Vintage and non-vintage champagne

Most champagne is non-vintage. Vintage champagne is a champagne which has been produced from the grapes of one particular year. About a hundred days of sun are needed for a vintage year. Non-vintage champagne is made by blending the wine reserves of different years. One or the top champagnes, Krug Réserve, is the result of blending nearly fifty different wine reserves.

Practice 1. Complete this description of the process of making champagne. Use the Present Simple passive form of the verb in brackets.

First, the grapes ______ (pick) by hand and checked carefully. Only perfect grapes _____ (use) to make champagne. Then, the grapes _____ (press). 160 kilos of grapes _____ (use) to produce 100 litres of juice. After that, the juice _____ (leave) to ferment and become wine.

Next, different wines _____ (blend) to produce the ‘house style’. Yeast and sugar _____ (add) to the wine and it _____ (bottle). This results in second fermentation, and bubbles _____ (produce). A sediment _____ (produce) by the second fermentation. This _____ (remove) in two stages, first remuage, then dégorgement.

The remuage _____ (carry out) either with computer-controlled machines or by hand with the traditional remueurs. The bottles of champagne _____ (turn) at regular intervals until they are upside down.

In the next stage, dégorgement, the neck of the champagne bottle _____ (freeze), and frozen sediment _____ (remove). Then, a little champagne and sugar _____ (add), and champagne _____ (leave) to mature.

Finally, the bottles _____ (label) and the corks _____ (insert). Then the champagne _____ (sell) all over the world!

Practice 2. Make questions for these answers from the text.

Example How is vintage champagne made?

How long has this champagne been left to mature?

When were the chalk cellars cut?

1. How long ……………………………………………………………………………..

They’ve been grown there for more than 2,000 years.

2. When ………………………………………………………………………………….

It was first made in the 17^th century.

3. What ………………………………………………………………………………….

It’s made from three types of grape.

4. How …………………………………………………………………………………..

It’s made from white grapes only.

5. How long ……………………………………………………………………………..

They’ve been used since Roman times.

6. How many ……………………………………………………………………………

About a hundred days of sun are needed.

7. How …………………………………………………………………………………..

It’s made by blending the wine reserves of different years.