*POP* and celebrate! what's a celebration without champagne? the bubbly delight that we have grown to love? but do we really know what champagne is?
champagne is actually is appellation (a region where grapes used for the wine are grown) in France. we commonly mistaken the use of the word "champagne" to mean all sparkling. however, only grapes in that region used to make it are technically able to use the word on its label.
champagne, the drink, was a mistake. Champagne, the region, is colder than most terroirs, so wine harvested in the fall will not be properly fermented in the winter because the temperature is too cold for the yeast to carry out the process. when the temperature becomes warmer in the spring, the yeast become active again and a second fermentation is conducted resulting in the bubbly delight!
champagne is actually is appellation (a region where grapes used for the wine are grown) in France. we commonly mistaken the use of the word "champagne" to mean all sparkling. however, only grapes in that region used to make it are technically able to use the word on its label.
champagne, the drink, was a mistake. Champagne, the region, is colder than most terroirs, so wine harvested in the fall will not be properly fermented in the winter because the temperature is too cold for the yeast to carry out the process. when the temperature becomes warmer in the spring, the yeast become active again and a second fermentation is conducted resulting in the bubbly delight!
a monk, Dom Perignon, wanted to get rid of the bubbles from the wine, but never succeeded. so the wine makers of Champagne soon learned to embrace the sparkling goodness and perfect it to what we know as champagne.
how is it made? by using champagne's methode champenoise of course :)
how is it made? by using champagne's methode champenoise of course :)
3 types of grapes are used, the chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. the grapes are blended and sugar and yeast mixture are added according to the amounts desired by the winemaker. the bottles are corked so that when the yeast ferments, the carbon dioxide has nowhere to go except back into the liquid creating the bubbles! after a year, the bottles are turned on an angle and all the yeast eventually settles into the neck of the bottle. the neck is then frozen, the cork removed and the frozen tube of yeast popped off. a bit of wine and sugar is added after, the bottle is then corked and eventually will end in our enjoyment.
*tips: to maximize your enjoyment of champagne, chill before serving and slowly remove the cork when opening to minimize the escape of the bubbles (less noise = better).
enjoy a glass of champagne with a flute, which is specially designed to also preserve the bubbles.
- cup of red
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