Is it Champagne or sparkling wine?
It’s a common question I get from wine drinkers this time of year. Karen MacNeil provides the simplest answer in her classic book, The Wine Bible: “Champagne is aromatically, texturally, and in terms of flavor, one of the most distinct wines in the world. It comes from only one region, also called Champagne, where the cold temperatures and limestone soils help to create a definitive terroir.”
Champagne is France and vice versa.
It’s why Winston Churchill rallied British troops with this famous World War II battle cry: “Remember gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for; it’s Champagne!”
Today the 82,800 vineyard acres of Champagne, which would all fit within the boundaries of Denver, Colo., produce the world’s annual supply of 300 million bottles of French bubbly from three grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
For festive celebrations, Champagne is the classic beverage of choice. It’s frothy mousse, creamy texture and crisp acidity make it a fabulous wine to pair with a multitude of foods, from chateaubriand to lobster. Served in a crystal flute, it transmits elegance in every luxurious bubble.
Here are a few basic facts about Champagne:
A bottle of Champagne contains six atmospheres of pressure – two to three times the pressure in your car’s tires. When opening a bottle, hold it upright at 90 degrees facing away from people and precious family heirlooms. Cover the cork with one hand and gently twist the bottom with the other.
Champagne is made in a two-step process. A still wine is crafted first. It then undergoes a second fermentation in bottle in which natural carbon dioxide gas is trapped. Over time, the gas turns into bubbles.
Here are several recommendations that meet my 3-D standard – dazzling, delicate, delicious -on quality and price.
Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Grand Cru, Reims, $75 – In 1981, Bruno Paillard sold his Jaguar to raise capital to launch his Champagne house. His entrepreneurial spirit has paid dividends. Sampled at a private tasting, this 100% Chardonnay blend came out on top for its racy minerality, star-bursting bubbles, creaminess and very dry citrusy taste. One taster termed it “angelic” in every way. Grapes come from the finest 36 Grand Cru parcels in Oger and Mesnil-sur-Oger. Paillard blends wines from 25 vintages, kept in reserve, to fashion a consistent, exquisite taste.
Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut, 150th Anniversary Edition, $40 – From one of France’s most iconic Champagne houses comes this gorgeous sparkler that delivers overachieving luxuriousness at a working man’s cost. It’s the color of white gold in the glass; on the palate, tiny bubbles flow energetically to create a frothy mousse of pear, peach and apple flavors. The nuanced chalky taste lingers, inviting another timeless sip. It’s nonvintage, meaning the blend is assembled from separate still wines kept in reserve from prior years to produce consistent quality. Moet & Chandon also offers a Grand Vintage Rose` 2012 ($59.99) that highlights Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier while relegating Chardonnay to a lesser role. Cellared for five years, the corral-colored Champagne is smooth, bone dry and subtle in its strawberry/citrus profile. The tasting panel enjoyed the rose` just slightly more than the Chardonnay-dominant Grand Vintage 2012 ($52.99), a fresh, delicate blend expressing hazelnut and nectarine traits. UPDATE: Costco has 
received a shipment of Imperial Brut and is selling it for $35.99 a bottle.
Palmer & Co. Brut Reserve, Reims, $54.99 – Nearly 35 percent of Palmer’s flagship cuvee comes from reserve wines to maintain the house’s standard of excellence built over 70 years. Seven grower families contribute their best cru vineyard grapes to produce this distinctively dry, succulent bubbly. Tasters marveled at the wine’s cashmere softness and unfolding notes of stone fruits, walnuts and buttery brioche.
Recent Comments