CHAMPAGNE: HOW TO TALK ABOUT IT - TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

The Champagne region of northeastern France is renowned for its sparkling wines, which are produced according to a number of strict rules. Champagne is generally made from a blend of several wines (different vineyards, harvest years, grape varieties). Finding the right blend is an art, as it determines the taste of the champagne, and each champagne producer makes different choices... For example, a good Champagne may contain Chardonnays from Côte des Blancs or Sézannais, Pinots Noirs from Montagne de Reims or Côte des Bar, and Meuniers from Vallée de la Marne or Massif de St-Thierry.

1. What is the etymology of the word champagne?

    a. countryside

    b. grain field

    c. battlefield

2. What do champagne growers fear most?

    a. spring frost

    b. solar eclipses

    c. le Niño

3. Which of these French kings wouldn't have been able to drink sparkling champagne?

    a. Louis XV

    b. Charles X

    c. Henri IV

4. At what temperature should champagne be served?

    a. between 3°C and 6°C (35°F to 43°F)

    b. between 7°C and 12°C (44°F to 54°F)

    c. between 13°C and 16°C (55°F to 61°F)

5. Ruinart, the oldest champagne manufacturer, was founded in :

    a. 1629

    b. 1729

    c. 1829

6. Where do champagne bubbles come from?

    a. from secondary fermentation in the bottle

    b. the injection of CO2 into the wine before bottling

    c. regular bottle shaking during the aging process

7. What is blanc de noirs champagne?

    a. rosé champagne

    b. another name for kir royal (a cocktail of champagne and blackcurrant liqueur)

    c. champagne made exclusively from black grapes

8. Champagne has a naturally acidic taste. The following French wine descriptors refer to acidity.
Only one is considered pejorative. Which is it?

    a. frais

    b. nerveux

    c. vert

    d. vif

    e. tranchant

9. On average, how many bottles of champagne are produced each year?

    a. 90 million

    b. 180 million

    c. 300 million euros

10. Legend has it that the shape of the traditional French champagne glass comes from a cast of :

    a. the skull of Louis, Dauphin of France

    b. the knee of Louis XVI

    c. Madame de Pompadour's breast

11. In French, the fine trickle of bubbles that forms on the surface of a champagne glass is called... :

    a. le cordon

    b. la chaine

    c. la ficelle

12. What is the most widely planted grape variety in Champagne?

    a. Le Meunier

    b. Chardonnay

    c. Pinot noir

13. In Champagne, 85% of the vines belong to :

    a. champagne houses

    b. cooperatives

    c. winegrowers

14. The French term "œil de perdrix" refers to which color of champagne?

    a. rosé

    b. dark amber (old champagne)

    c. very pale

Photo : istock

Béatrice - Cooking

Bonjour, my name is Béatrice. Thanks to my grandmother, I developed a love of cooking in early childhood. At her, everything smelled of apple brioche, rhubarb jam and fresh country produces. It’s not always easy to cook in Paris as the number of invitations exceeds the days of the week! So, it’s really necessary to think out the menu in order to have a successful diner at home. The wining recipe: gourmet, seasonal and dietetic dishes. And surprising presentations. No longer possible to serve the traditional Blanquette of veal to make your guests happy…