Tour France's 'La Champagne' - the region. Enjoy 'le champagne' - the wine.

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Although dry Brut is by far the most popular style of champagne, the sweeter Rich or Demi-Sec styles are more suitable for serving with rich fruit cake at weddings or with desserts. The exact character of a champagne depends upon the quality and ripeness of the grapes, and the length of time it rested on its lees before being disgorged. But their taste is usually adjusted before the final cork is put in by adding a cane sugar solution. As well as Rosé, or pink champagne, you can also find Blanc de Blancs made entirely from white Chardonnay and Blancs de Noirs - more robust - from black grapes.
 
Champagne should be enjoyed chilled, but not almost frozen. Twenty minutes in a fridge, or an ice bucket with two-thirds ice and one third cold water is about right. Remove the foil and muzzle and holding the bottle up at angle, keeping a thumb or finger over the top of the cork. Firmly gripping the cork, begin to turn the bottle – never the cork. The cork will rise under the pressure of the gas inside. As it does, gently rock it to let out excess gas. A bottle of champagne should be opened with no more sound than a maiden’s sigh. Pour a little into a long-stemmed flute, wait, and then pour in a little more.

La mousse
de champagne

First, admire the display of tiny bubbles, as they ascend to the surface, delight in the shimmering colour and the subtle aromas captured in the top of the glass. Now sip a little of the sparkling wine and let it flow all around your mouth, making sure that it covers all of the tongue so that it can reach all the 9,000 taste buds located on its edges. Those at the front detect sugar and glucose, followed by those that respond to salt, fructose and bitter flavours. Those at the back react to sourness and acidity – that provides the structure of the wine, although marked acidity is often a sign of a wine that needs more ageing. Now experience the flowery, biscuity flavours of the wine. When the structure and flavours of the wine are in equilibrium then, we say, that the wine is ‘balanced’. Now...?

Below ground in the Champagne
Drappier cellars

Shaking the
bottles after
disgorgement