5 Easy Tips In Picking A Right Bottle of Champagne
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On a recent tour of some Paris museums I learned a great deal about wine and Champagne and here is a breakdown of what you need to know about the world-famous fizzy wine.
Champagne is a type of a wine blend that is usually served in some important occasions. Whether if you are going to invite your friends on a weekend brunch or toasting for your best friend’s engagement you will be able to get the best out of your personality when you opt to serve a bottle of Champagne wine.
In fact, there are several blends of Champagne you can find anywhere and some are even the top choice of every wine taster. In fact, the abundance of Champagne wines has led to the ability of every consumer in finding the best bottle that fits them. Although you can find a lot of Champagne wines, it is also true that sometimes it’s hard to pick the right bottle especially when you are stuck up with different choices.
Hence, as you go ahead and find your way of looking for the best bottle of Champagne, let us show you this easy ways and tips that you can devour so you won’t go wrong with your choice. Rest assured that if you apply these tips, you will be able to pick the right bottle for you, and you can ultimately impress your friends, partner, relatives, or even yourself that you are a pro when it comes to picking a bottle of Champagne.
Differentiate Cava, Prosecco, Champagne, and Sparkling Wines
Usually, Champagne blends are considered a Sparkling wine. Though it’s the literal description, take note that they differ in some ways. Let’s tackle them individually.
Champagne – it is typically a label given to a bottle of Sparkling wine and the only way for a bottle to be entitled of this is that it should come from France. All Champagne bottles such as Dom Perignon originated in France where you can only and exclusively find a traditional variety of grapes like Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. Moreover, for it to be called Champagne, it should undergo traditional winemaking process like what vineyard in France only does.
Cava – this one is a sparkling wine that originated in Spain. It undergoes the same of fermentation, but the only thing that’s different is that it uses an inexpensive variety of grapes. Cava is usually sweeter than Champagne.
Prosecco – this wine is developed using a Charmat method which is only manufactured in Italy. The Charmat method is processed by fermenting the wine in tanks before they are stocked in bottles. It has coarsest bubbles and comes sweeter compared to Cava.
Sparkling Wine – these wines either come from California or Switzerland which does not follow traditional winemaking techniques. It’s a general term given to all fizzy wines.
Find Your Taste Between Extra Brut or Doux
Upon the process of Champagne winemaking, sugar is added to it during its final step to make sure that the acidity is leveled. That is why all bottle of Champagne wines are labeled depending on the level of sweetness added to it.
Doux – This is the sweetest Champagne wine bottle.
Sec, Demi-Sec, and Extra Sec – It’s still a sweet blend, but not sweeter compared to Doux.
Extra Brut to Brut – It’s a dry type of Champagne.
Understand Your Tiers
In selecting a perfect blend of Champagne, it is also true that you need to know and understand your tiers. It refers to the rank of Champagne blends depending on their type and origin.
Classic – It’s a tier which is considered to be every vineyards entry.
Reserve – this means that Champagne blends had undergone the aging process for quite some time in order to produce an awesome flavor.
Prestige – this one is made from excellent and elegant grape varieties every vineyard has.
Get A Lot By Not Spending Too Much
Ideally, when you choose a bottle of Champagne wine, the first thing that you must consider is the budget. As you go ahead and walk inside a winery store, you might get overwhelmed with the number of beautiful bottles you may see and be enticed in buying something that really appeals to you. If you think that you have enough budget, then grab it.
On the other hand, if you are a practical shopper and you want to pick a Champagne that can really impress your peers, start with an inexpensive one but provides good quality. In this way, you will be able to ensure that you serve the best bottle at the same time the price doesn’t hurt your pocket so much.
Go Green
When you opt to choose a bottle of Champagne wine, try to select those who come in a darker bottle like green. Take note that a Champagne might be compromised with excessive light exposure; thus, it is important that you also have to store it in a cool dry place. This is to make sure that you preserve the taste of Champagne even after opening it.