Wine Lingo
Bubble Speak

DISCOVER - December 3, 2009

Long ago dormant yeast left in bottled wine would awake with the warmth of spring converting residual sugars into CO2 and alcohol. Pop! Ka-Boom! Pressure from the trapped gas from so-called "devil's wine" caused corks to rocket and bottles to explode, wreaking havoc in cellars.

At the dawn of the 18th Century, the legendary cellar master, Dom Pierre Pérignon, spent a good bit of time at the Abbey of Hautvillers trying to rid his still pink wines of those mischievous bubbles! Just the opposite for French nobility of the day, they loved the drink now synonymous with luxury, celebration and prestige, Champagne.

It's common and convenient to call sparkling wines, Champagne. We often do. For over a century, though, European laws and treaties have limited the commercial use of the word "Champagne" to sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. Even bubblies from other parts of France are designated, Crémant. Recently the US agreed legally. Producers who used the term Champagne before 2006, for instance Korbel, may continue using it, so long as the true origin is added, for example "California Champagne." Frequently, Champagnes are blends (or cuvées) from different years and designated as "non-vintage" or "NV" for short.

The sparklers that celebrated the reign of Louis XIV were all sweet. Yet, today's descriptors rank wines by degrees of dryness (or "sec" in French). Here is a chart decoding Champagne's counter intuitive dryness lingo.

Interested in some recommendations?
Be ready to spend more than usual for a memorable bottle from Champagne, around $35 to start.

Wine: NV Agrapart Les 7 Crus Blanc de Blancs Brut, Avize, Champagne (~$30 - $40)
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Description: From seven villages in the Cotes des Blancs, it's toasty and intense and packed full of apple and lemon curd flavors. Not as common as some of the big names, but every bit as good, if not better.

Wine: NV Champagne Ruinart Brut Rosé, Reims, Champagne (~$60 - $65)
Grape Variety: 45% Chardonnay, 55% Pinot Noir
Description: Rich and fruity, this is simply a delicious glass of champagne, and though widely available, it's somewhat of an insider's wine.

Wine: 2000 Champagne Bollinger Grand Année Ay, Champagne (~$115)
Grape Variety: 63% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay
Description: This is powerful, elegant stuff favored by James Bond, 007. Loaded with yellow apple, currant, and honeysuckle. It is both light and profound at the same time.

Wine: 2000 Champagne Dom Pérignon, à Epernay, Champagne (~$120)
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Description: Rich and balanced with tiny, elegant bubbles. Flavors of baked apples, fresh brioche, orange zest and cream are wrapped taught around a powerful frame of acidity and minerality.

Wine: NV Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé Crémant d'Alsace (~$18)
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Description: Crisp and fruity with lots of raspberry, strawberry and baked apple fruit.

Our Wine Lingo series discusses common but often unclear wine language.

Wine mark-ups and prices vary, and, as such, Wine Country Minute 00:60 cannot guarantee the accuracy of the listed prices. Please check around to find the best price and availability.

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