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Champagne Tiny Bubbles There are few beverages and occasions as intimately associated as Champagne and New Year's Eve. Indeed, the whole holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving, provides one long opportunity to enjoy one of the most celebratory of libations. The combination of friends, family and festivities simply requires Champagne. But Champagne is a beverage in its own right, beyond its aptness for toasts and its contribution to celebrations. Indeed, it is one of the great wines of the world, and because it is made in so many styles it is certainly the most versatile wine to match with food. Champagne is nonpareil as an aperitif; fabulous with almost any hors d'oeuvres; compatible with a wide variety of soups and salads; perfect with whole catalogs of first courses and remarkably adaptable to many main courses and desserts. Champagne Types Champagne Labels back to: Wine Cellar Champagne vs Sparkling Wine It is important to remember that the word Champagne does not mean just any wine with bubbles. Champagne refers to wine produced in a particular way from particular grapes that are grown in a particular area. It is illegal in almost every country in the world (one of the remaining exceptions is the U.S.) to use the word "Champagne" on a label--unless, of course, the wine is from Champagne. Certainly there are fine sparkling wines made in other areas: California produces a number of impressive bubblies, as does Spain, Italy and even other regions of France. But there is precious little produced anywhere else on earth that has Champagne's combination of racy acidity, rich and complex flavors, and exquisite balance of all components. There is a reason why all the best sparkling wine producers try to emulate the method by which Champagne is traditionally made. Brought to by Cooking.com. Written by Chris Sandin. Chris Sandin has over twenty-three years' experience in the wine business as an educator, retailer and wholesaler. He travels frequently to Europe and other wine-producing areas, and has just returned from a visit to Champagne. Chris was the Wine Director and Wine Store Manager for WINE CASK in Santa Barbara, California for several years. |
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