec (dry) should never be astringent. Responsible for astringency is [...]
A la volée
A la volée is a method of disgorging. This method is hardly used anymore. Currently, the A la glace method is used almost exclusively.
Dégorgement à la Glace
Method of disgorging. The necks of the champagne bottles are immersed in a freezing solution. This makes it almost safe to open the bottles of champagne. The reason, the yeast sediments that have settled at the bottom during shaking must be removed. It is currently the most common method.
Bottles
Bottle shapes In the champagne bottles there are different shapes and colors, the following classification, in three categories is an attempt to create some clarity about this great variety. 1 ) Normal champagne bottle shape It is the most widely used shape of champagne bottles today. It replaced the classic champagne bottle shape (please see paragraph 2). Available [...]
Cork
Champagne is basically equipped only with the best natural cork. The cork comes in principle from Spain, Portugal and the western Mediterranean. From the point of view of botanists, cork represents the bark of the cork oak (Quercus suber), which can be up to 350 years old. The oaks are first peeled after about 25 years. However, this cork is not suitable for the production [...]
Viticulture
The science of cultivating vines, associated, among other things, with viticulture and grape growing.
Viniculture
Designation of proper processing and care of wine in its production.
Vin Gris
Designation for excellent, 'almost white' wines from Champagne and some other areas in Alsace around 1600. At that time, these were often young white wines (with a delicate hint of the color pink or rosé), which were shipped to England in barrels (see also Saint Evremond). The warm spring weather sometimes required a second fermentation on the way [...]
Vignoble
Vineyard, wine-growing area.
Vigne
The Vine.
vieilles vignes
Old vines, therefore particularly good, but no longer so productive. Also the name for the (rare) stocks of original vines that survived the devastating phylloxera (phylloxera) plague around 1890. Bollinger maintains, for example, the so-called Vieilles Vignes Françaises.
Veuve Clicquot
Madame Veuve Clicquot (1777-1866) was an extremely enterprising lady at a time that is historically considered one of the most dangerous and uncertain eras in France. Moreover, there were hardly any women in business at that time. In 1772 Philippe Clicquot-Muiron founded his company Clicquot, which (in addition to banking and textiles) was engaged in the trade of champagne. His son François employed [...]
Grape varieties
Only the two red varieties Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir) and Pinot Meunier (Müller grape) and the white Chardonnay grape may be used for the production of Champagne. Important: The majority of known champagnes are produced from red grapes.
Terroir
Terroir represents a well-known term from the wine speech. In German-speaking countries, Bodengeschmack or Bodenton is an approximate translation. The French speak of goût de terroir in their wine terminology. Soil taste, however, may be a bit too short in the sense of terroir. Terroir is like a fingerprint or a signature, which not only gives taste clues [...]
Tannin
Tannin/tannic acid: A substance found in the skins, stems and seeds; but also enters the wine from (especially new) oak barrels (barriques). Especially vines that have not been de-stemmed (égrappé) or not completely de-stemmed during pressing bring abundant tannin into play. Tannin has a preservative effect and is therefore an important [...] in wines intended for prolonged storage.
Waist
The must obtained in the first pressing is called cuvée. The must extracted from the grapes after the first pressing is called Taille. 4,000 kg of grapes (one Marc) fill a traditional press in Champagne. 2,550 liters of the grape juice of this quantity is used to create Champagne. About 100 liters of juice are produced [...]
Tâché
Description of a champagne that from the color very slightly suggests pink.
Champagne
Among other things, sparkling wine produced in Germany, which is produced by fermentation in the bottle or tank.
Sec
Dry, usually called Brut in the case of Champagne.
Ship launching
In the face of vast, almost unfathomable seas, even the mightiest battleship seems small! Not without reason the writer Joseph Conrad called ships 'living creatures', since a ship on the high seas, be it by creaking frames, groaning steel or creaking wood, fluttering sails and many other familiar sounds in a certain way with the sailors [...].
Prosecco
The name Prosecco for certain sparkling wines comes from the (white) grape variety of the same name. Historically, this grape variety is attributed to the highlands around Treviso in the wine-growing region of Veneto (Italy). The small area, located about 50km north of Venice between Conegliano, Follina and Valdobbiadene, has gained a good reputation among many sparkling wine lovers especially in the last century with high quality Prosecci [...]
Asti Spumante
From Italy comes a sweet sparkling wine called Asti Spumante. It is named after the city of Asti in the wine-growing region of Piedmont, 'spumante' means 'foaming'. It is a simple sparkling wine, which undergoes only a single fermentation in the tank. The ripened grapes are pressed, the must is then filtered and then stored in large refrigerated tanks [...]
Sparkling wine
In simplified terms, the generic term sparkling wine refers to those wines that have been enriched or supersaturated with carbonic acid (or carbon dioxide; CO2) and therefore have an overpressure of at least 3 bar at 20 °C . Sparkling wine can be produced by the carbonic acid from its natural fermentation or by pumped-in (foreign) carbonic acid. If the carbonic acid overpressure in the bottle is only very low due to production [...]
Acid
Important component of wine, preserves and gives expression and character to a wine (sometimes called backbone). Too little acid causes a boring wine, too much acid makes the wine undrinkable. Acidity in wine also accentuates color. So if a wine seems 'sparkling' or 'brilliant', this is not necessarily only due to the visual [...]
Sans-année
Without vintage.
Saint-Evremond
Charles Marguetel de Saint Denis, Seigneur de Saint-Evremond (1610 - 1703). Although rarely mentioned today, he is considered by some winemakers in Champagne and also by some connoisseurs worldwide to be one of the most historically important people in terms of the success of champagne in general. Saint-Evremond was a well-known author, philosopher and satirist (among others, he [...]
Vibrating desk
The legendary riddling desk is a rack from Champagne, which is primarily used for de-stemming after the second fermentation. Before the end of the aging period, the bottles are transferred to these riddling desks. In the process, they are placed head first in an inclined position in the openings of large perforated boards and slightly rotated and tilted every day to end up [...]
Jog
Before the end of the ripening period, the bottles are transferred to a so-called riddling desk. In this process, they are placed upside down in an inclined position in the opening of large perforated boards. The bottles are slightly rotated and tilted every day so that at the end of this riddling period they are almost vertically upside down, so that all residues are directly [...]
Ruinart
The house Ruinart was founded on September 1, 1729. A cloth merchant named Nicolas Ruinart (1697-1769) used to offer his customers not only cloth but also wine from his vineyard. His uncle was Dom Thierry Ruinart (1657-1709), a monk who originally belonged to the Benedictine order Congrégation de S.Maur. In 1682, Dom Ruinart was appointed by Dom Jean Mabillon as assistant to [...]
Riceys Rosé
Rosé des Riceys is a still rosé wine which comes from the commune of Les Riceys in the Aube region. It is made exclusively with Pinot Noir vines. However, this rosé is not a Coteaux Champenois, but is honored according to its name as an appellation in its own right. It is considered an excellent wine, which is produced in relatively small quantities and only [...]
Rosé
Rosé champagnes have a long and eventful past. Rosé wines have been known for many centuries. Wines from Champagne, known and revered in the 16th century as Vin Gris, were also rosé drinks. Monks like Perignon and Oudart invested all their talent to ultimately successfully press white wines from blue grapes. Certainly, these monks would have been [...]
Roederer
Das Haus Louis Roederer genießt seit jeher den Ruf gleich bleibend hoher Qualität. Es gilt zudem als eines der größten und finanziell stärksten Champagner-Häuser. Louis Roederer befindet sich im Privatbesitz und verfügt über ca. 180 ha Weinberge in strategisch besten Lagen mit einer durchschnittlichen Qualitätsbewertung von 98% (wovon ca. 130 ha als 100% gelten). Mit […]
Residual sugar
The sugar that remains unfermented in the wine.
Remueur
A professional who shakes the bottles (shaker).
Réduction François
In 1836, Jean-Baptiste François (1792-1838), a pharmacist from Châlons-sur-Marne, published a manuscript describing a method of controlling the sugar content before the second fermentation in Champagne. This method became known at the time as the Réduction François. By this time, at least 10% (sometimes as much as 80%) of the fillings fell victim to overpressure in the bottles. [...]
Récolte
Harvest, denotes the vintage on wine labels.
Phylloxera
The grapevine phylloxera vastatrix (also known as Phylloxera vitifolii, Viteus vitifolii, Dactylosphaera vitifolii, Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) was introduced by experimental vines from the east coast of the USA via London to the south of France in the 1960s. By 1900, the majority of European grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) were either infested or already destroyed. These [...]
Rebêche
The last remnant of the juice pressed from the vines. This juice is not allowed in champagne.
Ratafia de Champagne
The Ratafia de Champagne is a more or less sweet, alcoholic liqueur wine, which is enjoyed among the locals of Champagne (usually slightly chilled) as an aperitif or in connection with a dessert. Allegedly, the liqueur is also beneficial for digestion. There are red, white and pink Ratafia. In the preparation is [...]
Rappen
Grape stems (combs). Removal of the stems is called destemming, destemming, reeling.
Pressoir
Press. There are vertical and horizontal presses.
Pommery
Just mentioning the name Pommery evokes a sparkle in the eyes of countless champagne lovers worldwide. The reason is simple: it is about an excellent champagne! The house Pommery & Greno remains true to the original credo of Madame Louise Pommery "La qualité d'abord! (The quality above all!)" to this day - and that, although in the meantime [...]
Placomusophilia
The study and the collection of the capsules of champagne.
Plaque
Plaque - The small 'metal capsule' also champagne lids, capsules, muselets on the cork, which protects the cork from cutting the wire. A popular collector's item!
Pinot Noir
Among the Pinot grape varieties, Pinot Noir is considered the undisputed most sublime vine. Many fantastic champagnes as well as the famous Burgundies are closely associated with this grape variety, then as now. The home of this grape variety may originally be Burgundy. In German-speaking countries, this grape variety is known as Spätburgunder, blauer Burgunder, Morillon Noir and Blauburgunder. ImageThe Pinot Noir makes [...]
Pinot Meunier
The Pinot Meunier grape variety is known in German-speaking countries as Müller-Rebe and Schwarzriesling. Originally, Pinot Meunier comes from Burgundy, where this variety was documented 400 years ago. The undersides of the leaves of this grape variety are densely covered with small, powdery-looking white hairs, reminiscent of flour dust, giving it the name 'Müller-Rebe' or 'Pinot [...]
Pinot gris
The white grape variety Pinot Gris has only historical significance for Champagne today. Champagnes are now only made from the Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grape varieties. However, since this vine has historically played a significant role in the development of Vin Gris and early Champagnes, a brief discussion of this equally excellent grape variety is in order. [...]
Pétillant
French term for a slightly foaming wine around 2 bar pressure, such as an Italian Prosecco frizzante wine. The increase of pétillant is crémant. In terms of pressure, a crémant is below the usual pressure of champagnes or sparkling wines, which have about 5-6 bar pressure.
Perlant
French term for wines that sparkle easily.
Oxidized
Stale, flat taste as a result of excessive contact with air.
Oxhoft
Ancient liquid measure (about 200 to 240 liters). Sometimes called hogshead (about 238 liters).
opening of sales
The association C.I.V.C. announces the date of vintages. No harvest may take place before this date. Basically, the aim is to find the optimal balance considering, among other things, the annual climatic factors, the behavior of the vines and the yield, in order to ultimately ensure optimal quality. This timing consequently varies from year to year. In general, the [...]