Newsletter Autumn Winter 2007
Champagnes Veuve Fourny:
The magic of the fine bubbles
The effervescence of Champagne is a natural phenomenon. It comes from the action of ferments, living organisms, which turn the sugars present in the grapes into alcohol and carbon dioxide during the second fermentation.
The finesse of the bubbles is very important when tasting a champagne.
Indeed, it gives part of the structure on the palate and contributes to this feeling of freshness which is so much appreciated.
This finesse depends on several parameters:
- the composition of the blend of the cuvée,
- the work on the wine during the ageing process,
- the glasses which are used.
The Veuve Fourny cuvées are composed mainly of Chardonnay grapes.
Among the three grape varieties used in Champagne, Chardonnay gives the finest bubbles.
Our House eliminates all the «fins de presse» (ends of pressing) and makes the cuvées only from the best juices, which play a great role in the birth of these tiny bubbles.
The temperature in the cellars also plays an important role in the quality of the fermentation. This is why our wines are fermented and aged in our 19th century cellars, more than 8 meters underground, at a constant temperature of about 11°C.
But that’s not all... You also play a large part in the existence and size of your bubbles. Indeed, to keep your bubbles alive throughout the tasting, never wash your champagne glasses in a dishwasher, as the rinsing products and other fatty matter can clog up the structure of the glass and prevent the birth of the magic bubbles…
Our secret: Very warm clean rinsing water and a dry cloth, that’s all!!!
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Dom Pérignon is said to be the first to discover how to produce the sparkle in champagne bottles. True or false, the story is worth telling. At the time, the bottles were stoppered with wooden pegs wrapped in oil-soaked cloth. Looking for a cleaner and tidier way, Dom Pérignon thought about pouring some beeswax in the bottle necks to make them airtight. After a few weeks, most of the bottles exploded. He understood quickly that the beeswax, when falling in the wine, had triggered a second fermentation. With the sudden increase in pressure, the bottles had blown up. A fortunate incident had enabled Dom Pérignon to discover the fermentation in bottles: The «méthode champenoise». |