Champagne!
By Brian Goode

“Remember, it’s not just France we’re fighting for- it’s Champagne!” Winston Churchill

“In victory I deserve Champagne; in defeat I need it.” Napoleon

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” Mark Twain

“There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of Champagne.”  Betty Davis- Old Acquaintance

Champagne is the most celebrated beverage on earth. The growers and producers of this legendary concoction take pride in their product, and are manic in their efforts to preserve its’ reputation and uniqueness in the world. To them, even the use of the word Champagne or any permutation thereof is restricted. But being that we can find many examples of wine that sparkles, it’s interesting to consumers to know exactly what are the differences among all that sparkling wine out there, and how do they stack up to the real McCoy? Since February is the month of Valentine’s Day, this guide will help you when selecting your holiday bubbly.

The first interesting fact about Champagne is that it is made with 2 red grapes and only one white one. The grapes used are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay.

Another interesting fact concerns the name Champagne itself. Only wine grown, produced, and bottled in the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne. Even if it is French, even if the same method of preparation is used, if it’s not from Champagne, it can only be called Méthode Champenoise (outside of the EU) or Méthode Traditionelle (this name is becoming increasingly common) at best.

Concerning the method, or how the wine is made, the most important fact is that the bubbles are produced by means of a secondary fermentation, which occurs in the bottle, by adding a mixture of yeast, sugar, and still wine. This leftover yeast is removed prior to final bottling by turning the bottles slowly for a period of time to guide the particles to the neck of the bottle (riddling). They are then frozen and popped out, leaving only clear liquid in the bottle.

The levels of dryness in Champagne are from most dry to sweet: Brut nature-no sugar, extra brut, brut, extra dry, dry, semi-dry. You begin to pick up some (but not much) sweetness on the palate from approximately brut and increases as you proceed downwards.

“The Others”

Other countries produce sparkling wine, some using different grapes, and some using different methods to get their sparkle. Here’s a brief rundown on the most popular ones’ out there today:

Moscato d’Asti and Prosecco Both come from Italy. The grapes used for Moscato are, well, moscato. Prosecco  uses a grape called glera. The other difference is that these wines use another method to get their bubbles- called the Charmat method- in which the secondary fermentation occurs in larger vats rather than in the bottle. The wine still sparkles, but it’s less expensive to produce, and is less complex. It is delicate and light, but more simple than Champagne.

Cava  Cava is produced in Spain.
Cava uses different grapes than Champagne, but uses the same fermentation methods (Méthode Traditionelle). The main grapes used are macabeo, xarello, or parellada,  and the wines are usually very dry. Cava producers contributed the innovation of using a mechanized gyropallet to riddle the wines.

California Sparkling Wine Many of the California Sparkling Companies are French-Owned. Many have French winemakers, use the same methods as their parent houses in Europe do, and use the same grapes. With these wines a principal difference is the flavor influence on the grapes which is exerted by climate, slope, and soil conditions- what the French refer to as terroir. Also, the French blend their champagne using the grapes of many year’s harvests, in an effort to give a more consistent product which doesn’t vary much from year to year. The California winemakers generally do not blend their wines using grapes from as many different years as the French do. This is because of the more consistent growing climate found in California. However, there are other types of sparkling wine in California. The bulk producers like Andre or Tott’s do not use the traditional method of fermentation, but rather the Charmat process, and the result is a more simple, and more affordable product.

So, when do you drink Champagne, and when do you enjoy “the others”?

Cava is usually bone dry, and pairs well with grilled seafood, perhaps with paella for rosé versions. It is also good for cooking. This is the one you bring to the summer crab fest, or seafood dinner.

Prosecco is a nice aperitif wine, and is great with fried calamari or crispy fried items, antipasti, appetizers. Great for a toast with larger groups who would not appreciate the more costly difference Champagne would provide. It is also good for cooking.

Moscato d’ Asti is a good holiday, big group wine. The inherent sweetness appeals to a wide variety of guests, and marries well with the rich fare served on Thanksgiving or Christmas. The aroma in a glass of Moscato is flowery, citrusy, like orange peel, and the flavor is decidedly sweet. If it’s sweetness you crave, select Moscato above the other sparkling options.

California Sparkling. As mentioned above there are two categories in California, and both have their uses. The California Sparkling made in the traditional method are very, very good, and are slightly less expensive than Champagne itself. They are great on their own or with food. Domaine Chandon, Roederer, or Schramsberg are good examples of this type, and are around the $16.00 to $20.00 per bottle range. It’s appropriate for a special date, and makes a nice holiday gift, but it’s still not too over the top.

As for the Andre, Cook’s, Tott’s, or even Korbel, these wines are good for very large groups where quantity is important. Buy something more special for a date or as a gift, but in punch or otherwise mixed with something else, they’re fine. I recommend this type for mimosas, and suggest that you commit your financial reserves towards fresh squeezed orange juice, rather than spending it on good bubbly. You can also cook with it in recipes calling for sparkling wine.

Champagne. Most of the difference is in the bottle, but admittedly, some of it is the hype. That is part of Champagne’s allure. It has the flavor, the history, the sophistication, the festiveness. It’s the one that says you’ve arrived, you’re the best, the sky’s the limit for you or the one you’re giving it to. This is the one to drink when you imagine yourself a movie star. When you give a bottle to someone, you are saying to them that you want them to feel like they are the best of class. The method of production, the grapes used, the practice of blending makes Champagne the King among all these other very good examples. This is the retirement gift, the promotion gift, the I love you gift, that the other sparklers simply cannot be. If that special someone is hooked on actual Champagne, actual Champagne is what they must have. They start at around $34.00 a bottle, and escalate rapidly. Try something from one of the big producers- Veuve Clicquot, Moet Chandon, Bollinger, Taittinger. Note that if it says vintage and there is a year listed on the bottle, this means that the grapes will have come from the year listed. The taste will be more distinctive because the grapes haven’t been blended with the juice of differing years, and the price will be higher as a result of the uniqueness. If you can afford it, try a vintage Champagne side by side with a non- vintage one.

Champagnes’ varying levels of dryness and complexity makes it an ideal food match, but it is also wonderful to just sip, sip and sip. Ask for a demi-sec or sec if you want a sweeter version of Champagne. Champagne in its’ many guises is appropriate at any time during a meal, so if you are looking for Champagne, let your salesperson know what you’re serving. This will make it easier for them to get you a perfect match.

Brian Goode has been a chef and wine enthusiast for over thirty years, ever since his college days as a science major in Santa Cruz, California, and during his chef training at the Culinary Institute of America. During a Foodservice and Hospitality career in many areas around the country, he has received numerous awards for his cuisine, as well as several Wine Spectator Awards for his wine lists. He and his wife Joanne have been owners of Ye Olde Centerton Inn for seven years. He rarely declines an offer to talk about or taste wine and food.www.centertoninn.com or visit us on facebook