Champagne is a luxurious beverage that is often enjoyed on special occasions. Say you graduated from your university degree or finally landed that promotion you’ve been working towards. Whatever the occasion, a glass of champagne is a delicious and sophisticated way to celebrate a special moment or add a touch of elegance to any occasion.
To fully appreciate its complex flavours, it’s important to know the best way to drink it. Here are some tips on drinking champagne for Australians.
The Best Bottles of Champagne in Australia
The cost of champagne can vary depending on the quality of the wine, but you’ll usually be looking at anywhere from $50 to $100 per bottle. Here are three incredible bottles of bubbles you might like to consider buying. They are perfect for any celebration.
1. Perrier Jouet Champagne Grant Brut
This delicious, crisp and refreshing French champagne is as romantic as la Belle Epoque. You’ll feel like you’re drinking in the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower with this stunning champagne in hand. With vibrant flavours of crisp green apple and citrus on the palate, it’s the perfect balance between acidity and delicate bubbles.
This bottle can be purchased for $95 via Jimmy Brings.
2. Lanson Black Label Brut Champagne
A standout contender in the non-vintage champagne crown, Lanson Black Label Brut Champagne impresses with its quality consistency year after year. Easily one of the best value non-vintage champagnes on the market, its fine and elegant palate continues right across the tongue.
This bottle can be purchased for $78 via Jimmy Brings.
3. Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne
As one of the world’s most consistent non-vintage champagnes on the market, Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne is filled with elegance and length of flavour. A perfect celebratory champagne or food pairing wine, due to the high proportion of Pinot Noir. This champagne is an explosion of freshness in the mouth, followed by a strong persistence of the complex aromas of fresh fruit and caramel.
This bottle can be purchased for $70 via Jimmy Brings.
Types of Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine has carbon dioxide added to them and is usually white. Traditionally champagne is a blend of three grape varieties: pinot noir, pinot meunier, and chardonnay.
Champagne is produced in a wine region of France under strict rules. Hence, you’ll be looking for sparkling wine if you want something local and homegrown.
Don’t overlook Cava that’s made close to the traditional method. It’s made in Spain using xarel-lo, macabeo, parellada, and chardonnay grapes.
Prosecco is made in the modern method using glera grapes from Italy. As the fermentation process takes less time, it’s typically less expensive to buy.
Korbel is one of the oldest champagnes made in America. California has the most wineries in the country, so it’s well known for its sparkling wines.
How to Open a Bottle of Champagne
- Hold the bottle at an angle
- Remove the top of the foil to expose the wire cage
- When you untwist the wire cage, keep your thumb on top of the bottle
- Twist the bottle slowly and the pop will be subtle
You can hold the bottle with your thumb in the bottle cavity and resting on your hand, or grab it from the bottom if you feel confident. The foam won’t come out if you hold the bottle at about 45 degrees.
You can use a sword or knife to open a bottle of champagne for show, but it’s not recommended as it makes a big mess and could potentially lead to injury if you’re not careful.
How to Pour a Glass of Champagne
There are two ways to pour your champagne.
- You can hold your glass at an angle and pour gently, or;
- You can leave the glass on the table and pour it gently.
Either way, it is recommended you fill the glass twice and let the bubbles rest after the first pour. I personally prefer the first way as you’ll have a less foamy head.
Do not pour champagne up to the top of the glass!
You’ll typically get 7 to 8 glasses per bottle (and twice as many for magnums – so sometimes these work out more cost-effective).
What is the Best Glassware for Serving Champagne?
Champagne is best served in a flute glass as it shows off and preserves the bubbles and lets you smell the aroma. It also helps to preserve the temperature of the wine. It’s popular to serve champagne in white wine glasses.
How to Properly Hold a Champagne Glass?
You can hold a champagne glass by the stem – either mid-way or at the bottom. It looks a tad tacky if you hold the glass around the bowl ( and this may warm your wine up faster).
Don’t drink your champagne too fast.
What’s the Best Temperature to Serve Champagne?
If the champagne is too warm, it will lose its bubbles and taste flat. If it’s too cold, the flavours will be muted.
The ideal serving temperature is 8 degrees Celsius. You can place a champagne bottle in a chilled ice bucket filled halfway with ice and water. Then leave it for 15 to 20 minutes to reach the ideal temperature. Do not place a bottle of champagne in the freezer.
How Dry is my Champagne?
Sparkling wine and champagne are labelled from dry to sweet:
- Brut Nature: <3 g/L sugar content – no sugar has been added after the second fermentation
- Extra Brut: 3 to 6 g/L sugar content
- Brut: 6 to 12 g/L sugar content
More sweet wines have a higher sugar content and are labelled as extra, sec, demi, or doux.
What Does Wine Vintage Mean?
Vintage champagne must be aged for a minimum of three years. Whereas, non-vintage wines (NV) can be aged for just 15 months.
If your wine gives you a headache try something organic or look for sulphite-free. Another option is to look for a vegan wine that has been clarified in a more friendly way.
Knowledge is power. Now that you understand all there is to know about drinking champagne, you can ensure that you are getting the most out of your experience and enjoying it to the fullest. Whether you’re celebrating a special moment or simply enjoying a glass at the end of a big week, take the time to enjoy the flavours and aromas of this luxurious beverage.
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