Champagne
Background Information-Produces primarily sparkling wines.  Northern-most wine producing region in France.  Cold-Continental Climate makes ripening difficult due to shorter ripening periods.  Thought they might become next Burgundy so the same varietals are used.  Most wines a blend of still wines that go through secondary bottle fermentation to achieve bubbles.  Soils mostly chalk, which retains heat from sun during cooler nights. 
Varietals
Pinot Noir-planted wherever it can fully ripen, Chardonnay-planted where Pinot Noir isn’t, Pinot Meunier-planted where neither Pinot Noir & Chardonnay will ripen fully. 
Sub-Regions-Valley of the Marne River, Mountain of Reims, Cote des Blancs, Cote des Bar. 
Production called Methode Champenoise. 

• Harvest-usually late September to early October

• Pressing Grapes-Only 2 pressings allowed, Prestige cuvee’s made from first pressing only. Second Pressing (taille) goes into vintage and non/vintage blends.

• Fermentation-all Champagnes must ferment first to achieve still wine.

• Blending-most important part of the process,
• a) which wines to be blended and %’s
• b)which vineyard to blend,
• c)which vintages should be blended

• Liquer de Tirage-sugar and yeast added to blend in bottle.

• Second fermentation-this is where carbon dioxide(bubbles) are created.-how long wine sits with lees(dead yeast from second fermentation) adds complexity, at least 15 months for higher quality wines. 

• Riddling-bottles placed in A-frames, necks down and turned so that sediment eventually gathers in neck of bottle.  Eventually bottles nearly straight-upside down.

• Degorgement-neck is dipped in brine solution, freezes dead yeast and temporary cap is removed.  Dead yeast is then removed semi-frozen.

• Dosage-sugar and still wine are added to refill bottle and determine style (dry or sweet)

Driest>>>   Brut, >>>Extra Dry>>>Sec>>Demi-Sec>>>Doux <<<<Sweetest