Champagne is a favourite of so many people, and with good reason.
The emotion it evokes in us, one of celebration and success, of uplifted moods, of friendship and good times, is rivalled by no other. However, like most French regions, Champagne can be daunting to the uninitiated. Beyond a passing knowledge of a handful of famous brands, few people have a deep understanding of all it has to offer. There are, however, some basic tenets which can help decode and navigate what is quite a complex category.
Champagne is much more than a celebratory drink. It is a serious wine and carefully regulated by strict laws of viticulture and process. Champagne is one of only a handful of wine styles known to always be sparkling, with others including Cava from Spain and Prosecco in Italy. It is the fizz with by far the best reputation.
Brut non-vintage is the best-known style and accounts for 75 percent of all Champagne sold. As the least aged expression, it is the freshest style. Within brut non- or multi-vintage there is, of course, a range of styles from young, fresh and light to rich, complex and vinous.
Vintage Champagne is produced from one specific year and only in the best years. In most cases, vintage Champagne is produced from better quality grapes, those normally from premier and grand cru vineyards. The ageing is longer, a minimum of three years, but usually seven or more, with most houses producing a vintage expression in much smaller quantity than their brut non-vintage. Vintage Champagnes also offer more complexity, depth and body, they age better and are more suited for pairing with more complex dishes.
A style that can be both non-vintage or vintage is Blanc de Blancs, literally translated as white wine from white grapes. This is a pure Chardonnay production, giving a softer, creamier style of Champagne. If you are new to Champagne this may appeal more. It focuses less on the acidity and more on texture and mouthfeel.
Rosé Champagne can be made by two different methods. The saignée method is where the juice from Pinots Noir and Meunier is bled with very little skin contact, giving a light colour. Another method blends white wine into a light red wine to give different characteristics, with Chardonnay added to give a softer, fleshier style for example. Rosé opens up a new food pairing dimension, too.
The ultimate Champagne from any house is a subset of vintage known as luxury cuvée where only the best grapes are used from grand cru sites across the region. There is no definition of rules here, it is simply the best Champagne a house can produce. Dom Perignon, Krug and Cristal are the best known, but there are many more. The grapes for these cuvees are almost purely grand cru.
Single village Champagnes are also becoming increasingly popular. The idea here is to give a greater sense of terroir in the Champagne, appealing more to gastronomic restaurants than nightclubs. Grand Cru villages such as Verzenay, le Mesnil-Sur-Oger and Avize are regularly listed on the labels.
In short, there is lot to explore when it comes to champagne – and it can definitely be extended beyond celebratory occasions. I encourage you to explore different varieties to see which is your style.
Oliver Dixon is MMI’s Head of Fine Wines. He has worked in wine for over 20 years and is responsible for hand-selecting the extensive selection of fine wines at Le Clos, directly from producers around the world.