 |
All About Champagne
Author: Gautamm Mehra  | Posted: 26-02-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 53 | Rating: (82)  (?) 
What is Champagne? Lets start with the fundamental question of what Champagne exactly is. Champagne is a sparkling wine. Simply put, a wine that has bubbles or is carbonated. Thus, Champagne is after all wine. Champagne is actually a northern region in France. It is here that Champagne is made and bottled for the world to enjoy. In fact, only if the wine is from the Champagne region, can it be called Champagne. If it is manufactured any where else in the world, it is known as sparkling wine.
Origin Of Champagne The origin of Champagne like almost anything else is disputed. The most common folklore is that a monk with the name of Dom Pérignon introduced bubbles into the wine by mistake. However, he then went on to clarify and improve the drink dramatically and it came to be liked by French aristocracy. This led to the royal image of Champagne. The other theory however is that sparkling wine was first commercially produced in the region of Languedoc in the 1530s.
The English also claim that they helped the drink. This is actually an interesting angle. There was a significant and strong trade of French wines to the British aisles. Most wine was fortified with a bit of brandy and sugar to help the wine along it arduous journey. However, Champagne, was much closer to the aisles, yet a certain amount of sugar was still added to them, as the British liked their wine sweet. Now the early bottling which left a small amount of yeast in the bottles with the added sugar, caused the carbon dioxide that is emitted during fermentation to be trapped inside the bottle. This led to fizzy wines. Now fizzy wines are supposed to be fun and enjoyable. At least that is what the marketing efforts in those times lead us to believe. And since then, Champagne has been used in all celebrations around the world.
Whatever be the case, "Champagne" was born around the 1700s. Method Of Production methodé champenoise is the traditional method used in the making of Champagne. A primary fermentation of the wine occurs first. Pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay are the grapes used in the manufacturing of the wine. Now while bottling this wine, a few grams of yeast and a few more grams of rock sugar are added. This induces the secondary fermentation which produces the bubbles in the wine. As the yeast begins to consume the sugar, alcohol and carbon dioxide are produced. Since the carbon dioxide is not allowed to escape, it is absorbed into the wine. Thus, when we open the champagne bottled, we are welcomed with tiny streaming bubbles.
How To Serve Champagne Champagne should be served in Champagne flutes. A flute a slim glass which tapers slightly inwards towards the top. This helps in containing the bubbles for a longer period of time and hence, allows you to enjoy your Champange to the fullest. Champagne is usually stored at 55 F in a dark damp location at an angle, like most other wine is. You must chill the Champagne for a few hours to bring the temperature down to 45 F before serving. Popping open a Champagne, though fun, leads to wastage of the drink and if you are paying $100 upwards for a bottle, you wouldn't want that to happen. Hence, Champagne must be sighed opened, but gently uncorking it at an angle of 45 degrees. This allows more of the champagne to remain in the bottle.
Innovate With Champagne Champagne can also be enjoyed when mixed with other things as well to get some very smooth and refined cocktails. Mimosa's are a great way of having champagne. It was invented in 1925 at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. Add equal measures of champagne and orange juice in a champagne flute and garnish it with an orange slice to enjoy this lovely drink. Add 1/2 measure of Campari and make it a Grand Mimosa. Another great way to have champagne is to add 1/2 measure of crème de cassis to champagne. Garnish it with a twist of lemon peel. You can now enjoy the Kir Royale. Lastly, for the love of beer, you can have your champagne with stout too. Add chilled stout (preferably Guinness) to a chilled white wine glass and half fill it. Now add chilled champagne to top the glass. Incidently this drink was invented to mourn the death of Prince Albert, Husband of Queen Victoria). Hence the name, Black Velvet.
More About Champagne There are different kinds of Champagne. These vary in their dryness and sweetness. The driest of all is the Brut. This is a standard Champagne. Next in line is Extra dry. If you prefer sweeter wines, then sec and semi sec are sweeter in that order. You also have the blanc de blancs which is made only from chardonnay grapes. and blanc de noirs, made from either or both pinot meunier and pinot noir.
While the French like the Champagne to be young and youthful, the English prefer their Champagne to be rounder and mellower, hence they prefer aged wines. A little aging of wines in a dark cupboard is recommended for most champagnes. Atleast 6 months for regular wines and a minimum of 8 years for Vintage wines.
A Vintage Champagne is one on which the year of the harvest is printed on the bottle. This is an unblended wine from a single harvest in that year. They are generally considered superior and hence, also carry a premium. Recent great vintage has been in the years 1990, 1995 and to some extent 1996.
Champagne's are rated on a 100 point scale by experts. They each publish their findings independently. There is variation, but of a very small order.
Some of the great brands of Champagne are Dom Pérignon, Taittinger, Krug, Moët & Chandon, Bollinger and Laurent-Perrier. You can safely pick any one of them and enjoy the rich flavours of France in all its glory.
Rate this Article:
Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/all-about-champagne-109698.html
About the Author:This article is written by Gautamm Mehra, a certified bartender and enthusiast. You can write to him at gautam [dot] mail [at] gmail [dot] com.
|
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free! |
|
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
The Ice Bag
By: Terrilynn | 20-07-2008
While recently traveling in France, we were served champagne in a clear heavy plastic 'paper bag' shaped container that was filled with ice and just sat on the table. It was just called "Ice Bag". Does anyone know where I could find these? Thank you so much.
Can a red wine bottle be left in room temprature ...
By: amitre | 11-04-2008
can a red wine bottle be left in room temprature (not in the refrigirator) after it was opened? For how long?
Request for wine recommendations
By: kparker149 | 03-04-2008
Help!!! I am planning an Italian wine dinner for a group of friends. I have come up with a menu that I can handle without giving myself a nervous breakdown. If only the wine selections were so easy! I have sought help at several local wine stores and of course I have received greatly varying recommendations. One consistent suggestion was to serve a prosecco - three different people suggested serving it with the cheese course while two people suggested serving with the crostini. Only one person suggested an amarone with the sliced grilled steak; while several other people really discouraged it. The person who suggested serving the amarone also suggested serving a barbera with the cheese course (far different from the prosecco idea!). I would really appreciate any assistance! At this point my head is spinning and I have not even narrowed down the types/regions of the wines (other than Italian). Please see my purposed menu below (I am also open to changes in the menu if you think something is problematic). Thank you in advance for any guidance anyone can provide.Kathleen Parker, Houston, Texas kparker149@comcast.net Antipasti: Chicken liver crostini, Olive tapanade crostini, Tomato, caper, and garlic crostiniPrimo: Penne with green beans and pestoSecondo: sliced grilled steak with arugula, shaved parmigiano, and truffle oilFormaggi: Gorgonzola Dolce Creamy young cows milk cheese from Lombardy, Piave cows milk cheese from Veneto (similar to parmigiano but sweeter), Pecorino Toscana young sheeps milk cheese from Tuscany; cheeses to be served with honey and fresh fruitDolce: Biscotti and Vin Santo
Hello - I acquired a dozen + bottles of wine from ...
By: dancywalden | 26-03-2008
Hello - I acquired a dozen + bottles of wine from an estate sale. They date from the 60's and 70's, are from Italy, Spain, and France, were stored in the owner's basement, and all seals are intact (except that some seals do have mildew stains). We opened up two bottles of Papillon red assuming these were of lesser quality and found they were bad. Bad, in that the color was muddy, taste was, well, yucky. So, our question is: what should we do with the rest of them? A bit of research showed us that some of the bottles are of finer vintages. Could they be ok? Can wines last this long? Would they be of any value? I can provide the names/years & photos if needed. Thanks for your help!
Blends a 'nono'?
By: redgrapeswrath | 24-03-2008
are blends a 'nono' for the true wine connoisseur (that obviously not being me?) someone told me that but I don't believe em.
What is a carbonnieux?
By: dirkdigler | 22-03-2008
what is a carbonnieux?
Q&A Powered by: 
Latest Art and Entertainment Articles
Vacation Photography
By: Tom Jackson | 07/10/2008
It
All About Entertainers That Use Fire In Their Acts To Entertain Others
By: Aydan Corkern | 07/10/2008
There are many that use the flames of excitement to keep the crowd captivated.
Use of Color in Graphic Design
By: Christopher Noble | 06/10/2008
What Is Color?
In 1666, English scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when pure white light is passed through a prism, it separates into all of the visible colors. Newton also found that each color is comprised of a single wavelength and cannot be separated any further into other colors.
Further experiments...
How Old Time Radio Became the Medium of Choice for a Ventriloquist
By: Ned Norris | 06/10/2008
It may seem hard to believe that a ventriloquist could make a successful career out of a radio show, but incredibly the Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy Show was a massive old time radio hit due to the comedic timing and talent of Edgar Bergen.
Pumpkin Carving Kits
By: Paul Easton | 05/10/2008
All about the available pumpkin carving kits
Furniture Designers Like Kaare Klint Makes Perfect Furniture Design
By: Jakob Momme | 05/10/2008
Of all the furniture designers that emerged from Denmark during the 20th century, Kaare Klint was the only one that was born the century before. Born in 1888, the son of P.V. Jensen Klint, an eminent architect of the early 20th century, the younger Kaare Klint worked first as an...
Borge Mogensen - Furniture Designers
By: Jessica Whittaker | 05/10/2008
Born in Denmark in 1914, Borge Mogensen became qualified as a cabinetmaker at the age of 20. He, like many of the other furniture designers from Denmark, studied at the Copenhagen School of Arts and Crafts and then at the Furniture School of the Academy of Fine Arts from 1938...
Collecting A Vast DVD Library Of Top Box Office Movies
By: MIKE SELVON | 05/10/2008
Each weekend, millions of people flock to movie theaters to watch the top box office movies that are currently showing.
More from Gautamm Mehra
All About Blended Scotch
By: Gautamm Mehra | 26/02/2007 | Art and Entertainment
If you don't live in Scotland, chances are you drink blended scotch. Learn about the blending process and how do the Scottish deliver that greatness of flavour, bottled into a 1 litre bottle.
All About Scotch
By: Gautamm Mehra | 26/02/2007 | Art and Entertainment
Scotch, the word conjures so many images: open green fields, smoky smell of peat, refined taste and everything Scottish. Scotch, is the pride of Scotland and till date is an integral part of the Scottish economy. So what makes this drink, so lovable and highly appreciated by all.
A Brief History of Alcohol
By: Gautamm Mehra | 03/02/2007 | Art and Entertainment
As with all histories, there is no one theory. And you may hear different versions from different people all the time. However, one thing for certain is that the fermentation process was discovered by man some 10,000 years ago.
All About Beer
By: Gautamm Mehra | 03/02/2007 | Art and Entertainment
The exact time frame of beer is debatable. Experts place it between 10,000 years to 7,500 years ago. That makes beer the oldest drink known to mankind.
All About Vodka
By: Gautamm Mehra | 03/02/2007 | Art and Entertainment
Vodka is the surprise package of the 20th Century. From an unknown Russian drink to the most widely used cocktail drink, it has been quite a journey.
All About Vodka Brands
By: Gautamm Mehra | 03/02/2007 | Art and Entertainment
With so many brands out there, which Vodka should I put my dollar on? That's the question running in all our minds. Read on to find out the answer.
5 Things to Remember While Serving a Cocktail
By: Gautamm Mehra | 03/02/2007 | Art and Entertainment
Cocktails are a great way of enjoying your favourite spirits and liquours. Here are some tips to help you serve them the right way.
|
|
Art and Entertainment 
