Retail Purchasing
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). The date will give you an idea of the actual age of the wine and how long it has been on the market.
For top quality champagne, try to find a store with a temperature controlled storage unit with low lighting. If there are bottles on display in an area with bright lights, find out how they store additional bottles and if storage conditions are acceptable, ask for one from there.
Avoid having wine shipped in hot months. This applies to any wine but especially to champagne and other sparkling wines, which are somewhat more sensitive to temperature fluctuation and heat than others. It is also a good idea to minimize purchases at the end of a hot summer unless you can verify proper storage, when shipments were received and how they were shipped.
When considering the size of the bottle to purchase, the best formats are generally the standard 750 mL bottle or the magnum (1.5 Liters). Standard bottles are the safest bet, but the magnum is actually an ideal size. Refer to the webpage Champagne Bottles for additional information about bottle sizes.
Related
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).