Mock Tasting Exam D4 Flight 1 France Sparkling wine

Tasting: August 25th 2021

The goal here is to understand the influence of the grape variety on the sparking wine made by the traditional method (bottle fermentation) in France by tasting three different wines from in majority Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and  Chenin each. Those wines had experienced different timing of lees ageing and are produced in warm and cool climate.

Mock Tasting exam D4 WSET 4 – Flight 1 France

Mock Tasting exam

Wine 1 – Château Virant Brut de Chardonnay

Appearance

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Nose

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Palate

Dry, Flavours of citrus, yellow fruits, flowers and Exotic fruits

Method of production

Reasons for your choice of method of production

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Assessment of quality

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Estate information

Made exclusively from Chardonnay. The base wine is made by cold pressing and has a second fermentation in the bottle according to the traditional method used for champagne and crémant wines.

Bottled 4 month after the harvesting that occur at the middle of August. Mechanic harvested.

Terroir

Mediterranean climate with clay-limestone soil

Wine 2 –  Saumur blanc brut, 1811

Appearance

The wine is pale lemon

Nose

Aroma of apple, citrus and exotic fruits

Palate

The wine is dry, flavours of citrus with medium intensity.

Method of production

Reasons for your choice of method of production

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Assessment of quality

Estate informations

The wine is a blend of Chenin (minimum of 60%), Chardonnay et Cabernet franc. The grapes are picked early at lower minimum ripeness (avoiding the risks of botrytis spilling due to the rain in the late season). Each grape is harvested and vinified separately. During the “blend tasting”, which brings together the technical team (4 oenologists), the most expressive and fruity wines from clay soils are selected for this wine. Many blending proposals are tasted at this time but only the one that is unanimous is retained. After the second fermentation in the bottle, the 1811 cuvée is tasted every four months, which allows its ageing to be followed and the optimal disgorging date to be determined. The wine spends between 18 – 24 month sur lattes.

Terroir

Cool climate and chalky soil

Wine 3-  Champagne Briaux Lenique cuvée tradition demi-sec

Appearance

The wine is pale lemon

Nose

Aromas of citrus, mirabelle plum and lime blossom, nuts and dried flowers 

Palate

The wine is off-dry flavours of citrus, grapefruit, mirabelle plum and lime blossom, nuts and dried fruits 

Method of production

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Reasons for your choice of method of production

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Assessment of quality

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Estate informations

Pinot Meunier (80%), Chardonnay (21%) Pinot noir (9%)

Bottled in July 2018

Blending: 25% of a blend of the 2017 and 2015 and 43% base wine from the harvested year. Pressing at Coquard Traditionnel press. Vinified in stain steel tanks, malolactic conversion, lees ageing for a minimum of 24 months. Disgorgement at a minimum of 3 months before releasing the wine from the winery.

Terroir

Vallée de la Marne, clay and sandy soils producing fruity Meunier. As its bud break earlier than Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier is well adapted to the to the valley which experiences spring frost.