How Reserve Wines Contribute To The Art Of Champagne Making

Reserve wines stored in barrels at Louis Roederer in Reims, France.

The true art of champagne making lies in its blending; largely because of the difficulty associated with producing a good and balanced wine from a single location and grape variety. Climate irregularities (producing poor vintages), house style and volume needed to meet sales demand requires wine to be blended from different locations, grape varieties and vintages.

Reserve wines are a necessary and integral part of blending non-vintage champagne every year. They are produced by becoming base wines – undergoing the first fermentation – and then stored (in a tank, bottle or barrel) and used to blend the champagne at a later stage. The act of blending reduces vintage variations (ensuring consistency) and adds complexity in the production of non-vintage champagne. 

Importantly, this ensures that champagne producers are able to achieve their house style year after year as well as making young champagne drinkable; imparting depth, roundness, toastiness, oak characters (if stored in barrels) and complexity as well as restraining the very high levels of acidity naturally present in the wine.

Having a large collection of reserve wines is imperative for the Chef de Cave (chief winemaker) to successfully blend a wine to overcome vintage variations and achieve house style. Therefore, wine must be developed from many different locations right across the Champagne region. Champagne Houses use their large buying capacity and network of growers to gain the very best access to grapes in order to produce a large library of wines that can be stored as reserve wines. By way of example, Bollinger’s Special Cuvee uses 120 different parcels of land across 30 crus from the Vallee de la Marne; around 80 per cent of which are of Grand Cru and Premier Cru quality. It is generally considered that the more wine that is blended together from different and geographically diverse parcels of land, the more complex and better quality the resulting champagne will be.

The amount of reserve wine used in each blend is at the discretion of the Chef de Cave and varies (typically between 10 and 50 per cent) according to vintage conditions and the requirements of house style. Some Champagne Houses, like Louis Roederer for example, are known for using generous amounts of reserve wines (up to 12 per cent) to create their signature toasty, rich and complex non-vintage champagne. At their premises in Reims, they have 150 oak barrels used exclusively for reserve wines. Kept in their year of vintage, there is enough wine for 1.3 million bottles – the largest collection of reserve wine in Champagne. Of course, this large collection of reserve wine could not be possible without excellent access to the precious grapes that afford such a bountiful supply. Louis Roederer is the largest owner of vineyards in Champagne; guaranteeing them 75 per cent of their required production levels each year. Having access to the best grapes in significant quantities year after year has enabled Roederer to develop excellent reserve wines that have consistently produced very high quality non-vintage champagne year after year (irrespective of vintage conditions), and a strong and identifiable character. The greater the percentage of reserve wine added to the final blend of champagne, the better quality and complex it will be.

Lastly, the more the reserve wines used in a blend, the less dosage is required to smooth out vintage variations. By way of example, the very hot 2003 vintage produced many inconsistencies in grape quality across Champagne. Champagne Houses that used a high proportion of reserve wines were able to successfully smooth out these inconsistencies and produce drinkable, quality champagne that is quite dry on the palate.

So it would seem that using increasingly higher amounts of reserve wine not only improves the overall quality of champagne, it is also a key point of difference that separates champagne from other sparkling wines around the world.

Journey to Champagne 2012 - Part 1

Champagne is unlike any other wine region in the world. It's how I imagine it would be to travel to the land of OZ. Minus Dorothy's red shoes and a few funny looking friends, it's like another world; one that people aspire to and is filled with all that represents living a beautiful life - regional gastronomy, provincial living, and - of course - champagne.

To this end, the region of Champagne should be another tourist mecca like Burgundy or Bordeaux - but it's not. Thank goodness for that. The yellow brick road that leads to the Champagne hubs of Reims or Epernay from Paris is less than an hour north-east by train. Whether you head there for a few hours or a few days, it's a wonderful respite from the calamity of Paris during high season.

Our entire four week European sojourn had been mapped around visiting Champagne in early October, taking care to observe likely harvesting times, which historically occur in September. In light of some pretty horrific downpours, devastating hail storms, and cooler weather, I kept a vigilant eye on any emerging news from Champagne that may have provided a hiccup in our schedule.

Not dissimilar to the difficulty Dorothy had getting in to see the Wizard of OZ, securing a tour or tasting at a champagne house or grower can be just as tricky - even in the best of times. So obtaining access during harvest is almost impossible as the houses and growers go into lock down. That is, if you're a relative nobody like me. Needless to say, as each day passed with no news from the CIVC (Comité Interprofessional du Vin de Champagne) on harvesting times, our itinerary was beginning to look a little bleak.

But then, true to Champagne style, the bad weather went away just as it was thought all hope had been lost. The clouds parted, the sun came out, and the ripening began. Harvest commenced on 10 September in the Marne and Aube regions and concluded almost two weeks later. With every appointment confirmed (apart from one), we were set.

The Effects Of Regionality On House Style - Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé Brut Non-Vintage

Regionality is something that is rarely defined on the labels of champagne bottles or indeed on the websites of champagne producers. Yet we cannot begin to fully appreciate  how terroir (the soil, climate, weather and topography) is manifested in the champagne that we drink without first understanding Champagne's regions and the villages that comprise them.

Each village is unique, feeding the grapes it produces with properties that can only come from its defined location. When the Grandes Marques bring these grapes together in cross-regional blending, each village becomes a critical ingredient in a complex recipe. Whilst grower-producers will often showcase the terroir of a village - or indeed specific vineyards - using more defined parcels of land. 

Getting into the 'nitty gritty' of grape manifestations according to their village is a daunting and complex task - it also can be quite alienating. Start talking to people about the oyster shell or chalky minerality of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and watch as people's eyes start to glaze over!

Champagne, Sparkling Wine And Cheese Appreciation Course - The Smelly Cheese Shop

Learning to appreciate champagne - or any wine for that matter - goes beyond what is in the glass. My enjoyment is increased exponentially when I know where it comes from, its history, its production processes and any interesting or quirky stories that go with it.

 
But this is just the beginning of the appreciation journey. When it comes to champagne, our love and appreciation of it can be taken to a whole other level when paired with complementing or contrasting food.

Champagne and wine with cheese are perhaps two of the best bedfellows you can find because they often share the same terrior - the climate, soil and typography of a given geographical space.
 
Last night I went along to a champagne, sparkling wine and cheese appreciation course by The Smelly Cheese Shop from Adelaide's Central Markets. The Smelly Cheese Shop is Adelaide's best known and highly regarded suppliers and connoisseurs of cheese from the international market. Fresh cheeses are air-freighted direct from the producers in France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom weekly, arriving in Adelaide after only a few short days of transport. And it shows. I find their cheeses to be the absolute freshest in town.

One Of My Top Three Non-Vintage Champagnes - Bollinger Special Cuvée Non-Vintage

Generally when I ask people in Australia if they like Bollinger, they either erupt into displays of overwhelming joy or look at me like they've been sucking on a lemon.

Bollinger is perhaps the most polarising champagne I have come across.

To be honest, I used to be one of those people that screwed up their face when presented with the same question - or even the thought - of drinking a glass of Bolly. That is, of course, until recently.

In February I blogged my tasting notes on Bollinger Special Cuvée Non-Vintage. I used words like 'pow' and 'it feels like a meal in itself' and 'heavy'. I can still recall the flavours in my mouth; overly yeasty, caramel, subdued acidity, and overly-ripe fruit.

In the end, I concluded that 'I wasn't a Bollinger kind of gal'. What I didn't realise then was how stale the bottle was. I naturally thought this was the champagne's style - and of course it wasn't.

Learning To Appreciate Pinot Meunier - Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Non-Vintage

Pinot meunier is one of three key grape varieties commonly used in champagne making but is unfortunately considered the poorer cousin.

Whilst the minerality, creaminess and finesse of chardonnay is spruiked and celebrated and the backbone, weight and fleshiness of pinot noir is praised by the more serious, pinot meunier often gets no mention at all in tasting notes, or worse - picked on for various failings.

Which brings me to my latest champagne tasting of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Non-Vintage - an interesting foray into the world of pinot meunier as it applies to champagne. The blend's starring act is pinot meunier comprising 40 percent of the grape as well as 40 percent pinot noir and 20 percent chardonnay.

Perrier-Jouët has a long history with pinot meunier, having purchased 65 hectares of land around Epernay shortly after the house was founded in 1811. Epernay is situated in the Vallée de la Marne where most Pinot Meunier is grown in the Champagne region.

The Symbol Of A Family's Passion And Legacy - Taittinger Brut Réserve Non-Vintage

I really love reading about the history of champagne houses. It enriches my tasting experience so much so that I find drinking champagne without understanding where it comes from only half the pleasure.

When it comes to Taittinger, the exceptionally high quality experience makes even more sense when you know the story behind the house. The story features a common thread of wine, business and politics that has continued to weave its way through each generation. This almighty combination has earned the house a reputation for being very savvy, with each generation having demonstrated their sense of family enterprise and honour in the harsh world of modern business - which sometimes struggles to be compatible with the ancient tradition of champagne-making.

Established in 1734, the house itself (but not its namesake) is the third oldest champagne house in the world. Jacques Fourneaux established the original house, working with Benedictine Abbeys who originally owned all the vineyards, to make still wines and then sparkling.

Why Champagne Producers Should Be Doing More To Protect Consumers From Bad Champagne

A few blogs ago I professed my love affair with Ruinart. It's been a dizzy romance; I have fallen hard, head-over-heels in love for the euphoric highs of their expressive R de Ruinart Non-Vintage and Ruinart Brut Rosé Non-Vintage cuvées.

But like all love affairs, the lows can be as devastating as the highs can be euphoric. Unfortunately the bottle of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage I recently chose was less than perfect - flabby in fact. Damn this heart-crushing romance.

So in fairness to Ruinart, this will not a be a review of their Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage.

It's quite ironic really because only last week, I blogged about Ruinart's Brut Rosé Non-Vintage and how my wonderful experience contrasted with The Champagne Guide's Tyson Stelzer's experience who went through several bottles until he struck one that wasn't stale. I discussed the importance of publishing base vintage years (for non-vintages) and disgorgement dates so that the consumer could be empowered to make a more educated assessment of the champagne they were considering buying.

The Delights Of Freshness, Balance and Expression - Ruinart Brut Rosé Non-Vintage

I am so glad that I had a wonderful first experience with Ruinart's Brut Rosé Non-Vintage recently. Afterall, it had a lot to live up to; the R de Ruinart I had tasted a week before was sublime - so I had big expectations. However after reading Tyson Stelzer's write-up about his misfortune with this cuvée, I consider myself fairly lucky.

I use the word 'luck' very deliberately because after reading Tyson's tasting entry in The Champagne Guide 2012, it really seems to be 'pot luck' right now in Australia as to whether you get a good or a bad bottle.

Tyson recounts how after several failed attempts he finally struck a good bottle, putting it down to the fact there were several bottles still floating around with a vintage base of 2005 or 2006. In addition to the challenges presented by the 2005 vintage year, both champagnes were brought down by the fact they had been disgorged for a fairly long time.

Disgorgement refers to the process whereby all the sediment that gets captured in the neck of the bottle (at the end of secondary fermentation) gets released, leaving a clear cuvée ready for corking and distribution to the market.

Negociants Australia Champagne Masterclass With Pol Roger

Me, with Laurent d'Harcourt of
Pol Roger

I don't go in for Justin Bieber, Rhianna or Lada Gaga. The rock stars of my world are very different to all of that.

They are the people behind the bubbly stuff; the crafts men and women (growers and wine makers), poets (wine writers), ambassadors and enthusiasts (the unsung heros) of the champagne world. They are the stars that rock the champagne world. 

Earlier in the week I was privileged to have front row seats at my very own champagne concert; a champagne masterclass orchestrated by Negociants Australia in Adelaide. The stars of the show were Laurent d'Harcourt (Export Manager and Member of the Board of Directors for one of my favourite houses Pol Roger), Nick Ryan (wine writer for Gourmet Traveller and Men's Style magazines), Tyson Stelzer (of The Champagne Guide fame), Natalie Fryer (wine maker at Jansz) and David Brookes (contributing writer to Wine Companion magazine). Many thanks to Nick Ryan and Tim Evans (from Negociants Australia) for organising my invitation.

Elegance And Expression - R de Ruinart Brut Non-Vintage

I am having a love affair with Ruinart right now. Over the past two weeks I have sipped, enjoyed and learned about their R de Ruinart Brut Non-Vintage and their Ruinart Brut Rosé Non-Vintage. Every taste, every smell has been a wonderful experience.

It's been my first foray into the world of Ruinart, brought on by preparation plans for our trip to Champagne in September this year. Our trip includes a tasting at Ruinart. At 140 Euros, it doesn't come cheap; but I did my research and France's oldest champagne house seems like one not to miss.

Ruinart produces an incredibly expressive style of champagne; so in researching for my blog this week I wanted to understand why it is so aromatic and floral on the nose and why the flavours are so fresh and intense.

The finesse, elegance, and minerality of chardonnay is the golden thread that runs through all of their cuvées. And whilst the R de Ruinart Brut Non-Vintage and Ruinart Brut Rosé Non-Vintage are not dominated by chardonnay in the blend, the chardonnay is carefully used to restrain the berry forward flavours of pinot noir.

 

Which brings me to my next point; Ruinart’s cuvées are very well balanced. There is a truly wonderful and clever act happening in the background between all elements of the champagne; no one element dominates another. It’s more of a happy, complementary and exciting marriage.

The Rewards Of Time And Patience - Pol Roger Brut Rosé Vintage 2000

"In this world where most champagne businesses are owned by large companies we have this extra dimension of being a family owned company. It brings a lot of pleasure, consistency and long-term view to the running of our business. We are not in a hurry...."

This statement by Pol Roger's Hubert de Billy, in an article by Smith and Taylor, does well to capture the values of 'excellence and independence' embraced by the house and in doing so, the sentiment applied to their vintages. 

Since their first vintage in 1874, Pol Roger has lovingly and patiently been the custodians of time, waiting eight years and applying highly meticulous production processes to allow its vintage champagnes to not only be good upon release, but to have excellent ageing potential.  I discuss what makes Pol Roger's production processes special in more detail in my post from 18 June.

A Rosé Of Great Style And Finesse - Louis Roederer Vintage Brut Rosé 2004

Since last week when I blogged my tasting notes on Louis Roederer's Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2004, there has been a significant development with this champagne house.

Decanter magazine announced that Louis Roederer had increased its vineyard ownership from 214 hectares to 230 hectares all whilst becoming Champagne's largest biodynamic producer, following the purchase of Champagne Leclerc Briant.

The purchase comes after the passing of Pascal Leclerc Briant in 2010, leaving his three daughters to gradually sell off the 30 hectare estate which mostly takes in highly coveted Premier Cru territory.

Louis Roederer purchased two hectares in October 2011 and its owners, the Rouzaud family, has paid an estimated €40M to buy the remaining estate which includes the Leclerc Briant brand itself. These remaining parcels of land are located in the Premier Cru areas of Hautvilliers, Cumières and Damery.

Capturing The Terroir Perfectly - Louis Roederer Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2004

Almost every champagne house claims to be the 'first' for having done something or the only one that does something a certain way. So when I drink champagne, I like to think about what makes it different to any other.

When it comes to Louis Roederer it does have a defining flavour and texture that to some degree sets it apart from many others. It's not defining in an obvious way like a Bollinger, for example. But there is a consistent, almost 'gritty' texture that comes through in all of its cuvees as well as having loads of character and flavour. It's simply delicious!

So, going back to my initial question, what does Louis Roederer do to produce these experiential qualities? And what other elements contribute to making their vintage blanc de blancs different to others?

A Toast To Her Majesty - Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2000

Diamond Jubilees don’t happen very often. None of us were alive for Queen Victoria’s and the reality is none of us will be around to see another. 

 

Whilst, admittedly, I am a monarchist, I’m not a raving one. I’m not the type, nor do I have the motivation, to line the streets for hours to get a glimpse of the Queen or Kate (despite her fabulous shoes, hats and dresses). I don’t collect royal souvenir tea towels or spoons or buy Woman’s Day to scan the pages for salacious gossip about Pippa Middleton. I’m not that kind of royal fan.  

 

But there is something really special about a 60 year reign when it’s characterised by benevolence and good stewardship, prevailing unwaveringly, and embraced infectiously by millions of people around the world.

 

So as we hurried home after work to take front row seats in our living room and watch the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert on replay, I thought about what champagne would best mark the occasion. No champagne came to mind other than Pol Roger. Pol Roger seemed so fitting; it had long been a favourite of the royal family, receiving the Royal Warrant in 1911 - the same year it was served at the Guildhall Luncheon to celebrate the coronation of George V. Since then, Pol Roger has been served at almost every major state event in Britain, including at William and Kate’s wedding where they served Pol Roger Non-Vintage Brut. 

Could This Be The Best Cooperative In Champagne? Le Mesnil Sublime Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2004

I first introduced Le Mesnil  on 15 April when I reviewed Le Mesnil Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage (NV). I was totally blown away by my new find; it was truly an exciting experience. 

The amazing cooperative behind Le Mesnil Sublime Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2004 and five other labels consists of 553 growers who represent the very best parcels of Grand Cru estates in the Côte des Blancs– around 305 hectares' worth. Whilst they have been supplying grapes for some of the best houses in Champagne (such as Salon’s Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil and Krug’s Clos de Mesnil) since 1937, they also bottle their own under the simply named label 'Le Mesnil'.

Everything That A Non-Vintage Blanc de Blancs Should Be - Billecart-Salmon Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs NV

It’s 3am and for the life of me, I cannot sleep. As I tell myself to keep on trying for another hour or so, I can’t stop thinking of a presentation that’s due for work.

I give in, get up, jump-start my laptop and pour a glass of sparkling mineral water. The bubbles remind me of champagne – there’s no escaping it once it’s on the mind. So I pour myself a glass – why not?

Rob and I started a bottle of Billecart-Salmon’s Brut Blanc de Blancs Non-Vintage (NV) the day before as an aperitif before heading off to see the stage production of Yes Prime Minister. With a few glasses left in the bottle, it was a perfect opportunity to indulge - after all, the bottle was already open!

There is something strangely intoxicating about sitting alone in deafening silence enveloped by a haze of darkness with nothing but the muted bubbling of champagne at your side.

A Solid Benchmark For Rosé - Moët and Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé 2002

Moët and Chandon Grand Vintage Rosé 2002 serves as a good example of rosé champagne that has benefited from a fine harvest. 2002 is considered to be the best harvest since the famous 1996 harvest that produced consistently good quality grapes (primarily showing excellent balance of sugar and acidity).

For Moët and Chandon’s heralded 2002 grand vintage, it benefited from a relatively warm winter followed by a warm, dry spring with no persisting problems from frost. Despite significant storms around harvesting time in September, the grapes quickly dried off which produced healthy grapes. The warmer, drier weather allowed grapes to ripen beautifully – that is, the rate and timing of sugar levels rising as acidity levels fell was close to perfect, producing grapes with good alcohol level potential (around 10.5% and - according to Moët  - is the highest since 1990) which would eventually result in great structural harmony. This particularly affects chardonnay, a very sensitive grape, as the warmer climate  produced different characteristics to other vintages; resulting in more developed, riper fruit flavours. 

This Is the House That Rosé Built - Billecart Salmon Rosé NV

If you can see beyond the glitz and the glamour of the world’s largest champagne producers you will find the most exciting, delicious and splendid champagne of them all in small to medium size champagne houses, cooperatives and grower producers.  

Billecart-Salmon (pronounced bill-car sal-mohn) is one-such champagne house. 

Located in Premier Cru territory of Mareuil-sur-Ay (in the Vallée de la Marne, just south of Reims) Billecart prides itself on 'two centuries of vinification steeped in tradition'. And certainly, reading Tyson Stelzer's 'The Champagne Guide 2012' (can't recommend this highly enough for learners like me) indicates the family are pretty down-to-earth and genuine about this; saying that 'vinification is the key and the rest is bulls**t'. How refreshing!

It is this attitude that leads a hands-on approach to every aspect of production - from the vineyard to the cellar door - since 1818 when the Billecart and Salmon families came together. For their efforts, they are universally recognised as being one of the leaders in their field - producing fine and expressive champagnes and pioneering the way using some of the most advanced production facilities in the region.

Champagne Excitement - Le Mesnil Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs

When I get a feeling of excitement after my very first sip, I know I’m onto something really special. Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is one such champagne that offers that special something.

By happenstance, I bought a bottle from the cellars on Churchill Road. It's a rather unassuming bottle shop that doesn't promise much from the outside but the owner is a champagne enthusiast - and the one who had put me onto Claude Carré.

So when I walked in on a Friday afternoon I never expected to walk out with another grower Blanc de Blancs.

After striking up a conversation with the owner, I was told that this one was a step above Claude Carré.

“It has significantly more body and is a real treat,” he said. “Those George Street wine importers really know their stuff – trust me.”