Encouraging his Studies…..

If you really want to torture me all you have to do is one thing….. drink wonderful champagne without me! I know that people say they like Champagne, but truly I think most just say that because they think they are supposed to like it. I, on the other hand LOVE Champagne, I have learned.. with Dwight's help, that there are so many different variations it can please everyone.. if you know how to drink it… so if first you don't succeed in finding something you like, try.. and try again! Its just so much fun…..! We have a little tradition for my birthday… I have a vintage champagne… every year it gets replaced so I can drink the one I have…… funny thing is .. now he has to buy me two.. one to drink and one to hold, I am just addicted to collecting this stuff……

A few in my collection….

So Dwight did torture me one morning… his answer when I said.. "What is your French Wine Scholar class doing tonight?" His answer, yep, you guessed it… Champagne… I begged, let me come.. I will just sit quietly and drink the left overs… honestly…you won't even notice I am there… but no chance, if you are not already a "advanced wine scholar" you can't play.. what do they know.. do they really think they can drink Champagne better than I can!!! Really….. So instead of getting to taste two vintage champagnes, very small grower bottles.. and god knows what else.. I get to pick his brain about what he learned… Oh well… its not all that bad :-)

The bottle that started my collecting, I still have it

So here we go…...

The first you need to know about Champagne; it was an accident….

a thousand years ago…or technically.. once upon a time, in the north regions of Europe they would make wine… because its a northern climate the yeast naturally goes into a dormant state because it was too could.. the early vintners would bottle the wine.. thinking it was done and come the spring the yeast would wake up… similar to how people in Vancouver respond sunshine, it already being bottled means that the yeast wakes up to finish the job.. or finish the rest of the sugar…. as we all know.. yeast eating grape juice.. produces two things: alcohol and carbon dioxide…. seeing how the CO2 has no where to go.. it dissolves in the wine….  so on first opening.. while a unexpected pop, frizz, and yum yum.. occurred.. they said.. wow.. this could be a good thing… I agree :-)

So in the modern age.. we do things a little differently.. a few "differently".. meaning there are many different ways of making sparkling wine.. but there is only ONE Champagne.. lets explore what that means and why….

Another on my shelf, the difference is that this is a Blanc de Blanc, so no Pinot Noir in this.. just the Chardonnay grape.

Sparkling wine that is Champagne can not be duplicated any where else on earth. No other sparkling wine region posses this unique terroir. The chalk and kimmeridgean soils are very rare, the vineyards lay at the edge of viability for grape production. This cold climate produces wine with racy acidity. The wines are firmly structured, they are masculine or feminine.. but they are well chiselled regardless.

There are three primary grapes used to make Champagne; one white grape, Chardonnay, and two red grapes, pinot noir and meunier…. most Champagne is a blend of these three.. they crush it very softly and free run the juices right away… which helps keep white, if they want rose they keep the skin in contact with the juices.

Sparkling wines produced from around the world even when made from the same varieties of grapes, using the same method.. can not deliver the same product. Champagne terroir exists no where but champagne.

The drinking bottle for my B-day this year… and a vintage for the shelf! 

The single most important distinction is that there are two fermentations,  and the second occurs in the bottle. Staying in France. the most common sparkling you will see are; Cremant, champagne styles made outside of the champagne region ..so you can have a Cremant D'Bourgnone .. meaning its made from grape from the region in a champagne style.

The Price of champagne… why how why do I need to spend so much…!

FYI:

• In France you can buy a 15.00 bottle of champagne, yes real champagne, from the grocery store. 
• In Canada champagne is considered a luxury item.. and priced appropriately. 
• Don't ever think that because you will spend over $100 on a bottle of champagne that its good.. sad but true, you need to know your champagne and what you like.

Some advice from my French Wine Scholar……

• There are two different marketing styles.. the big houses  like "Verve Cliuquet" that strive to make the same tasting champagne year after year, so there predictable, and good. 
• The "grower" Champagnes, these are small producers that make the product from their own grapes, only from what they have available. This means that what the grower wants to express is important lending to unique vintages, unpredictable.. but very good. 
• Vintage champagne is only produced in exceptional years, so if it has a date on it.. its good!
• It does not have to be expensive, you can buy "grower" champagne at good prices.. but you will have more variation in the product each time you buy it. 
• Don't drink Champagne with sweet food.. contrary to poplar belief Champagne does not pair well with sweet food, why we just drink it at news years is beyond me. 
• Go for, salty.. fatty type food.. oysters, foie gras, popcorn… and my absolute favourite.. Original Pringles.. (i am so serious about this.. try it!) 
• What to look for on label: 
• NM: negociant-manipulant - these are the big producers that incorporate grapes from others into the vinification process. Most big champagne houses are NM.. this is not a bad this.. its predictable.. which in a global market is good. 
• RM: recoltant-manipulant - these are growers that use only his/her own estate grown grapes. 
• MA: margque auxiliaire - this is a private label registered by any individual, group or societally, the source for the private label could be any of the above. So in France.. this is what you would see in bottles sold in grocery stores or restaurants. If you are seeing this here in Canada…I would stay away, you can do better. 

Till next time ..happy chatting