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By Mary Watson
DeLauderSparkling wines are made throughout the world, but the Champagne Region in Northern France is the only place in the world real Champagne comes from. It is illegal to use the term Champagne outside this region. Many Champagne houses own vineyards and make sparkling wines in other countries. Moet & Chandon, for example, makes excellent sparkling wines in California, Argentina and Australia.
Champagne has for long been associated with celebrations and special occasions. Actually over 90% of Champagnes are purchased at the end of the year and not surprisingly Costco is the country’s top reseller of it.
We overlook the fact that Champagne is a wonderful food wine. We seldom drink it without a toast attached. It has  become a unique and authentic symbol for any form of celebration. The pop of the cork is enough incentive to start revelry, but we should think about what a perfect start it is to a meal. With its high acidity and crisp clean flavors, it stimulates the taste buds and cleanses the palate as no other wine can.
There are many styles of Champagne and Sparkling Wine, and many countries produce them. Look for “fermented in the bottle”. “traditional method” or “method champenoise” on the label. In Spain, the word “cava” should appear on the label. In Germany it is “sekt” and in Italy it is called “spumante”, Australia makes a sparkling Shiraz by the traditional champagne method.
Vintage Champagnes are made from the best grapes in years that are better than average. They must be aged for three years before they are released. Non-vintage Champagnes make up 75-80 percent of the wines produced and are usually made in a definitive “house” style. Blanc de Blancs Champagnes are made from Chardonnay grapes, while Blanc de Noirs are made from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the red grapes of the region.
Champagnes are available in different levels of sweetness. Nature, Brut Integral or Sauvage are totally dry. Brut is very dry with less than 1.5 percent sugar. Extra dry, ironically, is slightly sweet with up to 2 percent sugar. Sec is medium sweet and Demi-sec is sweet, with up to 5 percent sugar. Doux is very sweet and over 5 percent sugar. This wide range enables pairing with a variety of foods. My favorite wine dinner to plan each year is the sparkling wine dinner with most countries that produce sparkling wine represented.
Sparkling wines tend to pair well with difficult foods, like smoked salmon and eggs. This is the biggest reason you see them at most brunches. Brut Champagnes are the perfect aperitif and pair extremely well with shellfish, especially oysters. I can’t think of another wine that works as well with caviar. Sparkling wines act as a natural palate cleanser. There is a style of sparkling wine for almost any dish, from aperitif to dessert.
Don’t save those bottles just for special occasions. Enjoy them anytime as a refreshing change. The minute you open a bottle, the occasion becomes more special. Many Champagnes and sparkling wines now come in 187 ml. bottles and are a perfect way to enjoy a glass without committing to finish a full size bottle.
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