Put your bottles on ice. Polish your flutes. Practice your sabrage technique…Global Champagne Day is here, and we’ve got just the drink to celebrate it with.
This year, Global Champagne Day is being observed on 22nd October, which just happens to be a Friday and the perfect time to raise a glass, don’t you think?
If you’re looking to up your game until it bubbles over the top of the flute and spills all over your carpet, then with the help of Julien Lonneux of revered champagne makers Vranken Pommery, here are some top tips on buying and drinking Champagne to help you celebrate Global Champagne Day in style.
TERMINOLOGY & TASTE
First, consider your tastes: do you prefer dry or sweet wines?
Sugar is added to champagne during the fermentation process, and the amount used will alter the flavour, so check the label and tasting notes. If you prefer a sweeter glass of fizz, then look for ‘doux’ or ‘demi-sec’ whereas ‘extra dry’, ‘brut’ and ‘brut nature’ indicate a drier, more complex flavour.
You’ll also want to consider the vintage. Non-vintage (which you’ll often see described as ‘NV’ on labels) contains wine blended from multiple grape harvests, whereas vintage champagne is made using the produce of a harvest from a single quality year. As a result, non-vintage tends to be cheaper, with many leading champagne houses stocking decent quality NV bottles at affordable prices.
Read: What to look for in the best sparkling wine
GO LARGE
Throwing a party for Global Champagne Day? Julien suggests that you consider buying magnum, which not only look impressive, but arguably taste better, since the champagne matures better and for longer in the larger bottle.
A magnum is a double bottle; 150cl of champagne and you can get 12 flutes per magnum. Also, with more wine in the bottle and less empty space between the cork and the wine – there is less chance of oxidation happening, which can make the wine go off. Now, all you need to do is buy a bigger fridge to fit the damn things in.
Read: 4 ideal reasons why champagne is not just for special occasions.
THE RIGHT BOTTLE FOR YOU
It’s Global Champagne Day and a celebration is in order. Moët & Chandon, Lanson, and Veuve Clicquot are, of course, the champagnes of choice for connoisseurs, but the price tag can be somewhat off putting.
However, you can still indulge in champagne without having to spend quite so much. Some of our favourite more affordable tipples include Champagne Leon Launois Brut NV at just £21.95 and Veuve Monsigny Brut from Aldi (yes, you read that right) for just 12.99, which is an award-winning fizz from the “small, consistently excellent Champagne house Philizot & Fils”.
If you’re looking to splash a little more cash and enjoy something truly unique, then think outside the crate here and go for an English sparkling wine, which has been growing in stature in the last few years. Many blind tasters now believe it to be even better than champagne.
Our favourite here at IDEAL? It’s got to be Hambledon Classic Cuvée for £30, which is a cracking English fizz if ever there was one. Alternatively, Louis Pommery England (made in Hampshire) is the first English sparkling wine to be released from a Champagne House, guaranteeing a top quality product, and has won several awards.
Julien advises that you shouldn’t always think that rosé champagnes are sweet. For example, mery Brut Rosé has a beautiful pale pink colour, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is a sweet wine. Ripe succulent red fruits on the nose give the impression of sweetness but this wine is much more balanced.
WELL ROUNDED FOR FOOD
Julien explains that if you want to serve champagne to drink with a meal, it’s important to choose one that is well rounded and that goes with everything you are serving.
Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top is his choice for the ideal Champagne to serve with food, as it goes brilliantly with white meat and seafood. Many online sites offer discounts when buying Monopole by the case – take advantage of these prices.
THE PERFECT CHILL
When it comes to drinking champagne, it’s recommended that you should serve yours chilled to between 8° and 10°. This allows the drinker to enjoy the flavours of the wine at the most optimum level – any colder and it makes the aromas harder to detect and any warmer and the wine can appear heavier and less bright.
Read: The IDEAL guide to serving wine at the right temperature
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GLASSWARE
Julien says “Where possible opt for a glass with a large enough bowl to allow the full aromas of the wine to develop and really be appreciated. Great examples of this include tulip glasses, classic white wine glasses or even larger red wine glasses for Rosé Champagnes to appreciate the flavours”.
POPPING BOTTLES PROPERLY
When the time comes to pop open the bottle, take your time and be careful. According to Compound Chemistry, champagne bottles contain more pressure than a car tyre, so wrap a tea towel around the cork to add grip, and point it away from yourself (and everyone else!). If you find you’ve got a stubborn cork that won’t come loose, hold the neck of the bottle under warm (but not hot) running water for a minute. The cork should then pop easily.
Speaking of which, we’re off to pop a bottle ourselves. Happy Global Champagne Day…cheers!