Champagne tray. Credit: Alexander Naglestad
For the past twelve years, people have been showing up for #WorldChampagneDay, an international phenomenon created to celebrate the bubbly that the world has come to know and love. From Champagne showers, victory celebrations, to a classy pyramid, it’s been deeply ingrained in our culture that this sparkling wine is analogous with happiness. And each year on the fourth Friday of October, the global community shares in the joy of a bottle.
To participate, all you have to do is pop open a bottle and embrace the moment with friends and family. The official website also suggests restaurants and places that are holding events.
However, before you join in on the festivities this week, we suggest you do a little research on Champagne (with a capital C). Luckily, we discuss that in this article. The distinction between champagne and Champagne may not feel like much, but in the world of wine, it makes all of the difference.
If you have a bottle of sparkling wine you believe to be Champagne at hand, try this exercise. Examine the bottle for its country of origin. If it does not say Produit de France, it is not Champagne. Next, check to see if there is a label marking the bottle as AOC. If so, then congratulations, you have the real deal in your hands.
It is understandable that all of this may seem confusing, but here is the explanation as a reward for your patience. Only Champagne that is produced in the Champagne region of France is given an AOC label. If a bottle of sparkling wine is produced outside of the country, then it is incapable of being Champagne. It is simply a sparkling wine with a misnomer of champagne. (Other examples of popular sparkling wines include prosecco from Italy which has gained popularity over the past couple of years.)
The AOC mark is furthermore highly sought after. The acronym AOC is short for “Appellation d’origine contrôlée” and is only awarded to Champagnes produced and manufactured through the Méthode Traditionnelle. This classic style of production means that the Champagne has to go through two rounds of fermentation, specifically, the second needs to occur while in the bottle, as opposed to, for example, a machine-generated process. Only after meeting all of these criteria is a wine considered Champagne.
Now that we have the official details out of the way, we can discuss the types of Champagnes. They are mainly differentiated by the types of grapes used and their sweetness.
Learn more about (and maybe have a sip of) champagne and wine on one of our tours!
Firstly, there are Blanc de Blancs, Blancs de Noirs, and Rosé. This rosé should not be confused with the general category of pink wines. Blancs de Blancs are made with only Chardonnay grapes, while Blancs de Noirs use Pinot noir and Pinot meunier grapes. In the latter process, the wine is still light in colour and translates roughly to “white from black.” However, the manufacturers have to be careful here in extracting the juice from the white flesh of the grapes to ensure minimal contact with their red or black skins. Rosés, however, are not made from any particular grape. Instead, they are produced by combining red and white wines while retaining their carbonation.
The next subject is sugar levels. The basic classifications are Brut, Dry, Demi-Sec, and Doux, from least to most amount of sugar respectively. (A note of caution, even a dry glass of Champagne may still be fairly sweet.) A Brut sparkling wine is allowed up to 12 grams of sugar per litre, but if you prefer a dryer glass, you can look for bottles labelled “Brut Nature” which will have no added sugar. On the other hand, those looking for a dessert wine should choose from Demi-Sec or Doux with the lower end of the range incorporating at least 33 grams per litre.
Equipped with this knowledge, it is time to open a bottle and sip with newfound appreciation. Perhaps you also want to share this delight on #WorldChampagneDay, October 22 with us on social media!