A few things you should know about Champagne

Five things you should know about Champagne

Champagne is the famous sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France – so famous, in fact, that no other sparkling wine can use the name. Beyond the geographical region, which lies about an hour’s drive east of Paris, the term Champagne denotes the process by which it is made as well as the exacting regulations it must follow, as handed down by the Appellation Controlee, or AOC, essentially France’s wine ‘police’.

Besides the demarcated production area, here are the top five things you should know about Champagne:

1.    Champagne is made from a blend of three grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.
2.    There are several levels of quality and price: non-vintage is indicative of the ‘house style’ of the producer and is meant to be consumed in the short term. Vintage Champagne is only produced in the best years and is released for sale no less than four years after the harvest. Rosé Champagne is pink in colour, having had extended skin contact with the two red grapes in the blend. Blanc de Blancs is made from 100% chardonnay. Blanc de Noirs is made with the two red grapes only, but will not be red in colour. Prestige Cuvees are super-luxury Champagnes, due in part to an extended ageing process, a more meticulous winemaking and vineyard practice, and possibly several other factors.
3.    The terminology denoting the sweetness level of the wine starts with Brut Zero, Brut Nature or Extra Brut, which is the absolute driest the wine can be. Brut is next up; still considered quite dry, it is the most popular commercial style. Extra Dry, though a bit of an oxymoron, denotes a medium dry style, while Sec is slightly sweet, Demi-Sec is medium sweet, and Doux has dessert-style sweetness.
4.    Champagne’s bubbles were considered to be a fault until the early 1700’s when it started to become a fashionable drink in Britain and France.
5.    Classic food matches with Champagne include oysters, lobster, smoked salmon, eggs and caviar
6.    It is the world’s first choice for celebrations of all kinds.
7.    The bottles are under about six atmospheres of pressure, which is relieved by the deep indentation on the bottom of the bottle – called the punt.
8.    Does champagne go bad? It looses the bubbles when kept in the bottle unopened average life 10-15 years. However, vintage champagne can go on for 20-50 years or more pending on the vintage.

Champagne is a drink with history, tradition, prestige and status that lends an air of sophistication to every occasion. Indulge your senses today!

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7 Comments

  1. October 1, 2015 / 10:36 am

    Hey Fran, I hope you enjoy the tasting. R

  2. Silly Mummy
    October 1, 2015 / 11:01 am

    Interesting facts – I don't really know anything about any type of wine! Though, actually I had heard about the bubbles before somewhere.

  3. Leighanne M
    October 2, 2015 / 7:01 pm

    I learn something new everyday, i'm a house rose kinda girl. Think I need to treat myself to a few cheeky glasses of bubbly when i'm out next

  4. Passport and Toothbrush
    October 2, 2015 / 7:18 pm

    I love champagne. I went to the region last year and learned all about how it is made. And of course there was a lot of tasting as well. It would be rude not to.

  5. October 2, 2015 / 7:28 pm

    I really enjoy a wine yard and tastings too!

  6. Camilla Hawkins
    October 2, 2015 / 7:44 pm

    The best thing about champagne for me is that it doesn't contain sulphites so I'm not allergic/intolerant to it like wine:-)