Loving all your videos they've been so helpful! Just one question to help my understanding regarding the traditional method for sparkling.... When the winemaker puts some of the base wine aside - the reserve wine (vin de reserve) to use in future years for assemblage is it stored in bottle or stainless steel tanks? How would they ensure that it doesn't change or evolve with age? Perhaps this is just above 'my pay grade' so to speak for WSET 3
Hi Erin - yes it is more information than what is needed for L3 - but wine are generally stored in tanks or barrels. The wine will age, and this is what can add complexity down the line
Chapter 42 of the WSET level 3 book states that "non-vintage wines must be aged for a minumum of 15 months, including at least 12 months on the lees. Vintage wines must be matured for a minimum of 36 months (there is no extra requirement for lees ageing)." This implies that vintage wines only need minimum 12 months on the lees, just like the non-vintage champagnes. All other websites say that vintage champagnes need 36 months on the lees. Is the WSET book just poorly worded?
Hi, The WSET textbook is indeed correct and you understand it correctly. Vintage Champagne needs a minimum of 12 months to lees and 36 months total aging. Most sources seem to have this information incorrectly presented. However most producers leave their vintage champagne on the lees for considerably longer than 12 months. I hope that clears things up!
Lovely material, delightful quality - wish I were still living in the UK; I would totally go for WSET 3 with you guys. One more reason to miss London... :( One question regarding appellation laws regarding grape sourcing: Say a producer in a given subregion wants to blend their champagne using all three main varieties. Would they need to source all of their grapes from within their subregion in order to observe appellation rules, even if that subregion isn't particularly suited to some of the varieties and thus it is produced in smaller quantities? And if so, does this further extend to the village level if it's a 1er cru or grand cru? That is, can you source your grapes from grand cru villages all across the Champagne region, or are you still limited to grand crus within your subregion? (On a side note, this feels rather costly in terms of grape quality and operating expenses, as you might end up paying extra for those few kilos of Chardonnay that are only marginally produced in a region that's not particularly suited to it, thus paying more for relatively lower quality than if you could buy it cheaper and better from Côte des Blancs and blend it into your Vallée de la Marne wine.) If I understand correctly, this would imply that there being no legal traffic of varieties between subregions prevents the varietal component of the final product's style from evening out, which ultimately means that overall there is some subregion tipicity on top of the character imparted by each individual winemaker. Thank you for your content!
hello from Italy....a produce can source is grapes from all over champagne area...But if you want a grand cru champagne you can source the grapes only from gran cru villages( and no grand cru villages has Munier as grape) even in the question jimmy wrote the Blanc the Blancs grand cru champagne can be made only from Chardonnay from Cote de Blanc ( no cote de sezanne because non grand cru villages are in Cote de Sezanne). If you have a blend of the 3 main grapes , the champagne will not be grand cru.
Thanks for yet another amazing video Jimmy. You’re the best these are so helpful and great tips for WSET 3.
No worries!
Brilliant. Just brilliant. Hope I can go for a glass or a class in the near future.
:-) you'd be most welcome
These have been so helpful, thanks :D
I'm so glad!
Loving all your videos they've been so helpful! Just one question to help my understanding regarding the traditional method for sparkling.... When the winemaker puts some of the base wine aside - the reserve wine (vin de reserve) to use in future years for assemblage is it stored in bottle or stainless steel tanks? How would they ensure that it doesn't change or evolve with age? Perhaps this is just above 'my pay grade' so to speak for WSET 3
Hi Erin - yes it is more information than what is needed for L3 - but wine are generally stored in tanks or barrels. The wine will age, and this is what can add complexity down the line
Chapter 42 of the WSET level 3 book states that "non-vintage wines must be aged for a minumum of 15 months, including at least 12 months on the lees. Vintage wines must be matured for a minimum of 36 months (there is no extra requirement for lees ageing)." This implies that vintage wines only need minimum 12 months on the lees, just like the non-vintage champagnes. All other websites say that vintage champagnes need 36 months on the lees. Is the WSET book just poorly worded?
Hi, The WSET textbook is indeed correct and you understand it correctly. Vintage Champagne needs a minimum of 12 months to lees and 36 months total aging. Most sources seem to have this information incorrectly presented. However most producers leave their vintage champagne on the lees for considerably longer than 12 months. I hope that clears things up!
Lovely material, delightful quality - wish I were still living in the UK; I would totally go for WSET 3 with you guys. One more reason to miss London... :(
One question regarding appellation laws regarding grape sourcing:
Say a producer in a given subregion wants to blend their champagne using all three main varieties. Would they need to source all of their grapes from within their subregion in order to observe appellation rules, even if that subregion isn't particularly suited to some of the varieties and thus it is produced in smaller quantities? And if so, does this further extend to the village level if it's a 1er cru or grand cru? That is, can you source your grapes from grand cru villages all across the Champagne region, or are you still limited to grand crus within your subregion? (On a side note, this feels rather costly in terms of grape quality and operating expenses, as you might end up paying extra for those few kilos of Chardonnay that are only marginally produced in a region that's not particularly suited to it, thus paying more for relatively lower quality than if you could buy it cheaper and better from Côte des Blancs and blend it into your Vallée de la Marne wine.)
If I understand correctly, this would imply that there being no legal traffic of varieties between subregions prevents the varietal component of the final product's style from evening out, which ultimately means that overall there is some subregion tipicity on top of the character imparted by each individual winemaker.
Thank you for your content!
hello from Italy....a produce can source is grapes from all over champagne area...But if you want a grand cru champagne you can source the grapes only from gran cru villages( and no grand cru villages has Munier as grape) even in the question jimmy wrote the Blanc the Blancs grand cru champagne can be made only from Chardonnay from Cote de Blanc ( no cote de sezanne because non grand cru villages are in Cote de Sezanne). If you have a blend of the 3 main grapes , the champagne will not be grand cru.
@@sgnauss1453 Gee, thank you!!!