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Champagne & French Sparkling Wine

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October 9, 2017 By admin

Champagne has been a celebratory beverage throughout human history. From ancient times through the Middles Ages, from the royalty of the French and British courts to the everyday celebrations of today, from humble down-to-earth beginnings to zero-gravity champagne enjoyed by astronauts in space. 


Credit: Mumm Champagne

There is a certain mystique and romance about champagne: the ceremonial opening of the bottle, the pop of the cork, those tiny bubbles and frothy foam, the pour into special flutes, the perlage of effervescence ascending in the glass, the toast to a special occasion. No other beverage is like it.

In this course, you will take a deep dive into the beverage of kings and queens and learn all there is to know about champagne and other French sparkling wines. This course covers these lessons:

    • History of Champagne
    • Champagne region location and climate
    • Soils of Champagne
    • Grapes allowed in champagne
    • Wine laws and rules of Champagne
    • Champagne subregions
    • Making champagne
    • Glossary

NOTE: Throughout the course we will differentiate between Champagne the region and champagne the beverage. The region is referred to with first letter capitalized; the beverage is lowercase.

This online course is currently only meant to complement the live course being next taught at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California. You can register here for the live course, and the online course is complimentary.

Champagne and French Sparkling Wine – (CAHM140)
Jan 31, 2019 – May 23, 2019
Thursdays 6-9pm

Each week, you will learn from wine experts through lecture and tasting a flight of wines associated with this region in a group setting.

Course Content

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Lessons Status
1

Introduction to Champagne and French Sparkling Wine
  • What is Champagne, What is Sparkling Wine, What is the Difference Between Them
  • How Champagne Is Made
  • When to Drink Champagne
  • Proper Method of Opening Champagne

2

Champagne History
  • Early History
  • Early Champagne
  • 1700s and 1800s
  • First Champagne Houses
  • La Belle Epoque: The Golden Age of Champagne (1890 – 1914)
  • World War I (1914 – 1918)
  • Prohibition & Champagne
  • World War II (1939 – 1945)
  • Important People Involved

3

Champagne Location & Climate
  • Climate of Champagne Region

4

Soils of Champagne
  • Chalk
  • Kimmeridgean Marl
  • Sand and Clay
  • Limestone-Rich Marl

5

Grapes
  • Traditional (9th C to 16th C)
  • Modern (16th C to Today)

6

Wine Laws & Rules
  • How to Read a Champagne Label
  • Champagne AOPs
  • Ranking Champagne
  • Different Types of Producers in Champagne
  • Sweetness Levels
  • Champagne Styles
  • Bottle Sizes
  • Crémant AOPs
  • Crémant Laws

7

Subregions of Champagne
  • Reds
  • Whites

8

Making Champagne
  • Méthode Traditionelle, Made in this Bottle
  • Other Methods of Production

9

Glossary

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Introduction to Champagne and French Sparkling Wine
  • What is Champagne, What is Sparkling Wine, What is the Difference Between Them
  • How Champagne Is Made
  • When to Drink Champagne
  • Proper Method of Opening Champagne
Champagne History
  • Early History
  • Early Champagne
  • 1700s and 1800s
  • First Champagne Houses
  • La Belle Epoque: The Golden Age of Champagne (1890 – 1914)
  • World War I (1914 – 1918)
  • Prohibition & Champagne
  • World War II (1939 – 1945)
  • Important People Involved
Champagne Location & Climate
  • Climate of Champagne Region
Soils of Champagne
  • Chalk
  • Kimmeridgean Marl
  • Sand and Clay
  • Limestone-Rich Marl
Grapes
  • Traditional (9th C to 16th C)
  • Modern (16th C to Today)
Wine Laws & Rules
  • How to Read a Champagne Label
  • Champagne AOPs
  • Ranking Champagne
  • Different Types of Producers in Champagne
  • Sweetness Levels
  • Champagne Styles
  • Bottle Sizes
  • Crémant AOPs
  • Crémant Laws
Subregions of Champagne
  • Reds
  • Whites
Making Champagne
  • Méthode Traditionelle, Made in this Bottle
  • Other Methods of Production
Glossary

Course Progress

  • "The first thing thing Sue Slater told us in my first class, “This class will change your life.” Two and a half years later, I sold my coffee shop of seven years and jumped head first into the wine industry. In 2016, I purchased the wine bar I worked and have owned it for two years now."
    Cathy Bentley
    Cork and Fork, Capitola
  • "I wanted to keep going to class, so I just kept doing it for fun not really thinking I would work in the industry. But after a few classes, I was learning quite a lot and decided to pursue a WSET certification. I got a part time job and worked a couple weekends a month, which led to a variety of other jobs."
    Genevieve Daly
    Hallcrest Vineyards

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