Champagne Guide
Champagne, for those who do not know, is a region of France and only wine coming from here can be called ‘champagne’. All others are ‘sparkling wines’! Ninety percent of what we know as champagne is produced outside Champagne, primarily in America. The wines of this type are called Cava or Cellar in Spain, Cap Classique or Cape Classic in South Africa, Sekt in Germany and Asti Spumanti in Italy!
Facts about champagne:
Champagne should be served at around 45 degrees.
Do not store it in the fridge for more than a few hours.
Champagne is best served in ‘flutes’ or tall and narrow-necked glasses.
Wide glasses make it lose both bubble and flavour!
The making of cuvéee, or the blend dictates the difference between different houses of champagne. A house must keep the blend consistent to build a reputation. Therefore, once you find the house of your choice, rest assured that your champagne would taste the same year after year!
The champagne planted with Chardonnay is among the most expensive.
‘My kind of wine’ usually refers to its dryness and relative sweetness. The different types of champagne are also labeled by their sugar content:
Brut: It is the best style of champagne- very dry with less than 1.5% of residual sugar.
Extra Dry, Extra Sec- Most popular with desserts and wedding cakes, this is pretty dry and has 1.2-2% residual sugar.
Sec- This is moderately dry with 1.7-3.5% residual sugar per liter.
Demi-Sec- This is pretty sweet with 3.3-5% residual sugar.
Doux- With a minimum of 5% residual sugar, Doux is the sweetest champagne, best known as a dessert-style wine.
Blanc de Noirs: This white champagne is made from black grapes and is fuller than those made with Chardonnay.
Blanc de Blancs: The most delicate of all champagnes, this is exclusively made from Chardonnay grape.
Tip: Champagne varies in dryness and sugar levels. Stick to your favourite blend and get the best you can afford!
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