Champagne - a question of quality.
Other really interesting stuff about how you can improve the quality of your Champagne came to light during my visit to Marc Chauvet Champagne recently. Clotilde is at pains to stress the extra time her Champagnes are aged on the lees (dead yeast) before release. By law the wine must age with the yeast for a minimum of 15 months before disgorging. At Marc Chauvet the ‘basic’ Brut is aged for 36 months, the Selection 48 months and the Vintage 72 months. I have always accepted the basic truth that this makes for a better quality, but why?;
Clotilde has many small vinification tanks allowing her to keep separate the free-run juice from the press juice. In principle the free-run juice is the best quality as it is purer and has fewer solids and tannins from the skins which are crushed in the press. The free-run juice is more acidic so needs longer ageing before it is at its optimum. The press wine ages more quickly so can get to market earlier (cash flow, eh?!) In her Brut she has about 20% press wine, and none in her others.
Still on the theme of higher acidity making a better quality Champagne but requiring longer ageing (and we’re getting technical now), Clotilde intervenes to stiop the malo-lactic fermentation, a natural process which converts sharp malic acid (apples) to softer lactic acid (milk). Once again, this requuires skill and effort but pays quality dividends.
The result is a range of wines with great finese combining small bubbles, good fruit and refreshing acidity with a biscuity yeastiness from long lees ageing. Super stuff!
Finally, the question of once you’ve bought a bottle of Champagne how long should you keep it before drinking? Clotilde says five years maximum for a good wine like hers and two years for a lesser quality. So if you have any bottles hidden away under the stairs get them out immediately and invent a reason to crack them open!