For many drinkers, a glass of fizz is just that.
Something sparkling to sip while you’re busy concentrating on something else:
chit chatting, maximising your canapé intake, that sort of thing.
However, I feel that, once one reaches a certain age, it
really is time to give the matter more thought and to have a favourite
Champagne. If it’s good enough for James Bond (we all know he’s a Bolly fan),
then it’s good enough for the rest of us.
But how to know which Champagne is for you? Well the bad
news is, you might have to try a few different bottles in order to be really
sure – I know, you’re just going to have to put on a brave face and get on with
it.
You could do what I did and buy a few different big name
Champagnes and get some people round to help you drink them. If you are also as
cruel as I am, you could make it a blind tasting, so that they (and you) can
taste without knowing which is which, thereby avoiding any innate bias. Don’t
say I don’t know how to have fun.
 |
| Tea time! |
Tackling the vast subject of how Champagne house styles
differ from each other is not really within the remit of this short article.
But to help you in your endeavours here are some pointers to get you started.
Piper Heidsieck
Piper is a good “beginner’s Champagne” with masses of
crunchy fruit and sherbetty acidity. It’s a perfect aperitif Champagne, which
is easy to drink.
Moët & Chandon
The first thing to know is, you do pronounce the “t” – it’s
Mo-ett rather than Mo-ay. And Moët can claim to be amongst the most improved NV
cuvées in recent years. This is a good all-rounder, with creamy mousse (that’s
bubbles), citrusy fruit and a slightly savoury finish.
Veuve Clicquot
This and Moët are the two biggest selling Champagnes in the
world. Veuve (or “the widow” to its fans) appeals to those who enjoy a bit more
substance to their fizz, thanks to its higher proportion of the red grape Pinot
Noir.
Louis Roederer
A favourite at my own blind “tasting” (OK drinking), this
combines depth of flavour, fruitiness, elegance and creaminess in one very
accomplished package. Classic and classy.
Bollinger
Although undoubtedly an iconic Champagne, it will not be to
everyone’s taste, so if you don’t like it, please don’t give up on Champagne
altogether. Bollinger stands out for its use of oak ageing and its rich, spicy,
savoury style, which can stand up to a surprising range of food.
And finally – to help you find the best price for your
chosen bottles bookmark this site: https://www.bringabottle.co.uk/.
It’s a handy reference for tracking prices for all these Champagnes and more,
so that you can make sure you’re not paying over the odds.
If you’d like to share your Champagne experiences with me,
I’d love to hear from you: heather@redwhiteandrose.co.uk.
No comments:
Post a Comment