Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine
Encyclopedia
Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine is an encyclopedia
written by Tom Stevenson
, published by Absolute Press, which is devoted to subjects relating to Champagne and sparkling wine
. The foreword is written by Michael Broadbent
. A smaller reduced version, Champagne & Sparkling Wine Guide, is published in the soft cover format.
When first published in 1998, the book became the only wine book to warrant a leader in a UK national newspaper (The Guardian
, October 14, 1998), for the first time revealing a 17th century document proving that the English used a second fermentation to convert still wine
s into sparkling at least six years before Dom Pérignon
arrived at the Abbey of Hautvillers, and nearly 40 years before the French claim that sparkling Champagne was invented. Although Le Figaro
accused Stevenson of “trying to burn Dom Pérignon”, the French were prompt to award it The Best Wine Book of 1998 at the Salon International du Livre Gourmand in Périgueux.
Ranked among its "Top Ten Best Wine Books" by The Independent
it has been characterised as "still the best guide to fizz”, "authoritative, opinionated and comprehensive", and a vital purchase for any Champagne lover.
on December 17, 1662, he states “our wine-coopers of recent times use vast quantities of sugar and molasses to all sorts of wines to make them drink brisk and sparkling”. Stevenson explains why the French did not have the technology to produce any sparkling wine in 1662, and how it was almost inevitable that the English did. He explains the paradox of "sparkling champaign", which is mentioned by George Etheredge in The Man of Mode in 1676, yet did not exist in France until the late 1690s. The documentary evidence presented is a significant aspect of Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine, though only a part of it.
An overview of the six different methods of sparkling wine production is provided in "How Sparkling Wines Are Made", exploring the most important of these in the sections "A Step-by-Step Guide to Méthode Champenoise and "The Elusive Quality Factor". Argumenting that intrinsic quality exists beyond the personal preference of taste, Stevenson analyses what precisely contributes to the intrinsic quality of a sparkling wine, starting with establishing the vineyard
, from site selection to the varieties of grape, and how they should be grown, harvested, and pressed, looking at ripeness levels and acidity, through every aspect of the production process.
Stevenson offers an argument why chaptalisation might actually contribute to Champagne’s perceived "lean" structure. He discusses ideal fermentation temperatures to give a "fast and furious first fermentation" and a long "low-temperature second fermentation", the pros and cons of malolactic fermentation
, what the assemblage
is, how to obtain good mousse retention, the importance of small bubbles, what affects their size, the effects of autolysis, ageing on lees, adding a dosage
and post-disgorgement ageing. Stevenson also tests out nine Riedel
glasses on 100 different Champagnes and sparkling wines, offering his conclusions alongside Riedel’s official design purpose.
The main section of this book consists of a country-by-country, region-by-region assessment of sparkling wines, with every producer rated on a 100-point scale, and all their wines given a star wine rating
(three star maximum). Champagne receives the largest coverage, occupying 98 pages, but 10 other French regions (Alsace, Loire, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Limoux, others) receive 45 pages, while 141 pages covers the rest of the world (Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Southeast Europe, other European, South Africa, The United States of America, California, Others USA, Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia). These pages hold technical data and the historical development of sparkling wines locally, as well as Stevenson’s own critiques of the producers, the lowest rating of which is 35, demonstrating his policy to utilise all 100 points of the scale.
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
written by Tom Stevenson
Tom Stevenson
Tom Stevenson is a British author who has been writing about wine for more than 30 years. Described by his colleagues as one of today’s most prolific wine authors, Stevenson is regarded as the world’s leading authority on Champagne...
, published by Absolute Press, which is devoted to subjects relating to Champagne and sparkling wine
Sparkling wine
Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it making it fizzy. The carbon dioxide may result from natural fermentation, either in a bottle, as with the méthode champenoise, in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures involved , or as a result of carbon dioxide...
. The foreword is written by Michael Broadbent
Michael Broadbent
John Michael Broadbent MW is a British wine critic, writer and auctioneer in a capacity as a Master of Wine...
. A smaller reduced version, Champagne & Sparkling Wine Guide, is published in the soft cover format.
When first published in 1998, the book became the only wine book to warrant a leader in a UK national newspaper (The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, October 14, 1998), for the first time revealing a 17th century document proving that the English used a second fermentation to convert still wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
s into sparkling at least six years before Dom Pérignon
Dom Pérignon (person)
Dom Pierre Pérignon, O.S.B., was a French Benedictine monk who made important contributions to the production and quality of Champagne wine in an era when the region's wines were predominantly still and red...
arrived at the Abbey of Hautvillers, and nearly 40 years before the French claim that sparkling Champagne was invented. Although Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
accused Stevenson of “trying to burn Dom Pérignon”, the French were prompt to award it The Best Wine Book of 1998 at the Salon International du Livre Gourmand in Périgueux.
Ranked among its "Top Ten Best Wine Books" by The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
it has been characterised as "still the best guide to fizz”, "authoritative, opinionated and comprehensive", and a vital purchase for any Champagne lover.
Content
The book opens with "A Little History", accounting numerous occurrences throughout time of accidental sparkling wine, and the first documented evidence of a deliberately produced sparkling wine, as recorded by Christopher Merret. In Merret’s eight-page paper "Some observations concerning the ordering of wines", which he presented to the newly formed Royal SocietyRoyal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
on December 17, 1662, he states “our wine-coopers of recent times use vast quantities of sugar and molasses to all sorts of wines to make them drink brisk and sparkling”. Stevenson explains why the French did not have the technology to produce any sparkling wine in 1662, and how it was almost inevitable that the English did. He explains the paradox of "sparkling champaign", which is mentioned by George Etheredge in The Man of Mode in 1676, yet did not exist in France until the late 1690s. The documentary evidence presented is a significant aspect of Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine, though only a part of it.
An overview of the six different methods of sparkling wine production is provided in "How Sparkling Wines Are Made", exploring the most important of these in the sections "A Step-by-Step Guide to Méthode Champenoise and "The Elusive Quality Factor". Argumenting that intrinsic quality exists beyond the personal preference of taste, Stevenson analyses what precisely contributes to the intrinsic quality of a sparkling wine, starting with establishing the vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
, from site selection to the varieties of grape, and how they should be grown, harvested, and pressed, looking at ripeness levels and acidity, through every aspect of the production process.
Stevenson offers an argument why chaptalisation might actually contribute to Champagne’s perceived "lean" structure. He discusses ideal fermentation temperatures to give a "fast and furious first fermentation" and a long "low-temperature second fermentation", the pros and cons of malolactic fermentation
Malolactic fermentation
Malolactic fermentation is a process in winemaking where tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. Malolactic fermentation tends to create a rounder, fuller mouthfeel. It has been said that malic acid tastes of green apples...
, what the assemblage
Assemblage
An assemblage is an archaeological term meaning a group of different artifacts found in association with one another, that is, in the same context...
is, how to obtain good mousse retention, the importance of small bubbles, what affects their size, the effects of autolysis, ageing on lees, adding a dosage
Dose (biochemistry)
A dose is a quantity of something that may impact an organism biologically; the greater the quantity, the larger the dose. In nutrition, the term is usually applied to how much of a specific nutrient is in a person's diet or in a particular food, meal, or dietary supplement...
and post-disgorgement ageing. Stevenson also tests out nine Riedel
Riedel
Riedel l), is a manufacturer of high-quality crystal wine glasses and related glass products based in Kufstein, Austria.Originally established in Bohemia in 1756, the company has been owned by the same family for more than 250 years...
glasses on 100 different Champagnes and sparkling wines, offering his conclusions alongside Riedel’s official design purpose.
The main section of this book consists of a country-by-country, region-by-region assessment of sparkling wines, with every producer rated on a 100-point scale, and all their wines given a star wine rating
Wine rating
A wine rating is a score assigned by one or more wine critics to a wine tasted as a summary of that critic's evaluation of that wine. A wine rating is therefore a subjective quality score, typically of a numerical nature, given to a specific bottle of wine...
(three star maximum). Champagne receives the largest coverage, occupying 98 pages, but 10 other French regions (Alsace, Loire, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Limoux, others) receive 45 pages, while 141 pages covers the rest of the world (Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Southeast Europe, other European, South Africa, The United States of America, California, Others USA, Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia). These pages hold technical data and the historical development of sparkling wines locally, as well as Stevenson’s own critiques of the producers, the lowest rating of which is 35, demonstrating his policy to utilise all 100 points of the scale.