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Fiesta fizz: know your champagne

With 2012 now well underway, we are comfortably past the season of parties and over-indulgence. But despite the depths of January being a sobering experience as we return to work in the coldest, darkest part of the year, why not make a cheering New Year’s resolution to get to know your champagne?

The history of fizz

Champagne is the king of tipples for any special occasion, from your husband’s landmark birthday to your daughter’s wedding. If you want to dazzle others with your knowledge, or are planning to buy several cases for the big day, then it makes sense to know a little about where the drink comes from. Simply, champagne is a sparkling wine that is produced – exclusively – in the Champagne region of France. In the European Union, only sparkling wines produced in this area can call themselves champagne.

And the area is a wine producer of long standing; the first vineyards were introduced to the Champagne region more than 1,500 years ago. However, it wasn’t until the 16th and 17th Centuries that real headway was made into producing a sparkling wine by capturing the gases of secondary fermentation. And the real advances at this time came from the religious direction, with monks – including the key figure of Dom Pérignon – making strides towards what we now recognise as champagne, with its thick glass bottles and wired corks, designed to withstand the pressure which gives the drink its characteristic pop upon opening.

The sparkling version – as opposed to flat wines grown in the region – began to take over throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries, as famous names such as Moët and Bollinger opened businesses. By the dawn of the 20th Century, many famous players were in place, though the vineyards of Champagne, which is to the east of Paris, took a pounding during the two World Wars. Despite this, sales increased greatly since the 1950s, and while an estimated 200 million bottles are produced each year, demand ensures that champagne is still seen as a luxury product, with the emergence of the prestige cuvée – the top of the range – such as Cristal from Roederer, or Dom Pérignon from Moët.

Terminology

As with many things to do with viticulture (winegrowing), there are many terms that may confuse the uninitiated. Here are a few to get you started:

Vintage: The year the grapes were harvested, and the resulting wine. A ‘vintage’ champagne is one made from grapes coming from one harvest year only; non-vintage champagne is produced from grapes which came from different harvests. Vintages are not released every year – only when the harvest is deemed good enough – and are therefore more exclusive and more expensive than non-vintage, blended champagnes.

Cuvée: Blended champagnes; the prestige cuvée can nevertheless be highly prized.

Brut: The driest (least sweet) variation of champagne – and the most popular. Extra-sec (dry) is slightly sweeter than brut, followed by sec, demi-sec, and doux – a very sweet dessert wine.

Blanc de noirs (white from black): Champagne produced from black grapes. Contrasts with blanc de blancs (white from white) – produced from Chardonnay.

Rosé: Increasingly popular pink champagne, with typically fruity flavour.

Prosecco: From Italy, it has gained popularity as a cheaper alternative to Champagne – in a similar way to the Spanish cava.

Foods to bring out the best

The classic food to combine with champagne is salty sour seafood – oysters or caviar, for example. More unusual takes on this could be to drink blanc de blancs brut champagne with Japanese food – for example dishes including seaweed – or fried French dumplings. Meanwhile, rosé champagnes can pair well with crudités. But it’s hard to go wrong with champagne – salty crisps, or even buttery popcorn as a snack are billed as a wonderfully simple accompaniment, while at the other end of the scale, adventurous palates may try rich meats such as venison or quail’s eggs.

A case of even relatively cheap champagne costs £150 upwards, while upmarket brands are substantially more. So for that landmark birthday or family wedding, if you decide that champagne could be the perfect tipple to help celebrate the occasion, one possible way to pay could be by credit card, especially if you've got a card that offers a 0% period on purchases or rewards your spend. Just remember to drink responsibly – and encourage your guests to do likewise.

Issued by Sainsbury’s Finance. Sainsbury’s Finance is a trading name of Sainsbury’s Bank plc. All information correct at time of publication, but may be subject to change. Any views or opinions expressed in this article are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any part of the Sainsbury’s Group of companies.