The Champagne province made still wines until the 18th century,
when Dom Perignon revolutionized the process to produce the
present-day sparkling wine known as Champagne (a little production
of red, white and rose non-sparkling wines is still made).
When it comes to rules, the wine makers of this area set
their own. A Champagne bottle is the product of grapes brought
from the villages surrounding the main two cities Reims and
Epernay. It is a blend of different wines from different
years; furthermore, pink Champagne could be the result of
red and white wines mixed together. Yet the result of these
irregularities in winemaking is the divine wine that no happy
occasion is accomplished without.
The main two grapes used are the Chardonnay and the Pinot
Noir, and Champagne can be made from each separately or both
together. The Blanc de Blanc Champagne (white from white)
is a result of only white grapes, usually the Chardonnay,
and is considered the best. The Blanc de Noir, made exclusively
from the Pinot Noir grapes, comes next and is followed by
the Millesimes, which are the Champagnes made exclusively
of wine from an excellent year and carry that year on the
bottle. Then come the rest, which are still of excellent
quality, because no expense is spared in making Champagne.
Champagne can be Brut (very dry), Extra Sec or Extra Dry
(dry), Sec (semi-sweet), or Demi Sec (sweet). The Champagne
region is part of the A.O.C. system, yet sometimes it is
not mentioned on the bottle.
While Champagne is sometimes sold in larger containers like
magnums (equivalent to two bottles), jeroboams (four bottles),
or even balthazars (sixteen bottles), and the biggest mabuchodonosor
(twenty bottles), it is best in the single bottle or magnum.
When sold in larger sizes, it is literally taken out of the
bottles and magnums and poured into the lager vessels. This
operation may affect the quality of the Champagne.
Champagne is ready to drink when it is released. It is unnecessary
to age it.
Brut and Extra Dry Champagne are pleasant as aperitifs. Sec
and Demi Sec make fine accompaniments to desserts and are
usually drunk after dinner. The famous French repas au Champagne
suggests that Champagne is equally good throughout the meal.
Article © 2002-2006, The
Wine College of America
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