Champagne... A prestigious name !

Champagne… A prestigious name, that of a region with an unusual past and sublime wines that sparkle before the eyes and on the palate, the essential guests of festivals and special occasions! An inimitable style and wines that have conquered the world: the originality of champagnes lies in the assembly of the "cuvées". Ruinart, Moët, Veuve Clicquot, Jacquesson, Hiedsieck… each house makes up its "cuvées" by carefully blending wines from different years produced from different grape varieties. The body and power of pinot noir, fruitiness and smoothness of pinot meunier from red grapes, finesse and elegance of chardonnay from white… 

This special assembly, both rich and delicate, is overlaid by the effervescence, produced by the famous "champenoise" fermentation method. Then, at the end of vinification, a liqueur is added to the wines, a typical sweet note, slight for the dry wines (bruts) and more marked for the semi-sweet (demi-secs). The dry wines, and the "blancs de blancs" (made from chardonnay grapes only), are drunk as an aperitif or with fish or shellfish starters whereas the semi-sweet wines are usually drunk with dessert. The fine vintage wines (millésimés) are more full bodied and can accompany an entire meal. The creaminess of smooth rosé wines goes with spicy recipes and the powerful blancs de noirs (made from red grapes only) are excellent with game. Serve them all well chilled in flutes, which are ideal for highlighting the aromas.