Varities of Champagne
The UK benefits from a wide range of Champagne. The following shows the most commonly available Champagnes:
Blanc de Blancs
From Chardonnay, and literally translated to “white of whites”, these are the exclusive white grape variety of the Champagne region.
Brut
The entry level champagne is the brut non vintage which is blended from wines across several years to achieve a constant House style. This champagne is dry, meaning it has little or no residual sugar, usually between 0% and 1.5%.
Cuvee
Made from delicate and distinguishing wines, Cuvee is a mixture of non-sparkling still wines which is designed to become a well-balanced drink. The Prestige cuvees are amongst the finest champagnes that a producer manufactures.
Demi-Sec
Demi-sec is a sweeter champagne, often paired well with Fruit, Wedding or Christening cake. The drink typically contains between 3.3% and 5% residual sugar.
Rose
Rose wine is a type of wine that includes a section of colour from grape skins, but not enough to classify it as a red wine.
Vintage
Vintage champagne are made at specific times of the year only, and a “declaration of vintage” are usually made only in exceptional years. As age of the champagne progresses, the champagne improves to develop secondary aromas. In addition to this, premium vintage champagne uses only the best quality grapes from the top vineyards for that year. Therefore they are typically more expensive.
How to store Champagne
Champagne should be stored from heat, light, vibration and temperature variation. Ideally, it should be kept below at 55 degrees F, with 70 percent humidity. If this is not available, ensure you pick a place where the Champagne is unlikely to be disturbed, for example in a closet. It is also recommended to cool the Champagne before serving.
Some other tips include:
- Store champagne horizontally
- The champagne should be stored in a dark and dry place, as they are sensitive to changes in light exposure
- Although it is recommended to cool the Champagne before serving, storing it in a chiller for a few weeks should cause no harm.
How long can a bottle be kept for?
All champagnes are ready to drink when they are delivered to you, however it is common to keep the Champagnes for 2-3 years in the case of non-vintage champagnes and 5 years for vintage versions.
It is often debated what is the best time to drink a champagne, however this is often down to personal preference.
Ideally, vintage champagnes can be kept for between 5 and 10 years from purchase, and non-vintage 3-4 years.
It is important to note that as time goes on, champagnes will change, in particular with the fruit aromas of the drink. They are also likely to change in colour. You may notice that they appear to have evolved into dried fruit/nutty flavours.
What is the correct way to open a bottle?
When opening the bottle, it is important to follow some simple tips:
- Remove the foil covering carefully, and tilt the bottle approximately 45°, with your thumb on the cork.
- Carefully loosen the wire, and use pressure to ease the cork out whilst twisting the bottle slowly.
- If needed, use some warm water around the neck of the bottle to loosen the cork.
How to serve champagne
Champagne should be served cool, with an recommended temperature between 5° and 9°. As stated above, the bottle can be kept for a maximum of a few weeks in a fridge, with any longer likely to degrade the taste of the drink. It is important to slowly pour the wine into the glass, ensuring you allow enough time for settling between pouring.
Ideally, fill an ice-bucket, and place the bottle in there for approximately 40 minutes before serving into flute or tulip-shaped glasses, which help bring the flow of bubbles to the crown and allow the aroma to concentrate at the surface.
How much do I need to order?
A typical guide for ordering Champagne at a wedding, one bottle can serve between 8 and 10 people. When serving at a meal, one bottle should be purchased per 3 people. The guides below show typical bottle sizes and serving calculations.
The table below provided detailed information on bottle sizes further serving information.
|
Bottle type |
Bottle size |
Standard bottle equivalent |
Servings |
|
Mini-bottle |
20cl |
¼ |
2 |
|
Half-bottle |
37.5cl |
½ |
3 |
|
Standard bottle |
75cl |
1 |
6 |
|
Magnum bottle |
150cl |
2 |
12 |
|
Jeroboam bottle |
300cl |
4 |
24 |
|
Methuselah bottle |
600cl |
8 |
48 |
|
Salmanazar bottle |
900cl |
12 |
72 |
|
Balthazar bottle |
1200cl |
16 |
96 |
|
Nebuchadnezzar bottle |
1500cl |
20 |
120 |