Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from 2018

CHAMPAGNE

CHAMPAGNE DEFINITION Champagne is a sparkling white wine made in the delimited region of Champagne in France by following the méthode champenoise. The name comes from area + process . ·          Some countries use the name by following the process only. · , Unlike the other areas, in Champagne, the village names are not important as all champagnes are blended. ·          Champagnes are branded by the shipper’s name. Most northerly wine-region of France. The principal towns are Bouzy, Reims, and Epernay. Champagne, the celebration wine , is the only French appellation wine without AOC printed on the label. Shippers own very small proportions of the vineyards – rest they buy from small growers. The three grapes used in the manufacturing process of Champagne include : Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier Total area: 27,000 acres. 2,000 ft above the sea-level which was once the seabed. Fossilised animals render the soil chalky. Catches

THE WINES OF FRANCE

THE WINES OF FRANCE THE WINE LAWS OF FRANCE First established in the early 1900s – modified a number of times. Appellation Controllé (controlled naming) laws – the name of a wine reveals quality – helps prevent fraud & gives authenticity. In 1935 INAO was established. INAO – Institut Nationale des Appellation d’Origine des vins et Eau-de-vis INAO created order out of confusion. The ground rule for naming a wine is basically geographical   - area, grape-variety, yield, viticulture, vinification, aging, alcohol-content and a taste-test . GRADATION OF FRENCH WINES AOC – Appellation d’Origine Controllée Highest quality and most prestigious grading for French Wines but produces only 25% of all wines. VDQS – Vins Délimités de Qualité Supérieure Created in 1949 – one notch down from AOC. More scopes in choice – grape, yield, etc. Taste-test is a must. 5% of all wines. Vin de Pay Literally means ‘Country Wines’. Even wider scopes bu