Considering that every second, a bottle of Moët & Chandon is opened somewhere in the world, champagne’s popularity is undeniable. Now, the drink chosen to celebrate all the milestones in our lives has its own special day. Ahead of Champagne Day on October 25th this year, we’ve compiled an expert guide to help you celebrate the day like a true connoisseur.
Selecting and Serving the Perfect Champagne
When selecting champagne, the initial step is to identify your personal preferences. Beginning with distinguished and esteemed brands, such as Moët & Chandon, offers a strong basis for making a sophisticated choice, but there are other characteristics to be aware of. Moët & Chandon Chef de Cave, Benoît Gouez offers these three key tips for choosing champagne. “Know your style, age and palate,” he explains, meaning that you should pay attention to the characteristics of the Maison, the vintage of the bottle, as well as the ageing time and the sugar level. “For example, Moët & Chandon champagne style is all about a bright fruitiness, a seductive palate and an elegant maturity,” says Benoît.
What Are The Different Types of Champagne?
To determine the style of champagne, one must master the art of interpreting the bottle’s label. Cuvées are assigned different terms according to their relative dryness or sweetness. The level of sweetness, or dosage, of the champagnes, is indicated on the bottle and varies from the nectar-like “demi-sec” to “brut” and the “extra-brut.” ‘Brut’ means dry, so Brut champagne will generally contain less than 12 grams of sugar per litre, while an extra-brut, or extra dry, will have less than 6 grams of sugar per litre. If you prefer sweeter champagne, look for demi-sec, with 32-50 grams of sugar per litre. ‘Doux’ is the sweetest, with 50 or more grams of sugar added per litre.
What About Rosé Champagne?
As the name suggests, rosé champagne is characterised by its pink hues, attributed to the addition of red grapes, or a small percentage of red wine from the Champagne region added during blending. The dosage of rosé champagnes can vary, but they also follow the brut, extra brut, demi-sec and doux scale seen in the traditional champagne style.
The Importance of Vintage
‘Vintage’ refers to the year the grapes were harvested, which offers different flavour profiles. Vintage champagnes can only be made from grapes harvested in one particular year and must spend a minimum of 3 years ageing on the lees. Non-vintage varieties use grapes harvested across multiple years. Vintage champagne allows the winemaker to tell the unique story of the year and harvest through the champagne. Non-vintage champagnes promise consistency as the winemaker can blend many vintages and many reserve wines to deliver a uniform champagne every year.
How to Serve Champagne
Champagne is best enjoyed chilled, ideally served between 7° – 10°. Benoît adds, “Chill your bottle fifteen minutes before drinking – don’t freeze it, just get it to about 7°- 8° in a bucket with a third of water and two-thirds of ice cubes.” Your choice of glassware matters, too. It may surprise you to hear that according to the experts, the best glass for champagne is a white wine glass. “A white wine glass has a larger bowl that allows the wine to open up in the glass, enabling you to enjoy all the aromas and the complexity of the champagne,” says Benoît. Traditional champagne flutes showcase the champagne’s bubbles, but their narrow shape limits the drinker’s experience of aromas and flavours.
Avoid These Common Champagne Mistakes
Once you’ve found your perfect bottle, ensure you’re storing it correctly. If you’re planning to enjoy it within 3 to 4 days of purchasing it, you can store it in the refrigerator. “But only keep it in the fridge for a few days,” Benoît adds. “If it sits in the fridge for weeks, the cork can dry out due to lack of humidity, and the champagne will oxidise faster, changing its aromas.” If you’re not drinking on the day, bottles are best stored on their sides in a cool, dark place. Keeping champagne in direct sunlight or at fluctuating temperatures can also affect its taste.
Enhancing the Champagne Experience
Ultimately, the best way to experience champagne is to enjoy it and drink it with intention. Take note of the bubbles, the aromas and flavours and enhance these characteristics by pairing champagne with food. “To accompany the ethereal lightness of a brut champagne, dishes are best served raw or moderately cooked,” says Benoît. “Since “saltiness” is the single sensation missing from brut champagne’s flavour profile, it is a perfect counterbalance to savoury dishes.” Seafood, cheese or even a Caesar salad, all pair beautifully with champagne, but there are no wrong choices. Champagne is intended to be enjoyed throughout an entire meal, so explore pairing it with your favourite foods.
Nevertheless, champagne should not be limited to Champagne Day alone. Although it is the ideal choice for celebrations, its enjoyment should not be restricted to just special occasions.
