Champagne – Top Tasting Tips
Jun 29th, 2010 by savvyclub
Dear Friends
I don’t need an excuse to pop open a bottle of bubbly – I am partial to a Champagne cocktail on a warm summer’s evening! When celebrating, visiting friends or attending dinner parties I would usually like to take a good bottle of Champagne to share but in the past I had found it difficult to select one without a considerable amount of help or recommendation.
I have to be honest and say that the only real way to find out what Champagnes you like is to taste them – oh, what a shame! Most good wine shops have regular tastings or will hold an event on request and this would definitely be my first suggestion to you. If you have a healthy budget for your investigations then I would definitely suggest booking a short break in the Champagne region of France and visiting as many vineyards as possible.
When tasting Champagne there are a few things which you should definitely look out for;
The glass should be tall, spotless and not filled right to the top.
There needs to be enough room for the bubbles to move around and the aromas to develop. You also do not want any dust or detergent damaging the quality of the Champagne.
The Champagne should be between 6 – 10 degrees C.
This is the ideal drinking temperature. Too cold and it will lose some of the marvelous flavours.
The bubbles should be small and fine
The smaller the bubbles the finer the Champagne. If it has bubbles the size of those in soda water it will not be as pleasant.
Champagne should have a yeasty smell
Through this you will then smell all the individual qualities of each champagne.
You should swirl the Champagne around your tongue
This will allow you to taste fully all the wonderful flavours it contains by letting it cover every inch of your taste buds. The taste should also linger a while after taking a sip.
These are only a few thoughts when delving into the world of Champagne. There are of course many varieties and qualities that you should be looking out for. If you are looking to learn more about Champagne then I would recommend purchasing a guide to help you on your journey.
I recommend ‘The Insider’s Guide to Champagne’ which taught me so much. It is an easy, informative and insightful guide which really does teach you everything you need to know about Champagne. Please look for the link on the right hand side of the The SaVVy Club homepage to learn more about this fantastic resource.
Kind regards
Kim Rix
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