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!