Master of Wine Trip: Champagne - April 6th, 2019

Master of Wine Trip: Champagne
                      (March 31st - April 6th, 2019)

Sunday 31st March

Welcome dinner Hotel de La Paix Reims
Meeting up with fellow MW’s and our hosts Thibaut Le Mailloux Director de La
communication du Comite Champagne (CIVC) and Helga Barroso Oenologue
Chargee de Communication CIVC

Monday 1st April

Welcome at CICV headquarters, Epernay by Vincent Perrin Directeur General
CIVC and Thibaut Le Mailloux
Overview of CIVC activities and current position by Phillipe Wibrotte
Responsible for visits and reception CIVC

Mission:
1. Economic (promotion and develop export markets 40% of Champagne is
exported)
2. Technical (Research and development in viticulture and oenology, wine
analysis)
3. Communications (education, branches in 16 countries, public relations and
events)
4. Protection of the Name (use of name, counterfeits, image)

The CIVC funded by harvest and shipping levy’s, and operated with 130 staff
with 45 research and technical specialists. CIVC operate 3 research vineyards,
laboratories, micro vinification plant and cellars.
An environmental department is focusing on plans and implementation for
water, biodiversity, sustainability, emissions, precision viticulture, pesticide
reduction, climate change and minimizing carbon footprint.
The Champagne region has experienced 1.5 C temperature increases in past
30years.
2018
34300 ha, 302 million bottles, 140 coops, 340 producers (own only 10% of the
vineyards) 280000 plots, 16000 growers (av. 2 ha/grower, 50%

We were given a tour of the CIVC laboratories, microvinification winery and
storage cellar.
Some projects currently underway; light shock in storage, develop footprint of
Champagne wines, yeasts, bentonite, ageing, crown seal and cork closures, cork
post disgorging, glass colour and impacts on wine with time (clear glass bottle in
sun will have impacts producing reduced sulfides in 3-15 minutes)

We were challenged to a 3 wine tasting in the tasting laboratory (pictured) and
told the wines were recently disgorged, zero dosage and no SO2. We had to
assess and consider differences and ages. All were same wine but were under
tirage with crown seals with different porosities of the polymer liners. The wines
had different O2 uptake rates and appeared with different levels of development
and age characters. Crown seal permeability is another source of adding
complexity to a Champagne depending on vintage and house style.
Another trial showed O2 uptake by Champagne was 2mg under crown seal over 3
years, 4 mg in 3 minutes at disgorging and 3mg in 3 months under cork.

Experimental Plumecoq Vineyard in the Cotes de Blanc

Presentations and tour by Sebastien Debusson, Julie Perry and Geraldine Uriel
CIVC viticulture researchers.
Projects currently in progress:

Semi-wide vineyard row spacing (1.5-2.2m) and higher fruiting wires. This
allows better cover crop growth, less erosion, less herbicide use while allowing
similar yields per ha maintenance. Also allows mechanization, less vines to
maintain but increase production per vine. Wines show higher malic acid. The
wines produced are maintaining Champagne typicity.

Varietal Innovation research;
Varieties that adapt to climate change experienced in the region (water stress,
frosts, wine balance)
Trials of PN clones and other 7 permitted varieties.

Trials of other Vitis vinifera varieties with good disease resistance for potential
crosses with Champagne varieties.
Inter regional Trials between Burgundy and Champagne with Gouais crosses
(parent of Pinot and Chardonnay family varietals).

Rootstock trials (83% of region on rootstock 41B)

Clean and competitive viticulture- reducing pesticides, herbicides

Combine tradition and innovation- preserve terroir and adapt new practices

Tuesday 2nd April

Visit to Producer Bruno Michel, Pierry, Cote de Blancs a family owned vineyard
under current operation of Guillaume and Pauline Orban. They have 12 ha
vineyards comprised of 35 parcels. The vineyards have been certified organic
since 2004 and are managed using sustainable vineyard practices. They produce
their own composts and fertilizer teas for the vineyards. Currently in Champagne
only 1.7 % of vineyards operate as Organic. Guillaume believes the benefits of
the production and premium (up to 20%) received will encourage more growers
to consider this system.
We toured the 500m of underground cellars, tasted some great wines. Guillaume
discussed some trials they are working on for their wines include; lower
pressures using less sugar for the 2nd fermentation, 100% Meunier, No MLF, no
SO2, different closures on tirage, maceration vs. Saignee rose.

We were hosted to a fantastic French country dinner in their home and enjoyed
many of their great wines. A lovely afternoon!

Centre Vinicole-Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte

Visit to the main production facility in Chouilly, Cote de Blancs, for a Vin Clair
blending session with Chief winemaker Guillaume Roffiaen. Nicolas Feuillatte is
the largest coop in the region producing 20 million bottles of which 11 million
are for their own brands.
They produce a range of styles for different markets, on-trade and off-trade.
The afternoon was spent assessing 13 Vin Clair components and working
through the process to select which would suit NV blends and vintage blends. It
was a complex process, very informative and enjoyable.
We sampled current release vintages, Special reserves and rose Champagnes.

Wednesday 3rd April

Champagne Bollinger, Ay

Bollinger currently producing 3 million bottles annually with Pinot Noir
dominant wines and oak use in production. The focus on this visit was to look at
the importance of oak wood, barrels and wine styles.
Bollinger use 4-year-old Burgundy 1er Cru barrels, reconditioned, as well as
pipes (some>80 years old) and traditional Champagne barrels. Vintage and
reserve styles ferment and store in 100% barrels, while NV styles will have 10-
20% base wines in oak.

Hand riddling is performed on vintage wines, 32-40 moves over 2 ½ month
period. NV styles riddled using gyro palette, which takes between 2-4 weeks.

A very interesting vin clair tasting of the same wine under different fermentation
and storage vessels. The wine under stainless steel was most acidic, 10 year old
Burgundy barrels freshest, 20-80 year old pipes was fruitiest and new oak was
oaky! Dry Pinot noirs used for Rose blends were also tasted.
Another interesting variation used by Bollinger was the cork and staple as
opposed to crown seals. After 5 years they notice that the crown seals showed
more development and higher OTR’s.

A wonderful lunch was enjoyed with a great range of Bollinger Champagnes,
finishing with a 1989 wine, just disgorged! Zero dosage, fantastic.

Champagne Ulysse Collin, Congy, Cote de Villevenard

This was a very interesting small producer making single parcel Champagnes.
The family has a history of 200 years growing and now production under
direction on Olivier Collin. They have 8.7 ha vines making their own wines and
selling fruit. In 2004 they produced 5300 bottles and 2018, 50000 bottles. They
make 4 single vineyard Champagnes. Les Perrieres (Chardonnay), Les Maillons
(Pinot Noir) Les Roises (Chardonnay), Les Enfers (Chardonnay).
The wines are fermented and matured in oak of various sizes and ages.
Rose wines are made by 3-4 day maceration, pre-pressing before fermentation.

The sunset was spent at the impressive Royal Champagne Hotel and restaurant
with views over the Cotes de Blanc and Epernay.

A stunning dinner with hosts Olivier Collin, Hannelore Rima and Phillipe
Wibrotte, was enjoyed by all. Four Ulysse Collin Champagnes were served.

Thursday 4th April

The day was spent visiting the southern Champagne districts of Cote des Bar and
Montgueux.

Champagne Alexandre Bonnet, Les Riceys, Cote des Bar
With Alain Pailley (Marketing) and Frederic Sonzogno (winemaker) focusing on
Champagne Rose.
The house has 45 ha vineyards, 25 different parcels and produce 350000 bottles
40000 bottles for their own brand as AOC Champagne, Cotes de Champenoise
and 6000 bottles of Rose de Riceys.
We were presented with a series of vin clair wines for Blanc de Noirs and Rose as
well as Pinot Noir and Rose still wines. They do not use oak and always MLF.

Interesting was a discussion of colour loss on tirage as seen in photo below. A vin
clair rose on the left and colour after 4 years on tirage on right.

Champagne Devaux, a Bar sur Seine

A cooperative producer with 810 members over 1400 ha of vineyards.
Our hosts Michel Parisot and Aurelie Neveux presented us with a great tasting of
vin clair wines and various assemblages from 2017 and 2018 vintages.
There was a range of oak levels and MLF used to produce a great diversity of
blending parcels. A Charming AOC Rose de Riceys was tasted which is made
using carbonic maceration.

Champagne Jacques Lassaigne, Montgueux

The vineyard and cellar had an impressive hilltop position overlooking the Seine
Valley and city of Troyes.

Winemaker and owner, Emmanuel Lassaigne who showed us through his cellars
and wines, hosted us for the afternoon.
The family own 4 ha of vines and buys fruit off a further 2 ha. The site tends to be
windy and it has a lower disease pressure.
Chardonnay is their key variety.
Wines are produced in traditional methods with large older basket press, wild
yeast ferments (taking 3-5 months) for vin clair production, old oak (

Friday 5th April

Champagne Salon and Delamotte, Le Mesnil sur Oger

Beautiful sunny weather made for a great day in the vineyard of Salon in the
Grand Cru village of Le Mesnil sur Oger. Mathieu Pouchan hosted us for the visit,
tour and lunch.
Salon and Delamotte were combined in 1988. Salon is a very small and
prestigious brand producing between 20000 and 60000 bottles depending on
vintage. They produce only one wine a Vintage Blanc de Blancs and use their
own and purchased fruit of a total 8 ha vineyards and 18 separate parcels.
Vineyard land in this village €2.5 million/ha (average for Champagne €1.5
million/ha) and grapes for Salon are (well) above the average for Champagne
€6-8/kg.
Salon is not produced every year recent vintages 04,06,08,12,13
The wines have 10 years minimal tirage time.
The Salon style is fresh non-oxidative with wines being made and stored in
stainless steel or old inert oak, no MLF.

The lunch, wines and atmosphere were amazing.

A quick walking detour to the famous Clos du Mesnil vineyard

Champagne Taittinger, Reims

We began with a tour of the extensive caves and cellar of Taittinger in Reims
with Gallo-Roman chalk quarries and remains of the Benedictine Abbey Saint -
Nicaise.
A tasting of current NV and vintage release wines was provided by Chef de cave
Alexandre Ponnavoy and Jean-Pierre Redont Taittinger Brand Ambassador. The
highlight the beautiful Comte de Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 2007.

The final evening at Champagne Taittinger’s Chateau La Marquetterie,
Pierry (Pictures tell it all)

Lovely final verse of a poem “Champagne” by WWII soldier in the Taittinger war
heritage in Champagne Museum at Chateau la Marquetterie

Thank you to the Comite Champagne for hosting us on this wonderful tour
of Champagne. It has been a fantastic and memorable tour.
We have seen the diversity of the region, its soils, vineyards, producers and
styles. We have seen Champagne offers many wonderful wines for all
occasions.
The work by CIVC researching and managing challenges of climate change,
sustainability, preserving soils, terroir, the styles and image show how well
the industry can work together for a bright future.
Again thank you for the superb hospitality, generosity with wines,
information and great company over the week.
Special thank you to Helga for all of your hard work over the planning time
and week with us.
We hope that the wonderful relationship between the Institute of Masters
of Wine and CIVC will continue.

Alison Eisermann MW