Mumm Champagne


Aging : (Required Rest): The aging of wines in cellars is very regulated. Legally, aging must be for 15 months after bottling for non-vintage Champagne and for 3 years after bottling for vintage Champagnes.






Alcoholic fermentation or the first fermentation: The juice is transformed into wine during this fermentation stage, held at a constant temperature of 20°C to preserve the aromas. The sugar of the grape is transformed by the action of the yeast into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The white wine obtained is "still," that is, without bubbles, and contains 11° of alcohol by volume. At this point, the wine is known as a clear wine.






Aromas: volatile compounds that are perceived directly in the nasal cavity by smelling or indirectly from the throat when ingesting. The first immediate impressions are known as "first nose," arising from primary variety fragrances. Secondary aromas arise from fermentation, and tertiary aromas from aging.
Aromas are referred to as being either young or mature. Aromas often evoke comparisons, with flowers or fruit often cited (citrus and red fruits, apricots, pears, etc.), but also the nature of the soil, as well as honey, coffee, toasted bread, brioche, or nuts.






Assemblage, assembly: see Blending






Autolysis :
After fermentation, the dead yeast cells form a deposit and slowly decompose. Wines in contact with these deposits acquire complexity in their aromas in a process called autolysis. Bottles are regularly checked to ensure correct evolution of the wine, which becomes effervescent in the process.
Blending: the combining or mixing of several wines of different origins (growths and varieties) in order to produce a cuvée.




B


Blending: the combining or mixing of several wines of different origins (growths and varieties) in order to produce a cuvée.

Primary objective:
Maintain an identical style and quality of Mumm wines from one year to the next. Come rain, sleet, hail, or high water, the House of Mumm puts its signature on cuvées of irreproachable quality and unwavering identity every year. This constancy of taste is due to the science of our Cellar Master's savoir faire and intuition: the art of blending.

A palette of growths and grape varietals:
The Cellar Master can select up to 50 different growths, depending on the cuvée he wishes to obtain. His choices are made much as an impressionist painter would make them, based on the fine nuances they bring as functions of their varietals (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier) and their precise geographic origins.

First tasting
This first encounter with the wine is all the more crucial since it will serve as the reference for the entire process of blending. The Cellar Master observes, smells, and tastes each of the growths selected, and carefully notes his assessments of all sensations with infinite precision.

Analysis of assessments
The art of a Cellar Master hardly stops with tasting and assessing. More important yet is the study of his notations, a long analysis and then synthesis of those assessments. Since the tastes of the different growths vary from harvest to harvest, he has to totally reconstruct tastes growth by growth, based on his detailed assessments. From this, he begins to form a very precise idea of the proportions which will yield the perfection of the House style, enabling a definitive selection of the wines which will become a part of the composition of the cuvée.

First blends and choice of the cuvée
After several months of patient reflection, from January to April to be exact, the Cellar Master makes up a selection of three blends for each cuvée. It is within this selection that the specific blend, the standard of reference, will be chosen for the different cuvées of the year.

Blending vats
At Mumm, two enormous vats are used to ensure faultless regularity, since they make it possible to prepare the equivalent of 1.2 million bottles in precise proportions. The artistry of tasting coupled with sufficient physical means ensure the constancy of Mumm's cuvées.

Reserve wines
The years which produce great harvests are divine destiny. For this reason, a portion of those harvests is "reserved" for later use in blending with wines which do not qualify as vintage year wines, in proportions which vary depending on the year and its weather conditions.

What constitutes a Vintage Year?
When a particular harvest proves to be truly exceptional (for example in 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1995) the decision is taken to produce a vintage year: the blend will include only wines from that specific year's grape harvest. For this reason, vintage year wines are all different from each other, as opposed to cuvées which are not identified as a vintage of a specific year and whose compositions are carefully studied precisely to guarantee constancy of taste over time.

All "Bruts" are not the same
The classic dry Champagnes, the "Bruts," are the results of blends of the three authorized grape varieties. The brut Blanc de Noir wines are made up of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier blends. On the other hand, only the Chardonnay grape variety enters into the composition of Brut Blanc de Blancs, such as Mumm de Cramant.






Blending vats: At Mumm, two enormous vats are used to ensure faultless regularity, since they make it possible to prepare the equivalent of 1.2 million bottles in precise proportions. The artistry of tasting coupled with sufficient physical means ensure the constancy of Mumm's cuvées.






Bottles:

Quarter bottle 187.5 ml
Half-bottle 375 ml
Bottle 750 ml 1 bottle
Magnum 1.5 liters 2 bottles
Jeroboam 3.00 liters 4 bottles
Réhoboam 4.50 liters 6 bottles
Mathusalem 6.00 liters 8 bottles
Salmanazar 9.00 liters 12 bottles
Balthazar 12.00 liters 16 bottles
Nabuchodonosor 15.00 liters 20 bottles


The bottles best adapted to Champagne, as for all great wines, are the standard bottle and the Magnum.
The large-capacity bottles are fragile and difficult to displace, to cool, and to serve, but they are indeed spectacular!
Mumm Cordon Rouge is available in these bottles. The quarter bottles are reserved for airlines.






Bottle fermentation (formation of bubbles): After the bottles are filled, they are taken down to cellars carved out of the chalk where they are stacked horizontally on "lattes" at a constant temperature of 10°C. It is at this point that the second fermentation begins, lasting on average two months. The yeast gradually turns the sugars into alcohol (reaching 11 to 12°) and carbon dioxide, leaving a deposit as the yeast dies. This phase, known as the formation of bubbles is crucial for obtaining high quality Champagne, as it determines the finesse of the bubbles that later will grace a Champagne flute.






Bottling: In the Spring which follows the harvest, the wine is drawn off from the vats and bottled. At this point it remains a "still" wine. It will acquire its effervescence through a second fermentation, which will take place directly in the bottle. Prior to that, preparation is required: it is mixed with a precise proportion of sugar (24g per liter) and yeasts in mixing vats. Once filled, the bottles are closed with a hollow plastic stopper placed in the neck of the bottle, held into place by a crown cap.






Brut: a term applied to the driest cuvées, those with a dosage of less than 15 g of sugar per liter. The term applies to the majority of champagnes.






Budding: the removal of excess buds.






Bubbles: Capricious is the word for champagne's effervescence. It can be upset by almost nothing at all: a glass that is too cold, soap film, a noticeable odor (wax on the cupboard, for example) and the bubbles disappear. Their delicacy is a sign of quality, and to ensure that they persist, glasses should be washed in clear fresh water and dried with a lint-free cloth. Serving champagne is a detail-oriented art! But don't be surprised if certain champagnes produce few bubbles: this is often the case for Brut champagnes at the height of their maturity, that is, those wines which have aged for over 5 years in cellars.






C


Cellars : an endless labyrinth
Opting for a three or five-year aging period implies keeping up to five years' worth of harvests in the cellars, a very considerable storage capacity indeed!
The cellars of G.H. Mumm are carved out of the strata of subsoil chalk of the Reims region, and consist of 25 kilometers of galleries where over 25 million bottles are resting in darkness and coolness, in complete calm at a constant temperature of 11-12°C.






Cellar Master:
The responsibility for wine making and for the choice of wines used in the different blending is the prerogatives of the Cellar Master. He is the one who tastes and evaluates the different growths, formulates the associations of the wines, and finally evaluates the quality of each of the resulting cuvées. The consistency of taste is the product of the Cellar Master's art.






Champagne:
The Champagne vineyards are strictly defined by law. Only grapes coming from the defined zone can legally be used for Champagne production.
The champagne vineyards begin 120 km to the east of Paris and extend over an area of 35,000 hectares, of which 30,493 hectares are planted. The three principal wine-growing areas are:
- la Grande Montagne de Reims, located to the south-south east of Reims and rising to 300 meters in altitude,
- la Vallée de la Marne, near Epernay,
- la Côte des Blancs, to the south of Epernay, which owes its name to the predominance of the white grape, Chardonnay.
Other vineyards in the adjoining Aube and around Château-Thierry complete the picture.
The Champagne vineyards are comprised of 312 different growths (crus), corresponding to the 312 different villages located within the demarcated zone.

Wine grapes have been grown in the Champagne region since the end of the third century A.D. Up to the 17th century, only white, rosé, and red still wines were produced. Known for their quality, they were nevertheless very different from the Champagne we know today. The wines bore the names of the villages in which they were produced: Ay wine, for example.
According to legend, the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon (1639-1715) was the first to master the art of champagne making. His research enabled him to produce an effervescent wine of outstanding quality, the forerunner of today's Champagne.
Around the end of the 17th and at the beginning of the 18th century, the effervescent wine became true Champagne, thanks to several factors which came into play:
Increasing awareness of the unique characteristics of Champagne and developing interest in the "foam,"
Technical innovations, including gentle pressing, production of white wines from black grapes, utilization of stronger bottles made in England, and utilization of higher quality corks from Spain.
The first Champagne House was founded in 1729, and in the following year Champagne was introduced at the French Court.

Confirmation of success came in the 19th century with the foundation of 21 Champagne Houses and a dramatic increase in production - which multiplied 100-fold between 1800 and 1890, from 300,000 bottles to 30 million.
At the instigation of these Houses, important technological improvements were made in the process of making Champagne:

1806: turning, or riddling bottles neck-down on racks 1844: development of a dosage and rinsing machine
1820: disgorging "in flight" 1865: Pasteur's research on yeast and natural ferments
1825/27: bottles filled by machine 1884: disgorging frozen sediment
1828: invention of the glucose meter


However, in 1892 the vineyards of Champagne, like all vineyards throughout Europe, were devastated by phylloxera, an insect that attacks the roots of vines.
As a result, vines had to be uprooted and replanted as grafts on rootstock native to America that was resistant to this terrible scourge.
In 1927 the official champagne appellation zone was formally defined as well as the specific cultivation and wine making methods.
1941 saw the creation of the C.I.V.C. (Comité Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne), a semi-public organization grouping together both producers and merchants to guarantee the respect of the appellation regulations and to defend common interests.
After recovering from the ravages of the two world wars, Champagne has enjoyed a period of great prosperity, with sales growing from 50 million bottles in 1960 to nearly 300 million in 1998.






Chardonnay (lightness and elegance):
Chardonnay is a white grape, famous also for the great white wines of Burgundy. When Champagne is produced only from Chardonnay grapes, it is called a "Blanc de Blancs," such as Mumm de Cramant. Mainly concentrated in the Côte des Blancs, Chardonnay grapevines represent 27% of the total champagne vineyard, and 49% of the area ranked as Grands Crus. Because Chardonnay buds early, it is particularly susceptible to Spring frosts, and it requires a great deal of sun to mature well. Chardonnay is a quality grape variety, giving the wine finesse, elegance, and lightness.






Climate: A mixture of oceanic mildness and continental rigor. Champagne is the northern-most vineyard in France (at 49° N, the vineyards are at the northern limit of vine growing areas).
The average annual temperature in Champagne is 10°C, the limit for grape growing. Below this level, the grapes do not mature.
Rainfall is average (670 mm), but the number of rainy days is high (171), and they are spread out more-or-less evenly over the year.
Annual sunshine is only 1,550 hours. At its maximum during July and August, it allows the grapes to ripen evenly.
Spring frosts: from April to May, nighttime temperatures can drop down as far as -5 to -6°C, destroying the young buds on the vines. The result is important crop losses, as in 1981, 1990, and 1991. Since 1951 Mumm has made large investments in protection against Spring frosts, and has perfected the Haltogel heating systems.
Abrupt changes in temperature during the flowering period can lead to thunderstorms and hailstorms which can wipe out the most promising of harvests.
Paradoxically, these difficult conditions contribute to the production of quality grapes and wines of great finesse.






Cordon Rouge: a sash, 120-years long
In every category of product, anyone can spontaneously cite one, two, or three names which are product symbols. In Champagne, Mumm Cordon Rouge is one of those names, if not the first, thanks to its strong identity.
The label and seal of Mumm Cordon Rouge are doubly unique in the annals of Champagne marketing.
First, no other presentation is so representative of its product universe and the image that is associated with it. Secondly, the label and seal of Mumm Cordon Rouge have remained practically unchanged over twelve decades, defying fashions and crossing generations, becoming over time the symbol of the House and of all of its communication throughout the world. In 1875, forty-six years after the House was founded, the agent of Mumm in Paris suggested, in order to pay his respects to certain of his good clients, that a special label and seal be created in their honor for bottles of Mumm Champagne. Since it was a question of honoring prestigious clients, why not decorate these bottles with what is the highest among honors: the Grand Cordon of the Légion d'Honneur!
Well before their time, marketing and packaging had already made their appearances at Mumm. It was thus that bottles girded with real red satin ribbons made their appearance in the range of Champagnes, on which an oval label was stuck with the simple mention "Cordon Rouge G.H. Mumm & Cie à Reims."
The Cordon Rouge brand was born, becoming certainly the first trademark created in Champagne still in use today.
Earlier, the notion of a product range was a bit hazy. Even the word "Champagne" was little used until the Second Empire, and very often followed by descriptive terms such as "Great Sparkling Wine" or "Crémant."
From 1881, with the growing popularity of Cordon Rouge, the red sash became an integral part of the label, which would change only very little from then on.
Mumm returned to the real red ribbon in 1991 when it launched its prestige cuvée "Grand Cordon," whose label and seal were almost identical reproductions of those on the first bottle of Cordon Rouge in 1875. For over a century the label of Mumm Cordon Rouge has remained practically unchanged. Little modifications were made over time in the printed messages, the signature, and the Mumm logo, but these evolutions were made without revolution in order to conserve all of the distinctive and exclusive identity of the Mumm Cordon Rouge label and seal, preserving its elegance and prestige.
The reputation and elegance of the Mumm Cordon Rouge label and seal have become such that since the very beginning Cordon Rouge has always been spontaneously associated with a great number of situations which evoke Champagne, celebration, refinement, elegance, and the joie de vivre. The famous bottle with its red sash has often been associated with the great film stars (Bogart and Bergman in Casablanca, etc.) and even the "cult heroes" of the comic books such as Tintin or …Astérix!
The presentation of Cordon Rouge is more than a simple label. In the universe of Champagne, it has become a true symbol, the emblem of a trade name, and the synonym of savoir-faire and of a tradition.
Both vehicle of the image and ambassador of the House of Mumm and its whole range of Champagnes, Cordon Rouge has in addition always been the thread in terms of advertising communication.






Côte des Blancs:
Thus called because it produces Chardonnay almost exclusively, the Côte des Blancs is a ridge perpendicular to the Montagne de Reims and located to the south of Epernay. It includes 6 "Grands Crus Classés" rated at 100% on the scale of growths: Avize, Cramant, Chouilly, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, and Oiry.






Cultivation calendar:

Pruning 15 November / 30 March
Training New shoots are attached to wires 15 March / 1st May
De-budding Removal of excess buds May / June
Training Shoots are held vertically between 2 wires June / July
Flowering June / early July
Topping and trimming Shoot ends are topped off to remove the buds and trimmed to remove leaves which could create shadows June / August (several times)
Treatment Vines receive protection against insects and fungi May / end August
Harvest Mid September /
mid October






Cuvée :
1) The juice from the first pressing. Regulation limits the production of 4,000 kg of grapes to 2,050 liters of juice. This juice is the richest in sugar, has the most acid, and is the best. It will be used as the basis for the best Champagnes.
(See pressing).
2) The wine obtained after blending, i.e. wine ready to be tasted.
(See blending).






D


Decanting : After fermentation, the wine is transferred from one vat to another in order to separate it from the dead yeast and solid particles, the lees, which could modify the taste. The resulting "clear wine" is then ready for blending.
(See malolactic fermentation)






Decanting: After the second fermentation, the wine is transferred from one vat to another in order to separate out the dead yeast and solid particles, the lees, which are likely to modify the taste of the wine. The wine thus obtained, called " clear wine," is ready for blending.






Disgorging:
In flight…or on ice
The wine imprisoned in the bottle is subjected to very high pressure. This pressure can be utilized to eliminate the sediment deposited in the neck of the bottle in an operation called disgorging. Traditionally, disgorging is done "in flight:" the bottle is slowly brought to an upright position and the stopper removed at the precise time that the bubble of air arrives at the deposit of sediment. The gas under pressure expels the stopper and the deposit at the same time.
At Mumm, this method is now used only for the large-capacity bottles.
For the standard bottles, the necks of the bottles are plunged in to a water-glycol solution, leading to the freezing of the deposit in the plastic stopper. The bottles are then righted and, when the crown cap is removed the stopper containing the frozen deposit is expelled by the internal pressure.
Mumm has two modern disgorging lines. One is reserved for the disgorging of 75 cl bottles and the other for bottles that are not standard (Magnum, Mumm de Cramant, Grand Cordon, etc.).
A question of dosage:
The Champagne is then almost ready. All that is required is to add wine to compensate for that which was driven out with the deposit - topping-up - and to add dosage: a mixture of cane sugar and Champagne reserve wine. The quantities of dosage added determine the nature of the Champagne:

Extra-brut 0 to 6 g per liter
Brut 5 to 15 g per liter
Extra dry 12 to 20 g per liter
Sec 17 to 35 g per liter
Medium dry 33 to 50 g per liter
Dry >50 g per liter






Dosage :
This operation consists of adding to champagne, before its "consignment to the cellars," a liquor known as a "dosage," made up of cane sugar and Champagne or champagne reserve wine, to compensate for the wine expelled with the deposit at the time of disgorging.
The quantities of dosage added determine the nature of the Champagne:

Extra-brut 0 to 6 g per liter
Brut 5 to 15 g per liter
Extra dry 12 to 20 g per liter
Sec 17 to 35 g per liter
Demi-sec 33 to 50 g per liter

(See disgorging)






F


Flowering :
Flowers: Flowering takes place in mid-June and lasts 15-18 days on average. At this time, the vine is at its most vulnerable: all it takes is rainy weather, misty, or cold weather to interrupt the flowering and compromise the entire harvest. The consequences fall into two general categories:
"Millerandage," or partial crop failure: poorly-fertilized berries remain small, leading to an important loss of volume
Flower abortion: unfertilized berries fall off - in bad years up to 60%, leading to even greater losses.






Foujita:
Captivated by excellence, G.H. Mumm & Cie has always associated itself with all that promotes the expression of beauty and perfection. Many artists have been inspired by the famous Champagne: Utrillo, Yves Brayer, Terechkovitch, Chapelain-Midy, Jean Carzou, or Michael Huggins have immortalized Cordon Rouge, each in his own style.
But it is with the painter Foujita that the association of the House of Mumm with the arts was carried furthest. In 1958, President Rene Lalou turned to Foujita for the design of the Cordon Rosé label and seal.
The famous "Rose of Champagne" was born, further reproduced on the bottles of Cordon Rouge Olympic Vintage, introduced by Mumm at the time of the Olympic Games of Tokyo in 1964.
One year after this first collaboration, this painter of Japanese extraction was to be deeply moved by a visit to the Cathedral of Rheims, where a mystical revelation led to his conversion to Catholicism. His godfather, Rene Lalou, had a chapel built for him close to the Hotel Mumm. In 1966, at the age of eighty, Foujita decorated the walls of "Our Lady of Peace" with frescos of dazzling freshness. They evoke the Old and the New Testament, without forgetting champagne with the gracious "Notre Dame des Vendages."






G


Glass : The flute is the most appropriate glass. With its tulip form, it displays the color of the Champagne to its best advantage, allows bubbles to make an elegant ascension, and prevents the aromas from dissipating too quickly. For total visual pleasure, the glass should be very fine, without color or markings.
A connoisseur's trick: If your Champagne does not appear to be sufficiently bubbly, pour a few drops into the glasses and swirl them around to cover and moisten the sides, then empty the glasses. With the "impurities" now removed from the sides of the glasses, the bubbles will develop fully.






Graft: Why graft? Phylloxera - an insect which feeds on the sap of vine roots - destroyed almost all European vines (known as "Vitis Vinifera") at the end of the 19th century. Winegrowers had recourse to only one solution: grafting European varieties on rootstock native to America that was resistant to Phylloxera.
The grafting of herbaceous cuttings: a new technique of production of young vines developed by the INRA (Institut National De la Recherche Agronomique) and by Mumm. Thanks to greenhouse cultivation, the grafted plants are guaranteed to be virus-free; they have better-developed root systems, and better fusion of grafts to rootstock. This technique, based on herbaceous plants and applicable throughout the year, makes it possible to obtain production at more important levels and more rapidly than by the traditional grafting method.






Grape varietals (Cépages): Over a long span of time, three grape varietals - three types of grape vines - have proven to be best adapted to Champagne's climate and soil: Chardonnay (white grapes), Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (black grapes).
From their differences are created the myriad flavors of Champagnes.
Grape varieties are improved by means of clonal selection: within each grape variety (cépage), certain plant specimens are found to display distinctive characteristics. These plants, such as those which display disease resistance, are rigorously selected to become clones. Since 1972, Mumm has actively employed clonal selection for the 3 champagne grape varieties; only the best selections are planted in the vineyards.






Grapevines: In Champagne, vines are planted by hand or by machine. It is only in the third year after planting that the vine will begin to produce grapes, and the life span of the vine ranges from 27 to 50 years. The spacing between two vine plants and two rows of plants is strictly controlled by law: 1 meter between rows and 1.10 to 1.30 m between vine plants.
The average density is close to 9,000 vine plants per hectare.
Planting requires a great deal of care: the year before, the ground must be prepared:
Ground turned in depth
Clods of earth broken up
Addition of mineral and natural fertilizers.
(See pruning)
Origins of the grapevine:

Homo Sapiens:
Gathering grapes in their wild state 30,000 B.C.
According to the Bible: Noah, the first wine grower
Asia Minor - Black Sea 9,000 B.C.
Egypt 3,000 B.C.
Greece, Mediterranean Sea 2,000 B.C.
Italy (Romans) 900 B.C.
Southern Gaul
Rapidly prosperous 600 B.C.
Burgundy / Moselle 200 A.D.
Champagne End 3rd century A.D.

The grapevine in France:

South of France (Introduction by Romans)
Rapidly prosperous . 600 B.C
Over-production of wine, penury of wheat:
Decree of Emperor Domitien ordering vineyards to be torn up 97 A.D.
Decree of Emperor Probus authorizing replanting of vineyards.
Development of vines in:
Burgundy
Moselle
Champagne 285 A.D.






Growth : Growth, or "cru," stands for a precise vineyard or commune in which a vine is cultivated. There are 3 categories of crus (growths): the "Grands Crus Classés," (Classified Great Growths) classified on a rating scale at 100%. Only 17 crus qualify for this rating, representing only 14.5% of the appellation zone of the Champagne vineyards. The grapes cultivated there are the best, and the wines obtained there are the finest. Following them in the classification scale are 43 "Premiers Crus" (First Growths) ranking between 99% and 90%. The remaining 242 villages belong to a peripheral category of "crus" (growths) ranked at between 89% and 80%.
(See Scale of crus).






Gyropalettes : Today, riddling is carried out more and more automatically. Bottles are no longer placed on racks, but on automatic riddling machines called gyropalettes, themselves attached to pivoting bases. They are computer-controlled and programmed to tilt and turn the bottles at regular intervals, just as the cellarman would do by hand. Automatic riddling lasts one week.
(See riddling)






H


Harvests : Harvests traditionally take place 97 days after full flowering (give or take 9 days), in September or October. The start date is determined by the C.I.V.C. (Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne) and the growers when the right balance between the sugar content and acidity is reached (160g of sugar and 9g of acid per liter). The picking lasts about three weeks and must be done by hand. Harvest yield is limited by regulation each year as a function of the quality of the harvest.






I


ISO 9002
Quality is a permanent and shared objective at Mumm, not an idle dream. Our customers are unanimous in their testimony.
Mumm imposes strict standards upon itself in a constant effort to achieve perfection. ISO 9002 is a framework for action that defines the different stages of an effective quality control system. The level of quality is not determined by the standard, but by G.H. Mumm & Cie itself based on regulations and the requirements of its clients. In 1995, ISO 9002 certification was obtained, a true passport to quality.
Mumm thus became the first large global exporter of the Syndicat des Grandes Marques de Champagne to obtain ISO 9022 certification.
From general philosophy to reality, several concrete examples:
No defects in the wines which constitute our blends;
Continuity in the "style" of the product (the sensory description of the style is the object of a research program).
Greater demands made on our suppliers, including cork suppliers, bottle makers, carton makers, printers…
One element stands out in terms of the scale in which control is applied: the control of corks. Before a batch of corks is accepted, 200 bottles of Champagne are corked with corks from that batch. After 6 weeks- the time required for the wine to develop a cork taste - the 200 bottles are tasted by our wine tasters in the presence of the supplier. If more than 3 bottles with the taste of cork are detected, the batch is rejected. This extremely severe and expensive quality control enabled us to greatly reduce the production of bottles with a taste of cork, to the great satisfaction of our customers.
Control of labels and seals upon receipt (the color of the Cordon Rouge, for example, must correspond to a well-defined triptych of color).
Production line measurement of label application, etc.






L


Label :
The label of a Champagne bottle is the bottle's signature.
Obligatory features:
The word "Champagne" in capital letters.
Champagne is the only AOC wine which does not need the AOC mention on the label.
The name of vintner either in full or mentioned by its CIVC registration code preceded by initials providing information on the statute of the producer. (See producer)
The trade name or the name of the cuvée.
The place where the Champagne was made and the country of origin.
The contents of the bottle (ex. 750 ml, the standard Champagne bottle),
the "e," an EC guarantee of volume.
The Champagne quality as a function of its dosage: Brut, Sec, Demi-sec.
The degree of alcohol.
The vintage year when the wine is the product of an exceptional year.






Labeling and sealing : This operation consists of dressing up the bottles in all their finery (label, flange…). In 1996, Mumm installed a new very precise and highly specialized labeling and sealing line. A second line devoted to special bottles is scheduled to start activity in 1999.
(See label)






Laths: The method of storing bottles in the cellars:
Bottles are stacked horizontally, in such a way that they constitute a wall of bottles.






Lyre: The northern location of the champagne vineyards leads to great variability in grape production, both in terms of quality and in quantity. With the agreement of the INAO and the CIVC, Mumm is conducting research on new methods of trellising, called the "lyre" method, which was initiated in 1987.






M


Malolactic fermentation: This refers to a biological micro-process carried out by bacteria which transform the malic acid of the wine into lactic acid and carbon dioxide.
The generally unfavorable climatic conditions in Champagne lead to a level of acidity in the wine which is too high.
Without intervention, the wine obtained after the first fermentation would be too nervy: another fermentation is necessary, known as "malolactic fermentation." Behind this complicated name is a biological micro-process to reduce the acidity of the wine, making it smoother and guaranteeing its future stability.






Montagne de Reims : A broad plateau, little relief, gently sloping towards the river valleys of the Vesle and the Ardre to the north, and the Marne to the south.
Grapevines abundantly cover the sides of this plateau, with Pinot Noir the dominant variety. It includes 9 Grands Crus Classés (Classified Great Growths) at 100% on the rating scale of growths: Ambonnay, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Bouzy, Louvois, Mailly-Champagne, Puisieulx, Sillery, Verzenay, and Verzy.






Must: The first juice of harvested grapes obtained by pressing.
(See pressing)






P


Pinot Meunier (freshness and fruitiness): As opposed to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier is not planted in Grand Crus communes. It is a black grape variety that gives white juice, but less noble than the other two, and represents 36% of the total Champagne vineyard. It is found principally in the Marne Valley and in the Aude district. Because it buds late, it is more resistant to frost than the Pinot Noir. Its bunches are compact and its leaves covered with a light down. It gives freshness and fruitiness to the wine, and contributes to its balance.






Pinot Noir (power) : The Pinot Noir grows principally on the Montagne de Reims, especially in the Grands Crus communes. This black grape variety represents 37% of the total Champagne vineyard and 51% of the cultivated surface of Grands Crus. Pinot Noir is also the grape variety of the red Grands Crus of Burgundy. It is easily identified by its shiny, lightly serrated green leaves, and by its triangular bunches of grapes. Pinot Noir is sensitive to frost and prone to rot, preferring dry, light soils. It gives body, power, and longevity to the wine.






Pressing:
Gently does it
The grapes are pressed immediately after the harvest, cru by cru, variety by variety. Pressing is a delicate operation and very carefully regulated by law.
The aim is to produce a clear, white juice from the black grapes (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier), hence the need for gentle pressing in order to extract the juice without extracting color from the skin. Therefore, complete bunches of grapes are very slowly pressed, at low pressure (1kg/cm_). The regulated volume of one pressing is 4,000 kg of grapes that gives 2,550 liters of must, or juice.
The first pressing is the best.
The first pressing, known as the "cuvée," produces 2,050 liters of juice from 4,000 kg of grapes. This juice is the richest in sugar, has the most acid, and is the best. It serves as the basis for the best Champagnes.
The second pressing, known as the "taille" produces 500 liters of juice with a lower acid content, and a wine of lower quality.
Regulations that lowered yields were adopted in 1992. Up to that date, 100 liters of juice could be extracted from 150 kg of grapes. Today, 160 kg of grapes are required for the same 100 liters of juice.
The direct consequence of this measure to improve quality is that the poorer quality musts are eliminated, in particular the third pressing (the second "taille").
Grapes redistributed inside the presses manually between each pressing on this type of press so that the skins and stems are not shredded up, which would negatively affect quality.
Why separate the first pressing from the second?
The quality of a wine, its body, freshness, and longevity, comes from the concentration of sugars, tartaric and malic acids. On the other hand, excess levels of potassium or phenol compounds (coloring elements concentrated at the periphery of the grape) lead to poorer levels of quality: fragility, lack of finesse, astringency.
The aim of the Champagne method of pressing is to extract the components such as they exist in the pulp.
When the grape is crushed at very low pressure:
The must obtained first is from the intermediate zone of the grape.
Then, the central zone of the grape yields its juice.
Finally, must is obtained from the skin of the grape.
The must extracted from the first pressing or cuvée thus comes from the intermediate zone and will be of a higher quality than that of the second pressing or "taille".
The "cuvée" and the "taille" are therefore fermented separately.
Settling: After pressing, the must is left to "rest" for 12 to 20 hours at a temperature ranging from 14 to 18 °C, so that the remains of skins, pips, bits of earth and other solid matter settles at the bottom of the vat. Clear must is then withdrawn and transferred to another vat.
(See pressing)






Pressure: 24 g of sugar per liter of wine are added during the bottle fermentation (prise de mousse) phase, which will gradually produce 6 atmospheres of pressure under the effect of carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation. During the 18th century this pressure was Enemy N° 1 for Champagne producers. The quantities of sugar to be added were not mastered and the bottles were less solid than today. The result: series of explosions and a breakage rate of up to 90% of the bottles! It was even not uncommon for the cellars to have a central gutter to drain away the streams of wine.






Pruning: Pruning the vines enables limitation of the quantity of the harvest, it provokes better ripening of the grapes, and it increases the quality of the wine. This operation is very strictly regulated, as there are only four pruning methods which are authorized in Champagne, which vary according to the type of grape and the nature of the local soil:
Chablis pruning, for all Chardonnay varieties and sometimes Pinot Noir
Cordon de Royat pruning for Pinot Noir
Guyot and Vallée de la Marne pruning, principally for Pinot Meunier
Only grapes obtained in conformity with these pruning methods qualify for the Champagne appellation.
(See cultivation calendar)






R


Racks : After having spent several years in a horizontal position, the wine must be rid of its sediment. To accomplish this, the bottles are placed neck down in racks called "pupitres." They are then turned slightly every day for several weeks so that the sediment slips into the neck. This process is called "remuage," or riddling. The deposit of sediment has become compact and is stuck up against the stopper in the final stage of the process.
(See riddling)






Reserve wines: Years of big harvests are divine destiny. For this reason, a certain portion of those harvests is "reserved" to later enter into the blending of non-vintage wines, in proportions that will vary depending upon the year and its weather conditions.
(See blending)






Riddling: A manual or automated operation consisting of turning inclined bottles on a daily basis in order to induce the sediment deposit to consolidate and slip into the neck of the bottle.
After having spent several years in a horizontal position, the wine must be rid of its sediment. To accomplish this, the bottles are placed neck down in racks called "pupitres." They are then turned slightly regularly every day for several weeks so that the sediment slips into the neck. This process is called "remuage," or riddling. The deposit of sediment has become compact and is stuck up against the stopper in the final stage of the process
In the good old days
The traditional method of riddling is one of the images most commonly associated with Champagne production. The cellarman responsible for this operation - the riddler - gives a shake to the bottles with a brusque left-to-right movement and then gives them a 1/8th turn. The operation is repeated every day for a period of 6 to 8 weeks. During the same period, the bottles are progressively tilted until they are finally in a top-down vertical position.
At G.H. Mumm, even if Champagne riddling is now mostly automated, the prestige cuvées and magnums are still riddled by hand. Output is naturally less than when using gyropalettes, but it is nonetheless impressive: a single riddler can riddle up to 40,000 bottles a day.
Progress on the march
Today, riddling is becoming more and more automated. The bottles are no longer placed in "pupitres," but on automatic riddling machines called "gyropalettes," which are themselves attached to pivotal bases. The machines are computer-programmed to tilt and turn the bottles at regular intervals, just as a riddler would do by hand. The automatic riddling operation lasts one week.
Heads down
After riddling, the bottles are ready for disgorging, but remain in the top-down position ("sur pointes") in order to definitively consolidate the deposit of sediment and to fix it to the crown cap, each bottle resting in the hollow of the bottle underneath.
This enables a buffer stock to be constituted before disgorging, or, in the case of old vintages, to stop the aging process of the wine to increase its potential for longevity.






S


Scale of growths:
Each growth is classified from 80 % to 100 % according to:
the sub-soil,
the soil,
the exposure of the slopes,
the maturity of the grapes,
the quality of wines obtained for blending.
This classification guarantees the origin and the quality of the grape. It is the base on which the price of the grape is calculated.

GROWTHS Scale
%
CRUS Scale
%

MARNE
Allemant noir 85
Chambrecy 83

Allemant blanc 87
Chamery 90

Arcis le Ponsart 82
Champillon 93

Aubilly 82
Champlat Boujacourt 83

Avenay 93
Champvoisy 84

Avize 100
Chantemerle .... noir 85

Ay 100
Chantemerle ....; blanc 87

Barbonne Fayel noir 85
Chatillon sur Marne 86

Barbonne Fayel blanc 87
Chaumuzy 83

Baslieux sous chatillon 84
Chavot Courccourt 88

Bassu 85
Chenay 84

Bassuet 85
Chigny les roses 94

Baye 85
Chouilly noir 95

Beaumont sur vesle 100
Chouilly blanc 100

Beaunay 85
Coizad Joches 85

Belval sous Chatillon 84
Coligny noir 87

Bergères les vertus 95
Coligny blanc 90

Bergères sous Montmirail 82
Congy 85

Berru 84
Cormicy 83

Bethon.... Noir 85
Cormontreuil 94

Bethon.....Blanc 87
Cormoyeux 85

Bezannes 90
Coulomnes la montagne 89

Billy le grand 95
Courcelles Sapicourt 83

Binson Orquigny 86
Courjeonnet 85

Bisseuil 95
Courmas 87

Bligny 83
Courtagnon 82

Bouilly 86
Courthiezy 83

Bouleuse 82
Courville 82

Boursault 84
Couvrot 84

Bouzy 100
Cramant 100

Branscourt 86
Crugny 86

Breuil (Le) 83
Cuchery 84

Brimont 83
Cuis noir 90

Brouillet 86
Cuis blanc 95

Broussy le Grand 84
Cuisles 86

Broyes.....noir 85
Cumières 93

Broyes ....blanc 87
Damery 89

Brugny Vaudancourt 86
Dizy 95

Cauroy les Hermonville 83
Dormans (try, vassy, vassieux, chavenay) 83

Celle s Chantemerle (la) noir 85
Ecueil 90

Celle s Chantemerle (la) blanc 87
Epernay 88

Cernay les Reims 85
Etoges 85

Cerseuil 84
Etrechy noir 87

Chalons sur Vesle 84
Etrechy blanc 90




CRUS Scale
%
CRUS Scale
%

Faverolles 86
Morangis 84

Ferebrianges 85
Moslins 84

Festigny 84
Moussy 88

Fleury la rivière 85
Mutigny 93

Fontaine Denis noir 85
Nanteuil la forêt 82

Fontaine Denis blanc 87
Nestle le repons 84

Germiny 85
La Neuville aux Larris 84

Givry les Loisy 85
Nogent l'abbesse 87

Grauves noir 90
Oeuilly 84

Grauves blanc 95
Oger 100

Gueux 85
Oiry 100

Hautvillers 93
Olizy Violaine 84

Hermonville 84
Orbais l'abbaye 82

Hourges 86
Ormes 85

Igny Comblizy 83
Oyes 85

Janvry 85
Pargny les Reims 90

Jonchery sur Vesle 84
Passy Grigny 84

Jonquery 84
Pévy 84

Jouy les Reims 90
Pierry 90

Lagery 86
Poilly 83

Leuvrigny 84
Pontfaverger 84

Lhéry 86
Port à Binson 84

Lisse en Champagne 84
Pouillon 84

Loisy en Brie 85
Pourcy 84

Louvois 100
Prouilly 84

Ludes 94
Puisieulx 100

Mailly Champagne 100
Reims 88

Mancy 88
Reuil 86

Mardeuil 84
Rilly la montagne 94

Mareuil le Port 84
Romery 85

Mareuil sur Ay 99
Romigny 82

Marfaux 84
Rosnay 83

Merfy 84
Sacy 90

Méry Premecy 82
St Amand sur Fion 84

Les Mesneux 90
Sainte Euphraise 86

Le Mesnil le Hutier 84
Sainte Gemme 84

Le Mesnil sur Oger 100
Saint Gilles 82

Mondement 84
Saint Lumier 85

Montbré 94
St Martin d'Arbois 86

Montgenost noir 85
St Thierry 87

Montgenost blanc 87
Sarcy 83

Monthelon 88
Saudoy noir 85

Montigny ss Chatillon 86
Saudoy blanc 87

Montingy sur Vesle 84
Savigny sur Ardre 86




CRUS Scale
%
CRUS Scale
%

Selles 84
Vinay 86

Sermiers 89
Vincelles 86

Serzy et Prin 86
Vindey noir 85

Sézanne noir 85
Vindey blanc 87

Sézanne blanc 87
Voipreux 95

Sillery 100
Vitry en perthois 85

Soilly 83
Vrigny 89

Soulières 85
Marne (autres crus) 80

Taissy 94

Talus Saint Prix 85

Tauxières 99

Thil 84

Tours sur Marne noir 100

Tours sur Marne blanc 90

Tramery 86
AISNE
Trépail 95

Treslon 86
CANTON DE CONDE
Trigny 84
SUR BRIE
Trois Puits 94

Troissy 84
Barzy sur Marne 85

Unchair 86
Passy sur Marne 85

Val de Vièvre 84
Trélou sur Marne 85

Vanault le Chatel 84
Autres crus du canton 83

Vandeuil 86

Vandières 86
Autres crus de l'Aisne 80

Vauciennes 84

Vaudemanges 95

Vavray le grand 84
AUBE
Vavray le petit 84

Venteuil 89
Villenauxe la grand noir 85

Verneuil 86
Villenaux la grande blanc 87

Vert Toulon 85

Vertus 95
Autres crus de l'Aube 80

Verzenay 100

Verzy 100

Villedommange 90

Ville en Tardenois 82

Villeneuve Renneville 95

Villers Allerand 90

Villers aux noeuds 90

Villers Franqueux 84

Villers Marmery 95

Villers sous Chatillon 86

Villevenard 85







Second pressing: The second pressing - the "taille" - yields 500 liters of less acidic juice, which will give a wine of lesser finesse.
(See pressing)






Sensory analysis :
1. SENSORY ANALYSIS AT MUMM CORDON ROUGE
Since 1994, Mumm Cordon Rouge has developed a sensory analysis program, in order to characterize our different cuvées, to control quality and to distinguish our champagnes from the champagnes of our competitors.
Sensory analysis is the study of the different properties of a product evaluated by our five senses. It consists of methods which allow us to define all the characteristics of a food product or a wine.
Traditional wine tasting methods have been used for a long time at Mumm Cordon Rouge, but a few years ago we felt that it was necessary to improve our tasting through a more scientific approach. Sensory analysis brought rigor, efficiency, objectivity and reliability to the description of our champagnes.

2. THE LIMITS OF PHYSIO-CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
To understand what wine is, several methods exist, included physio-chemical analysis. We usually measure the wine's pH, acidity level, sugar, and alcohol content, as well as the presence of different substances. With the help of more sophisticated techniques such as gas chromatography and spectrometry, we can identify the presence of molecules which lend a variety of aromas to wine.
Though it is easy to obtain objective values through analysis, it is very difficult to understand exactly what these represent. It is sometimes hard to link a substance identified to a described aroma. The results we get from physio-chemical analysis are, then, far different from consumers' impressions.
This is why we have also decided to use sensory analysis to study champagne wines.

3. THE FIVE SENSES
Our five senses are the instruments of sensory analysis. We use our five senses to analyze and to appreciate what we eat and drink.
Hearing helps to evaluate different factors related to sound. This might be very important for a crunchy apple or for a chips. It is also involved when you open a champagne bottle.
Vision allows for the description of all the visual aspects of a product, i.e., its color, its density, its fluidity, etc. In the case of Champagne, color, limpidity and effervescence are important quality factors. But up to now we hadn't worked on these parameters, for they are quite difficult to evaluate and to standardize.
Smell is the sense related to the perception of odors. It is the most important sense for the perception of wine quality. In developing our program, we paid a lot of attention to the olfactory perception of our products.

Then comes taste. It is the sense related to the perception of the four basic tastes which are:
· Sweetness, which is perceived at the point of the tongue,
· Acidity, which is perceived on the sides of the tongue,
· Bitterness is the feeling you may have after swallowing, because the cells sensitive to bitterness are at the end of the tongue. For instance, bitterness is what you feel when you drink coffee without sugar.
· The last taste, which is not normally used for wine, is saltiness. It is also perceived on the sides of the tongue, close to the end of the mouth.

We might add to these basic tastes other perceptions that we feel in the mouth, like astringency from tannins, or roundness, body, balance or the length of the after-taste.

4. The Five Senses

Sight
Olfaction
Taste
Hearing
Touch

5. TRAINED EXPERT WINE TASTERS
For our sensory analysis program, it is very important to have an outstanding and reliable group of assessors. Twenty persons from our company take part in our program. We use a group of persons, because a single person cannot be highly sensitive to all aromas. Everyone has different thresholds for each sensation, and the use of a group allows us to avoid wide variations due to individual characteristics. Tasting experts and beginners alike took the same training course.
They were trained for six months in order to recognize and evaluate the specific aromas and tastes of champagne. Naturally, before being able to identify an aroma, one must recognize and memorize it. The tasting group then meets twice annually for eight-week sessions, with two tastings per week.
So we have spent considerable time on the recognition of aromas. The same work was carried out for the recognition of savors.

6. AROMAS
Aromas and tastes are the root of wine description. Though there are only a few basic tastes, a great number of aromas may be identified in champagne.
Many aromas are present in wine, for instance, red fruits in red wines, lemon, flowers and honey in white wines, caramel and "animal" notes in aged wines, woodiness in the wines matured in oak barrels, etc.
Each type of wine has its own aromatic world, and it was very important for us to discover the specific aromatic "palette" of champagne, and to find a reference for each aroma. For instance, we might notice that the lemon aroma in a Burgundy chardonnay is slightly different from the lemon aroma found in champagne.
But, it is not possible to recognize and to name an aroma, if you have not previously learned it. Hence, the first step in our program was to teach the assessors to name certain smells.
That is why we trained our panel by using a collection of aromas. We built it by trying to find substances whose smell resembles each aroma found in champagne.
We now have 120 references for aromas which allow us to describe most of the aromas found in champagne.
We are continually building this collection, to improve the equation of the substances with the smells. It is very important to have specific references for champagne aromas.


7. SENSORY ANALYSIS: THE LIST OF ATTRIBUTES
We built our list of attributes during the training course of the Mumm Cordon Rouge tasting team.
First, we spent a good deal of time tasting many champagnes in order to establish the vocabulary describing the aromas and tastes. More than 250 words were found.
Then, we eliminated all the words that did not specifically describe champagne wines in a precise and clear manner. For instance, we eliminated all "sensual" descriptors, such as pleasant, elegant, fine, etc., or imprecise terms such as fresh, heavy, fleshy, or descriptors whose meanings were too close, such as grapefruit and lemon, hazelnut and almond.
About 250 terms were found after this first choice. Then by tasting, through consensus and statistical analysis, we reduced the number of these words to obtain a list of 21 descriptors and a complementary list of three per taster, to make 24 in all. The number of descriptors was limited intentionally, in order to facilitate their memorization. For each term, we have a specific reference and a clear definition, to avoid any mis-interpretation of the word.
Our list is composed of olfactory and tasting terms.
The first group of terms refers to fruit aromas, like lemon, apple, ripe fruits, tropical fruits, fruity, etc. We also introduced the flowery and herbaceous aromas. We called the latter green, cut grass.
The second main group is composed of aromas related to aging wine, such as toasted, roasted, buttery, caramel, vanilla, animal, leather, etc.
The third group is made of specific terms like spicy, undergrowth, dusty, fermented and rubbery.
Concerning the tasting terms, we introduced three basic terms, i.e., acid, bitter and sweet, as well as two terms more which are specific to wine: balance and length.

8. SHARED LIST OF 21 ATTRIBUTES

Lemon and citrus: a mixture of lemon/grapefruit
Apple: green apple, ethanal
Ripe fruits: ripe apples and pears
Tropical fruits: a mixture of mango, pineapple, passion fruit, etc.
Fruity: a mixture of ripe fruits (other than those listed above)
Floral: bouquet of white flowers
Green: herbacious, fresh cut grass
Toasty: toasted bread, roasted coffee, brioche
Fresh butter
Caramel, vanilla
Animal: Animal, leather
Spicy: Spicy, peppery, cinnamon, nutmeg
Underbrush: humid underbrush, moss
Dusty, moldy
Ferment: yeasty
Rubber
Acid
Bitter
Sweet
Balanced
Length

Complementary list (choice of three)

Dried fruit
Hazelnut
Woody
Honey
Lactic (milk)
Astringent






Silver spoon: It's official: a small silver spoon has absolutely no effect on the conservation of champagne in an open bottle. Specialists have studied the question and have demonstrated that there is no difference between bottles kept with and without the magic accessory! If you wish to keep your champagne 2 to 3 days, it is preferable to use a hermetic stopper that retains the gas in the bottle; they are carried by the majority of good wine merchants.






Spring frosts: The fight against the whims of nature.
Champagne is located at the northern limit for the cultivation of vines, and is subjected to sometimes-extreme climatic conditions causing important damage. Spring frosts are among the whims of the weather which can destroy the vine buds in April and May. Since 1951 Mumm has made large investments in protection against Spring frosts, and has perfected the Haltogel heating systems.






Sub-soil : The top soil in Champagne is a thin layer of chalky clay which covers a sub-soil of chalk deposited by the sea during the secondary era. The chalk sub-soil is of utmost importance, since its porous nature permits moisture to be conserved and its white color reflects heat, leading to the big differences in temperature between day and night. It is from these characteristics that the wine gets its finesse and elegance.






T


Tasting :
Golden straw, ripe peach, points of white flowers, brioche… The taste of Champagne wakes up the senses, challenges the imagination, and transports one to the realm of associations, rich in color and in fragrance. The chronology of a rare moment:
A great Champagne is tasted first with the eyes.
Slowly, the champagne flows along the side of glass and reveals its color in the light. First of all appreciate his limpidity, its transparency; judge the wine to be crystal-like, brilliant, clear. Then evaluate the density of its color, ranging from pale yellow to amber according to the composition and the age of the Champagne. The final test will be that of the foam, its abundance, its persistence in the glass, and of the finesse of the bubbles, rising in straight and regular lines to animate the surface, finally ending as strings of pearls clinging to the sides of the glass.
The first notes of a symphony.
Tasting Champagne is in every way identical to tasting a wine…with one major exception: the bubbles! The effervescence can indeed act as a "screen;" an overbearing presence can attack the nose and modify the perception of the aromas. This is why it is advisable to let the bubbles dissipate slightly and allow the wine to "open up" before going any further.
The panoply of aromas will then be revealed, as you gently smell the Champagne for the first time. This first of contact will enable you to appreciate the character of the cuvée- it may be delicate, classic, powerful or evolved - and these first impressions will be reinforced, more specific and more definite aromas will be revealed by a second smell. We can then speak of fruity or floral notes, vegetal or animal aromas; we can also distinguish primary aromas (evoking the grape), secondary or tertiary aromas (in the case of prolonged aging).
The harmony of flavors:
Bring the glass to your mouth and concentrate: the aromas previously discovered are transformed into distinct flavors. Tasting follows a clearly marked path: the "attack" offers the palate an overall impression, fresh and pleasant; during the "evolution," the fullness of the Champagne is defined and the flavors become clearly specified; the "after-taste" allows you to appreciate the persistence of the flavors.
For the novice, the first tasting notes may not fully capture the richness of sensation which the Champagne has the power to excite. But little by little, your powers of analysis will develop and you will learn to recognize and to identify the flavors that characterize each cuvée…which should be enjoyed, of course, in moderation.
Recognizing grape varietals:
Chardonnay, if exclusive in a Champagne, generally produces a yellow green or a golden green color. In the mouth, it offers finesse, elegance, and lightness.
A high proportion of Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier gives light pink glints to the color. During tasting, the former gives the wine structure and persistence of flavor; the latter, roundness and balance.
The specialist's vocabulary:
Tasting reveals the acidity of the Champagne, which may be qualified as green, fresh, lively, supple, or flat.
For the aromas, whether with the nose or on the palate, one can speak of youth or maturity. They mainly evoke flowers and fruit (red fruits, citrus fruits, apricots, and pears…) but there can also be the presence of the soil as well as fragrances of honey, coffee, toast, brioche, or nuts.
The body of Champagne can be defined as structured, full, light, or hollow in character.
Quality may be judged as elegant, pleasant, typical, or ordinary.
After-taste (the persistence of taste) can be more or less pronounced and long.






Terroir: The definition of "terroir" provided by the O.I.V. (Office International de la Vigne et du Vin) is as follows: "A defined and designated combination of soils whose nature, geographic configuration, and climate enable the production of specific products by the persons who exploit it."
It can be said that the quality of a wine depends upon the manner in which it is made and cultural practices which enable characteristics of sensory perception to be expressed that are specific to each grape variety, influenced by environmental conditions of the soil and climate. The terroir constitutes the basis of the notion of wine of controlled origin (A.O.C.). Chalk, a continental climate with oceanic influences, and the three grape varieties (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier) are characteristics of the Champagne terroir, which are expressed so differently in each of the Champagne growths.






Topping and trimming : the ends of the vine shoots are clipped in order to limit development of shadows from one row to another and to prevent leaves from piling up.






Training: The young shoots of the vine are trained into vertical positions by attachment between two guide wires so that the leaves obtain maximum exposure to the sun.
(See cultivation calendar)






Training the shoots: The young shoots of the vine are attached to guide wires.
(See cultivation calendar)






Treatment:
The process of protecting the vines against insects and fungi.






U


Upside-down storage of bottles: "Pointes":
Top down, heads down, neck down, on the tips…
After the riddling procedure consolidates the deposits and fixes them to the stopper, the bottles are placed in a neck-down position with each bottle resting in the hollow of the bottle underneath. For old vintage wines, this also allows the aging of the wine to be stopped and thus ensure greater longevity.
(See riddling)






V


Vallée de la Marne (Marne Valley): One of the zones of the Champagne vineyards which extends over a hundred kilometers to the west of Epernay, along the Marne river. The grape variety, principally Pinot Meunier, is spread over the hills which slope gently down to the banks of the Marne. The Vallée de la Marne includes two Grands Crus that are ranked at 100% on the scale of growths: Ay and Tours sur Marne.






Vat Hall:
A constant quest for quality.
As soon as they are received at Mumm, different growths are kept separate and they are vinified in separate vats: the qualities specific to each growth are thus perfectly respected.
In the same manner, after fermentation, all wines will be kept separately in new vats with specifications of their sources (growths) and their composition (type of vine).
Controlled temperature
Important rises in temperature could cause fermentation to be halted and lead to a deterioration of the aromas of the wines. For these reasons, at Mumm, the vats are maintained at a constant temperature of 16 to 20 °C during fermentation.






Vinification (Wine making): The phase of transforming the grape must into wine.
(See alcoholic fermentation)






Vintage Year (Millésime) :
When a harvest proves to be truly exceptional, (as, for example, in 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, and1995) the decision is taken to produce a vintage year: the blend will include only wines from that specific year's grape harvest. For this reason, vintage year wines are all different from each other, as opposed to vintages which are not identified as a vintage of a specific year and whose compositions are carefully studied precisely to guarantee constancy of taste over time.
Vintage Years at Mumm:

1889 1952
1893 1955
1900 1958
1904 1959
1906 1961
1911 1962
1913 1964
1920 1969
1921 1971
1923 1973
1933 1975
1934 1976
1937 1979
1941 1982
1943 1985
1945 1987
1947 1988
1949 1989
1990
1995
1996
1997
1998

Years in bold type correspond to great vintage years.
Up-coming vintage years, not yet marketed.
(See blending)






W


Wine makers:

Number
Trade names
utilized

NM Wine merchant / vintner 262 1,320
ND Wine merchant / distributor 105 148
RM
RC

SR


RM + RC + SR
Champagne maker / vintner

Cooperative winegrowers

Vintner corporation
5,104


3,649

4,015

31

CM Cooperative vintner 44 233
MA Auxiliary trade name 2,994
TOTAL 12,390


Source CIVC 1997

Wine merchant / vintner: purchases harvested grapes, makes Champagne out of the grapes, sells Champagne under labels with their own names.
262 merchants / vintners own 10% of the vineyards, account for over 70% of the shipments and more than 90% of the exports.
Wine merchant / distributor: wine merchants who buy and sell the finished product.
Champagne makers / vintners: winegrowers who conserve part or all of their grape harvest in order to make their own Champagne and present the finished product under their own names.
Cooperative winegrowers; winegrowers who obtain partially finished wines or wines ready for sale from their cooperatives.
Vintner corporation: Company created by several persons of the same family. The company produces and sells the wines.
Cooperative / vintner: Members cultivate the vines, the cooperative takes charge of making and selling the wine.
Auxiliary trade name: Trade names registered by wholesale buyers or central merchandizing organizations. Bottles from different sources (growers, merchants, and cooperatives) may be sold under the same label.


Wine press: The 7 winepress centers of the House of Mumm, equipped with 29 traditional vertical presses, are located in the heart of the Champagne vineyards: in Avize, Cramant, Bouzy, Verzy, Verzenay, Mailly, and Savigny.
The decentralization of pressing ensures that the grapes will not suffer from prolonged transport to the presses.
The grapes of our winegrower partners are pressed under the supervision of Mumm technicians at the pressing centers.
(See Pressing)


Wire-cap: A metallic reinforcement that holds the cork and metal capsule in place. They often become collectors' items.
Chilling phase or stabilization by refrigeration
Once the blending has been accomplished, the wine is chilled to a temperature of -4°C for several days to eliminate excess tartaric acid (a natural acid in wine) by crystallization. The crystals are separated and the wine clarified by means of filtration.
Without taking these precautions, there would be the danger of calcium and bitartrate of potassium bitartrate crystals forming when the Champagne is exposed to the cold: (harmless, but unpleasant).