Choosing a good champagne

When you think about alcohol and romance together, you most probably think of champagne.
But how do you know what champagne is good, what to look out for and how to look after your bubbly?
Check out this tip and find out more!

How to choose champagne

Knowing your grapes

Champagne is a French sparkling wine, made in the Champagne region in the North East of France. The only wine that is legally allowed to be called Champagne is wine that has been produced in this region.
The wine is a blend of up to three different grape varieties; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
Once the wine has aged, a certain amount of sugar is added, known as the dosage.

Which dosage is best?

There are many dosages of Champagne and they are often a closely guarded secret by the Champagne houses. However, you can get an idea of the dosage by the labelling on the bottle.
Extra brut, brut and demi-sec are some of the more common dosages.

Extra brut Champagne wines

Extra brut or ultra brut Champagne contain no added sugar/dosage so they are the best choice for dieters. They are very dry wines.

Brut Champagne wines

Brut Champagne wines are very dry, but slightly sweeter than extra brut, and they contain a very low amount sugar.
They are perfect for most occasions, which is why they are the most popular variety of Champagne sold today.

Demi-sec Champagne wines

More sugar is added to Demi-sec Champagne wines than to brut Champagne wines. This gives them a sweet taste.
As a result they go very well with desserts.

Age / Vintage

Champagne aromas develop with age. The wine is matured in producers’ cellars for at least 15 months for NV Champagne, 3 years for vintage wines and even longer for prestige cuvées, before they are released onto the market.

Champagne Aromas

Age 15 months to 3 years: White flower, citrus and fresh fruit aromas.

Age 3 to 5 years (Mature): Bold summer flowers or ripe/stewed fruit aromas dominate.

Age five years or more: Bouquets of dried flowers and grilled nuts.

Making a choice

Your choice of the 'perfect' Champagne should be based on you and your partner’s personal tastes, budget available and vintage year (if you're buying a vintage wine).

Here are some tips to help you choose:

If you can, try to taste various Champagnes to get an idea of which ones appeal most to you.
Ask your friends, colleagues and also wine merchants which bottle they recommend.
Take your budget into account. Although you get what you pay for, will you enjoy it as much if it costs you more that you wanted to spend per bottle?
Remember to consider the tastes of your partner. If she's not a fan of very dry wine then don't buy a brut, but look for a sweeter Champagne.

Storing Champagne

If you're buying your Champagne in advance for a big event or celebration then don't worry, it will store perfectly well for a good few years.
The best advice is to store it in a cool place and keep it out of the sunlight.