The physics of a champagne cork

Nov17
2011 Written by Champagne Curator

(Video: How a champagne works in slow motion)

Wine cork is defined as the lightweight elastic outer bark of the cork oak tree used especially for bottle closures, insulation, floats, and crafts. Cork is an amazingly versatile natural material. It is harvested from the Cork Oak tree and is unharmed by the process, thus the cork oak tree can produce for up to 150 years. Corks elasticity makes it suitable for bottle stoppers on wine bottles

The use of cork dates back hundreds of years even being found in Egyptian tombs. It has been used for fishing net floats, bottle stoppers, flooring, roofs, shoes and even clothing.

You may not remember but back in 1892 there was a widely known cap called the bottle cap that had a metal lid lined with cork. It was used on drink bottles up until recently.

The Cork Oak Tree

Most of the commercial cork trees grow in western Mediterranean and the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal produces at least half of the world supplies of cork.

The tree grows to be about 40-60 feet with a trunk circumference of 6-10 feet. The first harvest happens when the tree is about 20 years old and is normally of poor quality. The next harvest is about nine years later and occur every nine years after that. The harvest usually starts when there is two inches of thickness.

Types of wine corks

The type of wine cork that is used in bottling is dependant on many factors, especially the type of wine being bottled and the possible time between bottling and drinking. A few other factors include; bottle size, bottling speed, wine quality, wine color and sparkling or not.

There are seven types of wine corks

Natural Wine Corks

These are natural and high quality and because of that they are expensive. These corks are punched from cork boards. They are then washed, sterilized and sold. There are seven grades of these corks and the quality is precisely checked. They last long and are used on wine that are to be stored for long times.

Ice Wine Natural Corks

Made specifically for this rare wine as the bottle necks are thin and they need to withstand the high sugar content that is in the wine.

Double Disc or Twin Top Corks

Combination of natural and agglomerated corks and are used with a precise consistency and for a wine industry standard. These are pretty technical stoppers and are used because they are consistently the same density, quality, and price

Champagne corks

These corks fit champagne bottles and are designed to be used to make a tight seal that withhold the high pressure of champagne.

Colmated or pore filled natural corks

The air spaces in the natural wine corks are filled with a resin and these are used for volume wines.

Agglomerate Wine Corks:

These stoppers are made from the waste product of natural wine corks. The pieces are glued together and it is a cheaper alternative. They are used mostly on wine that will be stored less than a year.

Synthetic Wine Corks:

This is the modern cork and is used in many wineries. They never dry out or rot and yet there are a few problems; cork screws can be damaged and the biggest concern is that the seal is not long-lasting and thus good wines can be destroyed when air gets in. A benefit is that they come in virtually any color so fancy designs are easier.

As you can see there are many types of corks available for sealing your wine bottle. Make sure to go through the thought process of what type will be best for you before you spend your money and preserve your wine.

Posted in Champagne Corks - Tagged

Dom Perignon Champagne – The Facts About Dom Perignon Champagne

Oct16
2011 Written by Champagne Curator

On our visit to Champagne, we had the opportunity to talk again with Richard Geoffroy, the Chef de Cave of Dom Pérignon, to get his perspective on the 2007 harvest – which was literally in progress during our visit.

Made by Moët et Chandon since the late 1920s, this prestige cuvée was named for Pierre Pérignon, a Benedictine monk, who legend has it, came out of the cellar one day yelling to his Benedictine brothers I am drinking stars! Richard Geoffroy has been the cellar master for Dom Pérignon for over a decade. Although he has a medical degree from the University of Reims, he never entered private practice, preferring instead to get an additional degree in enology and return to the roots of his family – winemaking.

Join us as we visit with Richard at LAbbaye de Hautvillers, the birthplace of Champagne.

Dom Perignon champagne is a sparkling wine made in France. The area where it’s made is about 1 hour travel from Paris, and it is the only area where Champagne, the wine, can be produced.

The first commercial sparkling wine was produced in the Limoux area of France around the year 1535. You can say that sparkling wine was not invented; no-one knows who first made it.

Dom Perignon, the man, was born about 1638. His full name was Pierre Perignon. He was a Benedictine Monk at the Abbey of Hautville near Riems in France. Wine was already being made in the Champagne region for centuries before this time. Dom Perignon’s legacy to the entire world was a procedure for production of Champagne. Dom Perignon died in 1716. His famous statement “I see stars” was uttered upon his first taste of Champagne.

Dom Perignon is the well known cuvée of the famous Moët et Chandon Champagne house. Dom Perignon, the Champagne wine, was first produced in 1936. Moet et Chandon which purchased the Abbey of Hautville 120 years earlier produced a super cuvee which celebrated the Monk’s who made it. The Champagne is only produced in exceptional vintages; in 2 styles, the Brut and the Brut Rose and in 2 sizes, 750ml bottle and 1.5 Liter bottle. The name has become synonymous with class and stature. Sustained in part by the Hollywood glamour, this extremely well marketed brand has developed a worldwide reputation in all countries across the globe. In most vintages it has proved to have a quality above average and therefore is in huge demand. The 1990 vintage is generally admired as an exquisite Champagne.

A gift of Dom Perignon champagne will express what only the best and fine things will do. You can send Dom Perignon Champagne gifts for birthdays, thanks, congratulations, New Years, holidays, engagement occasions, weddings, special anniversaries, Mothers Day, or any other occasion or holiday you can think of. Champagne deliveries are also ideal for corporate and executive gifts. There are special gift packages for this kind of occasions, consisting of champagne, flowers and sweets, in specially designed decorated baskets. If you are thinking to make such a gift, you will find many companies providing such services for their clients.

If you want that your champagne would make a special gesture for someone or for a certain occasion, your gift set can be personalized at your request.
And, definitely, Dom Perignon champagne is the definition of exquisite luxury and taste. Such a gift doesn’t need any other words, it can speak for itself.

Posted in Dom Perignon, Videos - Tagged

Tips & Information About Champagne : Opening A Champagne Bottle

Oct01
2011 Written by Champagne Curator

How to properly open a bottle of champagne; learn more about champagne in this free instructional video.

Expert: Josh Molton
Bio: Josh Molton has been a 5 star executive chef for over 15 years and has made guest appearances on the Food Network. He is a sparkling wine and champagne connoisseur.

Posted in Education, Knowledge Base

When Champagne is Not Necessarily Champagne

Sep24
2011 Written by Champagne Curator

The bubbly stuff has certainly developed a reputation. From New Year’s toasts to teams celebrating championships, the classic French Champagne is a standard bearer. The question is whether that bottle you have is really Champagne.

The title Champagne refers to the Champagne region of France where the bubbly is produced. Under French law, this is the only region that may produce a bubbly using the name. Most people know this and assume that any bottle with the Champagne name on it is, in fact, from the relevant region of France. Alas, this is not always true.

First off, there are many other areas of the world that make their own form of the bubbly stuff. In Spain, it is known as Cava while the Germans call it Sekt. Most of these brands can be identified by the bottle as they proudly designate themselves by their locations. Problems begin to arise, however, when we talk about labeling laws in the United States.

French law is clear. If the bubbly is from a region or country other than Champagne, France, it cannot use Champagne it the title. The United States, however, does not follow this law. Under federal law, any sparkling wine can be labeled as champagne regardless of whether it is from the Champagne region of France or France at all.

So, how can you tell where the bottle is really from? Well, there are a couple of ways. A bottle using the champagne verbiage that is not from the region must indicate what area [California, New York, etc.] it is actually from. Oddly, this is usually indicated in very small print! Second, the term “champagne” cannot be capitalized.

The goal of most sparkling wine producers is not to deceive the buyer. There is simply a conflict between what people expect in a quality sparkling wine – a champagne – and what they expect in a lower quality sparkling wine. It is a matter of labeling often overcoming the quality issue. As a result, many sparkling wine producers not from France will push the envelope as far as they can.

Ultimately, the issue is really whether you get a quality sparkling wine or not regardless of the region it comes from. Still, take the time to read all “champagne” labels closely. You don’t want to buy something you think is from France only to discover it is from another area.

Posted in Articles - Tagged ,

Champagne Bottles

Jan12
2011 Written by Champagne Curator

It is a moment of great excitement when you lift up the champagne bottle to pop it open. Did you know that the shape, color and size of the champagne bottle also matter a lot? Well, each bottle of champagne is just not made to hold the contents inside it. It is actually made keeping in mind many things, some of which are the type of champagne, originality of champagne and the ingredients. Surprising, isn’t it?

A champagne bottle retains its glamour and splendor even after consumption and adds class to the bar where it is stored. It can be gifted and presented to someone or can even be auctioned as a piece of rare art. This depends on what spectacular features the champagne bottle holds. Some wine producers follow the tradition of their local areas when choosing the shape of a champagne bottle. For example, straight-sided and high-shouldered champagne bottles depict the port, sherry and Bordeaux varieties, whereas tall bottles with sloping shoulders and a smaller punt stand for Burgundies and Rhone varieties. Some bottles have idiosyncratic styles that help in marketing the champagne.

The color and the punts of the champagne bottles also have some significance. Dark red and light green bottles hold dry whites; clear bottles hold sweet wines; and dark to medium green bottles usually indicate that a Mosel or Alsace is contained inside. Additionally, clear bottles have become among the most popular ones for white champagne with most of the producers. Lastly, it should be understood that no matter what the shape, size and color of the champagne bottle, it doesn?t make any big difference to the champagne or its taste.

Posted in Articles, Knowledge Base - Tagged

Champagne reviews by the Cork

Dec24
2010 Written by Champagne Curator

Andre Carpentier Champagne Cork

Champagne reviews, by the cork…

http://www.libation-unlimited.com/champagne-corks.aspx

Posted in Champagne Corks, Champagne Reviews - Tagged ,

‘Mad’ Frenchman making ‘champagne’ in southern England

Jan13
2009 Written by Champagne Curator

by AFP European Edition

“Yes, lots of people say I’m mad,” said Didier Pierson, a French champagne producer who has decided to start growing in England, convinced that British bubbly can match the real thing.

Pierson has planted his vines on a wind-swept hill overlooking the English Channel in Chidden, southern England, where cattle, not grapes, are a more typical sight in the fields.

Every year, he produces around 100,000 bottles of champagne from 10 hectares (25 acres) which he owns in Avize in the Champagne region of northeastern France.

But he wanted to expand his operation, and doing so in France was pricey — a hectare of land in Champagne costs around one million euros (1.4 million dollars).

His English wife urged him to look on the other side of the English Channel, where a hectare fetches more like tens of thousands of euros, said Pierson.

He picked the pretty coastal county of Hampshire, bought four hectares in 2003 and embarked on what he calls “an adventure.”

“We are right in the chalk here, like in Avize,” he told AFP. Chalky soil is ideal for growing vines because it drains well and this part of southern England, like Champagne, has it in abundance.

Britons have long been among the world’s biggest consumers of champagne, and more of them are now producing it, as well — the number of vines planted here has leapt by a third since 2004, many of which are used to make sparkling wine.

Nevertheless, Pierson’s project has not gone down too well with some of his countrymen.

“The French think I’m completely mad,” he said. He is not allowed to sell his wines as champagne and cannot even mention that he owns a vineyard in Champagne itself on his bottles.

His friends, though, are watching eagerly to see if he can defy centuries of tradition and see if he can produce a fine “champagne” from English soil.

Pierson said he “really hopes to show them that you can make a quality sparkling wine in England.”

But, despite having harvested his first English vines in 2007 — the wines from which will be ready by the end of 2011 — he says it will be some time before the vines reach their full potential.

“I think it is too early to know if we will be able to make good wines in England — we need to wait 10-15 years,” he said.

The 42-year-old has one eye on that date and another even further ahead — to a future where his children, who are aged nine and 10, will be able to take over the English project.

“If it goes well, other French producers will come over,” he said, highlighting the “big names in champagne which are already looking towards England — Roederer, Moet, Duval-Leroy.”

Posted in Articles, Champagne History

Understanding the World of Champagne

Jan11
2009 Written by Champagne Curator

With almost 300 champagne houses producing Champagne in the Champagne region, there’s potential for a lot of bottles to be produced each year. Around 320 million to be precise! With this in mind, choosing a bottle of Champagne may sound a daunting task. But there’s no need to fear. Once you know what to look for, deciding what to buy is simple. In this article, we cover everything you could need to know about Champagne, from types and styles through to bottle sizes. So once you’ve mastered your “Brut” from your “Balthazar”, you’ll be picking out bottles of Champagne in no time.

Grapes Types

Three grapes are used to make Champagne – Pinot Noir, Menuier and Chardonnay. Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are black grapes, while Chardonnay is a white grape. The quantity that each grape is used varies according to the Champagne. If you come across a “Blanc de Blancs”, this is Champagne which is made exclusively from the Chardonnay grape. “Blanc de Noirs”, on the other hand, is Champagne made from the red grapes – Pinot Noir and/ or Pinot Meunier.

Champagne Styles

Champagne comes in a range of styles from very dry through to very sweet. The normal dry style is known as “Brut”. If you prefer a slightly drier than normal style, look for “Extra” or “Ultra Brut”. “Sec” is slightly sweeter than normal, “Demi Sec” is sweeter, while “Doux” is an intensely sweet and very rare style of Champagne.

Champagne Types

The cheapest Champagne type that you’ll come across is “Non Vintage”. This refers to Champagne that is blended from wines of several years and, in doing so, this ensures that a constant style is achieved. Non-vintage Champagne is stored for at least a year before it is sold, and is considered the entry level or house style Champagne. The next level of Champagne is known as a “Vintage”. This is made from a blend wines from a particular year, when the quality of the wine is good enough to declare a vintage. In this case, the Champagne will have been stored for at least three years. A very, very special bottle produced in a vintage year, is known as a “Prestige” or “Deluxe Cuvée”. This is the producer’s top notch Champagne and usually costs more than three times more than a non-vintage and possibly double the price of a vintage Champagne. The grapes will have been hand selected and the Champagne will have been left to mature for five to seven years. Finally, if you like your Champagne with a pink tinge, go for a Rosé based Champagne.

Champagne Bottle Sizes

The most common Champagne bottles that you will come across are 75 cl bottles and Magnums (1.5 litres). However, it is also possible to find Quarter (18.75 cl) and Half bottles (37.5cl), along with Jeroboam (3 litres), Rehoboam (4.5 litres), Methuselah (6 litres), Salmanazar (9 litres), Balthazar (12 litres), and Nebuchadnezzar bottles (15 litres)!

The Champagne Region

Champagne refers to the region from where it was produced. The region of Champagne is the most northerly wine region in France and the “Champenois” (the collection of Champagne producers) are fiercely protective of its heritage. A bottle of Champagne has to be produced in the Champagne region for it to bear the Champagne label. So while all Champagne is classed as sparkling wine, you will come across sparkling wine which isn’t Champagne. Spanish Cava and Italian Prosecco are good examples.

Posted in Education - Tagged

Tattinger Family to retake control of champagne house

Dec17
2007 Written by Champagne Curator

Champagne - Espumante

Taittinger family to retake control of champagne house, relaunch …
Forbes, NY - 11 hours ago
PARIS (Thomson Financial) – The Taittinger family is to secure control once again of the eponymous champagne business more than two years after selling its …
Champagne house returns to the Taittingers Financial Times
Taittingers reclaim control of family brand Times Online
all 9 news articles »
Posted in Articles, Champagne History, Tattinger - Tagged ,

The Results Of Opening Champagne With A Sword

Dec08
2007 Written by Champagne Curator

The Results Of Opening Champagne With A Sword

Originally uploaded by murray_fortescue

When you use a sword to open a bottle of champagne, you literally end up cutting the top of the bottle off! Quite odd really

Posted in Uncategorized, Unique Pictures
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