Cellar. Bubbles. Celebration.
Few drinks change the mood of a room quite like the sound of a cork leaving a bottle of Champagne.
It is the drink of weddings, birthdays, new jobs and New Year's Eve.
But Champagne is far more than a celebration in a glass.
It is a wine with a place, a method and a style all its own.
What Makes Champagne, Champagne?
Champagne is a sparkling wine from the Champagne region of north-eastern France.
The name is protected.
Only sparkling wine made in that region, following its rules, can be called Champagne.
Excellent sparkling wines are made all over the world, but they have their own names, such as Cava, Crémant, Franciacorta or Portuguese espumante.
So all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne.
The Grapes
Champagne is made mainly from three grape varieties.
Chardonnay, a white grape, brings freshness, citrus and elegance.
Pinot Noir, a black grape, adds body, structure and red fruit.
Meunier, also a black grape, contributes fruitiness and roundness.
Most Champagnes are blends of these grapes, although some are made from just one.
Where Do the Bubbles Come From?
Champagne is made using the traditional method.
First, still wines are made and blended.
Then a little sugar and yeast are added, and the wine is sealed in the bottle.
A second fermentation takes place inside that bottle, creating carbon dioxide that has nowhere to go.
That is where the bubbles come from.
The Magic of Time on the Lees
After the second fermentation, the dead yeast cells, known as lees, remain inside the bottle.
Champagne is aged on these lees, sometimes for years.
This slow contact gives Champagne its characteristic notes of brioche, toast, biscuit and nuts, along with a finer, creamier texture.
Non-vintage Champagne must rest for a minimum of 15 months in the cellar before release, and vintage Champagne for at least three years.
Many producers age their wines well beyond these minimums.
Riddling and Disgorging
Before the wine can be sold, the yeast sediment must be removed.
The bottles are gradually turned and tilted so the sediment collects in the neck.
The neck is then frozen, the bottle opened, and the pressure pushes out the plug of frozen sediment.
A small amount of wine and sugar, called the dosage, is added before the final cork goes in.
That dosage decides how dry or sweet the Champagne tastes.
From Brut Nature to Doux
The words on the label tell you the sweetness level.
Brut Nature and Extra Brut are the driest styles, with little or no added sugar.
Brut is the most popular style: dry, fresh and versatile.
Extra Dry, perhaps confusingly, is slightly sweeter than Brut.
Sec and Demi-Sec are sweeter again.
Doux is the sweetest of all.
If you want a classic, dry Champagne for an aperitif, Brut is a safe choice.
If you want something to accompany dessert, look at Demi-Sec.
Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and Rosé
Blanc de Blancs means white from white, Champagne made only from white grapes, usually Chardonnay. It is often fresh, elegant and citrusy.
Blanc de Noirs means white from black, made from black grapes, giving a fuller, richer style.
Rosé Champagne is pink and often shows red fruit flavours. In Champagne, rosé is commonly made by blending a little red wine into white.
Vintage or Non-Vintage?
Most Champagne is non-vintage, a blend of wines from several years designed to keep a consistent house style.
Vintage Champagne is made from a single year's harvest, usually only when the year is particularly good.
Prestige cuvées sit at the top of a house's range and are often aged for many years.
How to Serve Champagne
Serve Champagne well chilled, but not frozen. Around 8 to 10°C is ideal for most styles.
An ice bucket with water and ice chills a bottle much faster than ice alone.
Open the bottle gently, holding the cork and turning the bottle rather than the cork.
The perfect sound is a soft sigh, not a loud pop.
A flute keeps the bubbles lively, while a tulip or white wine glass lets the aromas open up more.
Champagne and Food
Champagne is one of the most food-friendly wines there is.
Its acidity and bubbles cut through salt and richness.
Try it with oysters, smoked salmon, fried snacks, crisps, sushi and soft cheeses.
Rosé Champagne works beautifully with salmon, duck and berry desserts.
Demi-Sec is lovely with fruit tarts and lighter desserts.
Choosing Your Champagne
For a classic celebration, a non-vintage Brut is always a good choice.
For something fresh and elegant, try a Blanc de Blancs.
For a romantic dinner, choose a Rosé.
For dessert, a Demi-Sec.
And for a truly special moment, a vintage or prestige cuvée.
Half bottles are perfect for two, and magnums make any gathering feel like an event.
More Than a Celebration
Champagne is a wine of patience as much as party.
Years in cool chalk cellars, careful blending and quiet work happen long before anyone hears that cork.
Celebrations are a wonderful reason to open a bottle.
But sometimes, an ordinary evening is reason enough.
Explore Champagne at EU Cellar
From classic Brut and elegant Blanc de Blancs to Rosé, Demi-Sec, half bottles and magnums, discover the world of Champagne.
Find the right bottle for the moment, whether that is a big celebration or a quiet evening at home.
Shop the Bottles
- Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne 750ml
- Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Champagne 750ml
- Pol Roger Brut Réserve Champagne 750ml
- Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne 750ml
- Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé Champagne 750ml
- Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial Demi-Sec Champagne 750ml
Shop all Champagne | Champagne and celebrations
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