Champagne Encyclopedia

Everyone has their own personal taste preference. Champagne Score provides the information necessary to determine the best selection for your personal taste within your budget. The primary taste and aroma factors are determined by the following:

A vintage chart provides a year by year analysis of the Champagne Region's grape harvest. When deciding on the vintage of a brand the vintage chart can give clues to the best years. The decision to declare a vintage rests with each individual producer depending upon their particular grapes.

The Comite’ Champagne Is the French governing body for Champagne producers. They determine the categories of Champagne. Brut is the most popular category, making up over 90% of the market, according to the Bureau Du Champagne, USA. There are three sub-categories of brut and four categories sweeter than brut.

Sparkling wine and champagne characteristics, when tasting, include appearance, aroma/bouquet, and palate. Here are some general guidelines along with common characteristics and a general range of features you may observe. What should one expect when tasting and drinking?

There are four primary Champagne styles. They are based on a combination of color (hue) and grape varieties permitted. The four primary styles include white blend, rosé, blanc de blancs, and blanc de noirs.

There are common misconceptions about opening a bottle of Champagne. Opening a bottle of champagne often goes hand in hand with a celebration and it is tempting to let the cork fly and shower a bit of bubbly.

After a bottle of champagne has been opened properly, and observing appropriate safety measures, it is time to present it to guests in the best possible light. Ensure the appropriate glassware is available for everyone. The ideal service temperature is about 40 to 45° for a non-vintage and up to 50° for more mature top cuvée.

Reading wine labels can be a challenge. There are different styles and legal requirements that apply to both the producer and importer. They vary from country to country, state to state, and even appellation to appellation. There are also variations between producers.

Champagne bottles come in many sizes for many occasions. When selecting a bottle other than the standard 750 ml. bottle, keep in mind that the bottle size can make a difference in the taste experience. They come in ten different sizes, but some sizes are more difficult to find than others.

For non-vintage house style champagne, stores with high turnover are good because you know the inventory has not been sitting on the shelf for extended periods. Some Champagne Houses have started to put disgorgement dates on the bottle. The dates are either actual dates or dates available through a QR code (scan the 2D barcode with a mobile phone for the pertinent information).

In our fast paced world, we tend to purchase wine and champagne that will be consumed soon after and maybe even the day it is purchased. There is no real problem with that, but champagne is one wine that typically benefits from some additional aging. Even inexpensive non-vintage house styles will often improve for a year or two after purchase provided they haven’t spent extra time on the retail shelf.

Many of the same rules apply for ordering champagne in a restaurant as for retail purchases in a wine store. Ask to ensure the wines are stored properly and haven’t been on the shelf for extended periods of time. If you are planning to have different wines with different courses, this might be a time to consider a half bottle as long as they have not been held in stock for several months.

Champagne and sparkling wine grapes are primarily chardonnay, pinot noir, and meunier. Each variety plays a different role and is used for a different effect. A blanc de blancs (100% chardonnay) will taste different than a blanc de noirs (100% pinot noir and/or meunier) which will taste different from a white blend champagne (which may contain pinot noir, meunier and chardonnay).

The traditional method (method champenoise) is used for production in the Champagne Region of France. It is also used to produce sparkling wine in other parts of the world. The traditional method can be briefly summarized in three broad stages.

There are several methods of producing sparkling wine. The production of most sparkling wine requires two separate fermentations. During the second fermentation, a mixture of sugar and yeast are added back to the wine called a "liqueur de tirage" to initiate the second fermentation.

The history of sparkling wine began in England in the middle of the17th century using French still wine. The sparkling wine process developed in Champagne late in the 17th century. Sparkling wine has since spread throughout the world.

Champagne's history is divided into seven significant periods. The 17th century ushered in the dawn of sparkling wine production. Champagne saw significant changes as a result of numerous innovations during the Industrial Revolution. Post war and recent history have seen the champagne industry recover and blossom into an illustrious era.