Champagne, or sparkling wine as it is known
outside of France, certainly conjures up romantic
images. Champagne has a reputation for being THE
beverage to serve at most special occasions. And
rightfully so. At it's finest, Champagne is
delicate, crisp and clean. A good bottle flirts
with the perfect qualities of the Chardonnay,
Pinot Noir, or other grapes from which it was
made.

Champagne should be served cold. Most experts
suggest 45 degrees Fahrenheit as proper serving
temperature. Bottles may be stored on their sides
or upright. It is best not to store Champagne in
an area where the temperature fluctuates greatly.
Incidentally, a great tip for rapidly chilling a
bottle is to fill an ice bucket around the bottle
with equal amounts of crushed ice and ice water.
Always keep the champagne on ice, not in the
freezer, between servings.

Color and sweetness are characteristics of
champagne that one sees on every bottle.
Champagne is not always made from white grapes,
hence the different colors. Rose, for example, is
created by adding red, still wine to the cuvee.
The same effect in rose can be acheived by
utilizing the color of the red wine skins. Red
Meunier or Pinot Noir grapes are used to make a
sultry and delectable Blanc de Noirs Champagne.

Next time you check out the label on a Champagne
bottle, you'll see references to it's sweetness.
Brut, as a classification, is probably the most
dry. Perhaps you enjoy a dry Champagne, but want
a touch of sweetness. Your best bet is a
classification known as "extra brut."
Interestingly enough, should you see a
classification that reads "extra dry", it
represents medium dryness. You like your
Champagne sweet? Make sure the label reads "sec",
or "demi-sec." The latter being quite sweet, and
is frequently served as a dessert wine.

As far as price is concerned, French Champagnes
are going to be the highest priced. If you are
reluctant to spend the "big bucks" on French
Cahmpagne, their are some very good alternatives.
In recent times, some legendary French Champagne
makers have started making an American variety in
California. Mumms, for example, has a wonderful
Cuvee Napa made in California. Very tasty and
reasonably priced! Also, try some Spanish "Cavas",
they are very inexpensive and quite good

O.K., hopefully this information will be helpful
the next time you're asked to pick the Champagne
for a special occasion. The truth of the matter
is, let your taste be your guide. Hey, I'm sure
you've got good taste, you're reading this
article!