A Champagne gift is a fail-safe choice that you can always turn to if you have no idea what to get a cherished friend or a loved family member for a present. Champagne Gifts From Vintage Wine and Port is a gift that keeps on giving, the cork may be popped when it is received or it could be treasured for a special occasion. With so many styles and price ranges to choose from, it is easy to settle on the perfect present. There is something simply magical about the popping of a champagne cork and watching the delicate bubbles rise gracefully in your favourite flutes.
A gift of Champagne is suitable for most special occasions such as a birthday, a special party, an anniversary or other special occasion. It is a way of bringing any party to life. Champagne has throughout history been seen as a drink for the privileged few. It is only in the last few decades that it has become relatively affordable for the larger percentage of the population . As such it has retained its aura of exclusivity and decadence
So what makes Champagne special?
Champagne is a sparkling wine. It can only be classified as Champagne if it is produced and bottled in the Champagne region of France and if the winemakers adhere to strict guidelines associated with the Appellation d’Origine Protegee. It is a very complex drink to make, firstly the grapes have to be selected and picked by hand, this is an expensive process and is partly responsible for the high cost compared to other sparkling wines.
Champagne is generally a blend of three types of grape. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Each contributes it own special characteristics. Pinot Noir provides the base structure, Chardonnay provides the fruit and Pinot Meunier provides the perfume. There are variations on these and some excellent single varietals such as Chardonnay (called Blanc de Blancs). These grapes are each processed to form a base wine which is then blended according to the house style.
The famous bubbles are obtained by bottling the bottling and sealing the wine so that it undergoes a second fermentation in that bottle. The sugar is eaten by the yeast which produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. This is absorbed in the wine and is released when the bottle is opened creating the bubbles.
So what makes a vintage Champagne?
A vintage is simply the year in which the grapes were harvested. Normally Champagne is produced from base wines from a number of vintages so that the house style is preserved over a number of years. Occasionally there are exceptional years when the harvest produces grapes of exceptional quality. These grapes from a single harvest are bottled and given prolonged aging to produce a Vintage Champagne. These tend to have more yeasty, bready characteristics than normal champagne. They also command a higher price due to its exceptional nature.
So knowing how champagne is made and the labour intensive techniques used gives an appreciation of what differentiates it from a sparkling wine. It also explains why the costs are higher. Clearly there is an aura and premium associated with some of the top Champagnes such as Krug and Cristal. However there are plenty of alternatives to suit all pockets. For more details Visit Us here....
A gift of Champagne is suitable for most special occasions such as a birthday, a special party, an anniversary or other special occasion. It is a way of bringing any party to life. Champagne has throughout history been seen as a drink for the privileged few. It is only in the last few decades that it has become relatively affordable for the larger percentage of the population . As such it has retained its aura of exclusivity and decadence
So what makes Champagne special?
Champagne is a sparkling wine. It can only be classified as Champagne if it is produced and bottled in the Champagne region of France and if the winemakers adhere to strict guidelines associated with the Appellation d’Origine Protegee. It is a very complex drink to make, firstly the grapes have to be selected and picked by hand, this is an expensive process and is partly responsible for the high cost compared to other sparkling wines.
Champagne is generally a blend of three types of grape. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Each contributes it own special characteristics. Pinot Noir provides the base structure, Chardonnay provides the fruit and Pinot Meunier provides the perfume. There are variations on these and some excellent single varietals such as Chardonnay (called Blanc de Blancs). These grapes are each processed to form a base wine which is then blended according to the house style.
The famous bubbles are obtained by bottling the bottling and sealing the wine so that it undergoes a second fermentation in that bottle. The sugar is eaten by the yeast which produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. This is absorbed in the wine and is released when the bottle is opened creating the bubbles.
So what makes a vintage Champagne?
A vintage is simply the year in which the grapes were harvested. Normally Champagne is produced from base wines from a number of vintages so that the house style is preserved over a number of years. Occasionally there are exceptional years when the harvest produces grapes of exceptional quality. These grapes from a single harvest are bottled and given prolonged aging to produce a Vintage Champagne. These tend to have more yeasty, bready characteristics than normal champagne. They also command a higher price due to its exceptional nature.
So knowing how champagne is made and the labour intensive techniques used gives an appreciation of what differentiates it from a sparkling wine. It also explains why the costs are higher. Clearly there is an aura and premium associated with some of the top Champagnes such as Krug and Cristal. However there are plenty of alternatives to suit all pockets. For more details Visit Us here....