Chartogne Taillet Merfy Champagne:
Mirthful. Sparkling. Alive.
This bubbly, like all true Champagnes, begins with a place. Merfy lies in Coteaux de Vesle, sitting on what was once the beach of an ocean covering what is now the Reims depression. The vineyard covers 12 hectares with an annual production of some 6700 cases. The soil is chalk with sandstone, and of the grape varieties, 50% are Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier, and 40% are Chardonnay.
We found Chartogne's champagnes to be fuller bodied and sturdier this time around, perhaps because the red grapes underwent malolactic fermentation, but not the Chardonnays. Even so, the wine possesses a silkiness that always seems to be there, regardless of the year.
We recommend pairing Chartogne Taillet with a platter of your favorite cheeses, or with caviar. Visit our cheese section to learn more about our fantastic caviar choices for the holiday and into New Year's.
The holidays are meant to be celebrated; what better way to express your joy than with a glass of golden bubbles?
Read on for more about champagne.
Champagne (true Champagne) is sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. It can be made from up to three distinct grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier (hey, the last two grape varietals are red!). Let us explain further:
Blanc De Blancs - ("White of whites"), refers to Champagnes made using only the Chardonnay (white) grape.
Blanc De Noirs - ("White of blacks") refers to Champagnes made of red (or black) grapes, where the juice is squeezed from the grapes and fermented without skin contact (no skin contact means no color transfer). The wines can have a pale pink hue, however.
How sweet are those bubbles?
Brut (less than 1.5% sugar): A general term used to designate a relatively dry-finished Champagne or sparkling wine, often the driest wine made by the producer.
Demi-sec (3.3-5% sugar): Although "demi-sec" means "half-dry," demi-sec sparkling wines are usually slightly sweet to medium sweet.
Extra-sec ( 1.2-2% sugar): A common Champagne term not to be taken literally. Champagnes so labeled are actually sweet!
Doux (5% sugar or more): the sweetest of all champagnes; considered a dessert wine.
A few more terms you should know:
Nonvintage: These Champagnes are blended from more than one vintage. This allows the vintner to keep a consistent "house style" from year to year.
Malolactic fermentation
This is completely separate from the alcoholic fermentation, which results from the action of yeast upon sugar, producing alcohol. The malolactic fermentation, which is a bacterial process, results in conversion of the sharp tasting malic acid to the softer lactic acid. Whether a winemaker permits or blocks the malolactic (or 'malo') depends on the style of wine he/she aims to make. Most red wines, and some whites depending on the style, undergo malolactic fermentation.
Methode Champenoise: The labor-intensive and costly process whereby wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating bubbles. All Champagne and most high-quality sparkling wine is made by this process.
This bubbly, like all true Champagnes, begins with a place. Merfy lies in Coteaux de Vesle, sitting on what was once the beach of an ocean covering what is now the Reims depression. The vineyard covers 12 hectares with an annual production of some 6700 cases. The soil is chalk with sandstone, and of the grape varieties, 50% are Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier, and 40% are Chardonnay.
We found Chartogne's champagnes to be fuller bodied and sturdier this time around, perhaps because the red grapes underwent malolactic fermentation, but not the Chardonnays. Even so, the wine possesses a silkiness that always seems to be there, regardless of the year.
We recommend pairing Chartogne Taillet with a platter of your favorite cheeses, or with caviar. Visit our cheese section to learn more about our fantastic caviar choices for the holiday and into New Year's.
The holidays are meant to be celebrated; what better way to express your joy than with a glass of golden bubbles?
Read on for more about champagne.
Champagne (true Champagne) is sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. It can be made from up to three distinct grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier (hey, the last two grape varietals are red!). Let us explain further:
Blanc De Blancs - ("White of whites"), refers to Champagnes made using only the Chardonnay (white) grape.
Blanc De Noirs - ("White of blacks") refers to Champagnes made of red (or black) grapes, where the juice is squeezed from the grapes and fermented without skin contact (no skin contact means no color transfer). The wines can have a pale pink hue, however.
How sweet are those bubbles?
Brut (less than 1.5% sugar): A general term used to designate a relatively dry-finished Champagne or sparkling wine, often the driest wine made by the producer.
Demi-sec (3.3-5% sugar): Although "demi-sec" means "half-dry," demi-sec sparkling wines are usually slightly sweet to medium sweet.
Extra-sec ( 1.2-2% sugar): A common Champagne term not to be taken literally. Champagnes so labeled are actually sweet!
Doux (5% sugar or more): the sweetest of all champagnes; considered a dessert wine.
A few more terms you should know:
Nonvintage: These Champagnes are blended from more than one vintage. This allows the vintner to keep a consistent "house style" from year to year.
Malolactic fermentation
This is completely separate from the alcoholic fermentation, which results from the action of yeast upon sugar, producing alcohol. The malolactic fermentation, which is a bacterial process, results in conversion of the sharp tasting malic acid to the softer lactic acid. Whether a winemaker permits or blocks the malolactic (or 'malo') depends on the style of wine he/she aims to make. Most red wines, and some whites depending on the style, undergo malolactic fermentation.
Methode Champenoise: The labor-intensive and costly process whereby wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating bubbles. All Champagne and most high-quality sparkling wine is made by this process.