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Dom Perignon’s discovery :Known as for back as Roman Era, Champagne was up to the 17 th century a still wine,
white, grey or red. Wines from Ay were renowned from the Renaissance.Untill the 17 th century, Champagne was delivered in barrels and people noticed that
for spring following the wine harvest, wine often badly bubbled. A risk for preserving
and transport. The invention of the thick bottle of which English people are said to be
the inventors, allowed to sell wine in bottles instead barrels. Yet, because the bad quality
of corks and irregular fermentation a lot of these bottles splintered.Dom Perignon (1643-1715), a benedictine monk, prosecutor in Hautvillers abbey near
Epernay was worthy of understanding the process of fermentation.
He overcame it by a previous gathering of grapes and added some sugar for a good regulation. He improved the corking of bottles so that carbon dioxyde could melt in wine instead foaming.
About Champagne AOC: (Label garanteeing the quality of wine) :
- 30 000 ha, only 28 000 ha worked
- 21 000 ha in Aube
- 5 000 ha in Aube
- 2 000 ha in Seine et Marne and AisneAbout 6 000 different types of wines would stem from the basic species “VITIS VINIFERA” itself stemming from the ordinary germ “VITIS”.
Vines :
Three vines are authorised in Champagne:A white one: Le Chardonnay
Two red ones: Le Pinot Noir / Le Pinot MeunierLe Chardonnay :
This vine, representing the quarter of the vineyard, has been cultivated on the slope of white ones. Chardonnay converted alone in wine turns out Blanc de Blanc.Le Pinot Noir :
About 30 % of the vineyard. This blue black grape with white juice, quickly squeezed, is prone not to macerate and does not color wine. It is cultivated in “la montagne de Reims” around Bouzy. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier are often gathered together.
Le Pinot Meunier :
About 45 % of the vineyard: it’s a quite hardy, less delicate grape than the two others but cultivated for its resistance and adaptability to the climate.
They are the most famous wines in the world, synonymous of celebration
and joy, they are apart and always present to celebrate great
and small pleasures of life.
Who can’t quiver watching a jumping cork or a misty curl lightly slipping
out the neck of the bottle before the bubbles get free ?
