Former British Prime Minister and eminent statesman Winston Churchill once stated, "You ought to be recompensed with champagne when victorious, and require it to dull your pain when defeated."
British aestheticist author and poet Oscar Wilde also declared, "Only those lacking imagination cannot discover a valid reason to consume champagne."
American renowned writer Mark Twain also remarked, "Everything in excess is detrimental, but champagne is an exception."
Today, let's explore the famous Champagne region of France and uncover the mystery behind it.
Appellation distribution
The Champagne region of France is one of the three most famous wine regions in France, not only the cradle of sparkling wine, but also the perfect blend of history, culture and winemaking. There are 5 appellations here: Vallée de la Marne, Montagne de Reims, Cote des Blancs, Cote de Sézanne and Cote des Bar.
Located about 200 km east of Paris, France, around the city of Reims and part of Marne, Aisne and Aube, the Champagne appellation is one of the northernmost wine regions in France. There are 33,800 hectares of vineyards,with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier as the main varieties. While, compared to them, the overall cultivation area of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane, which are also official varieties of Champagne appellation, is much smaller. In Champagne appellation, there are 16,000 wine growers and 340 wine merchants, with an annual production of 362 million bottles and annual sales of 4.9 billion euros, of which 2.9 billion is exports. In the cellars of Champagne, 1.392 billion bottles of champagne are slowly maturing.
Advantages of the Champagne region
01
Advantages of Climatic Conditions
Located at 49°N, the Champagne region has a cool continental climate, but is influenced by both oceanic and continental climate, with cold and dry winters, hot and rainy summers, and often foggy and sea breezes blowing from the west. The average annual temperature is only 10.8°C ,which is higher than that of other regions at the same latitude.The annual temperature in the Champagne is relatively low but stable, which considered as the northernmost limit for wine grape growing. The average annual sunshine hours are only 1,650 hours, which is 20% less than in Bordeaux. This climatic condition allows the grapes to ripen slightly slowly, but gives the champagne its characteristic freshness as well as a crisp mouthfeel and high acidityIn addition, the Champagne region has a unique advantage in terms of rainfall, with an average annual precipitation of 650-700 mm, which can provide stable water support for the vines, especially during the bud break and growing periods.The moderate amount of precipitation has a positive effect on the yield and quality of the grapes. Such perfect climatic conditions have resulted in an impressive selection of sparkling wines in the Champagne region.
02
Advantages of Soil Conditions
The soil of the Champagne region is mainly chalk, which is a "magical" soil, considering as one of the great heroes of the Champagne region. This soil is loose, breathable and retains water well, which is very important for the Champagne region, where the average precipitation is only around 650 mm. At the same time, the white color of the chalk soil has a reflective effect, which increases the ripeness of the grapes, allowing them to fully ripen in relatively cold climates.
Chalk soils are rich in minerals that are absorbed by the grape roots, which in turn affect the flavor and aroma of the wine, giving Champagne its unique mineral flavor that adds complexity and depth to its palate.
03
Advantages of Terrain Conditions
The sloping terrain of the Champagne region is conducive to drainage, especially during the rainy season, which prevents the vineyards from standing up and thus reduces the risk of diseases caused by excessive moisture in the roots of the vines.
At the same time, under the combined effect of excellent grape varieties, exquisite winemaking technology and strong brand influence, it has achieved the Champagne region of France.
Disadvantages of the Champagne appellation
Climatic instability, such as the risk of frost in spring, the variability of the climate in summer, and the tendency of grapes to sunburn under extreme high temperatures, adversely affect the growth and ripening of grapes, resulting in reduced yields and reduced product quality. In addition, the high cost of grape cultivation and production due to harsh growing conditions, the impact of counterfeit products and the rise of other sparkling wine regions have increased market competition pressure. Therefore, how to better solve these problems has also become a major problem faced by the Champagne region.
So, whether you're celebrating life's highlights or comforting those small setbacks, crack open a bottle of foam essence from the homeland of Champagne! After all, in Champagne regions, even the soil and climate are doing their best to cooperate with the winemakers, reminding us with perfect "sourness" and "bubbles" that there are always good things in life that deserve to be "opened" – and who can refuse a glass of champagne that bubbles the soul?
Note: This tweet pertains to an assignment in Grapevine Ecology.
Team members：
Liu Junyi
Liu Zihao
Dong Xianxiao
Xia Runtao
Shi Shuchang
Xu Bin
葡萄酒学院新闻中心
图文来源：葡萄酒学院
图文编辑：葡萄生态学（全英文）小组
审 核：王雪飞 葛 青
