| When it comes to celebrations like weddings, | | | | champagne houses and 15,000 smaller producers |
| christenings, birthdays, engagements, garden | | | | in Champagne. More than 300 million bottles are |
| parties or even if you have to launch a ship, there | | | | produced every year and out of this France |
| is only one thing that will fit the occasion, | | | | exports approximately 55%. The biggest |
| champagne. In fact whatever the event you can | | | | consumers of this bubbly liquor are the United |
| bring a sense of significance to any get-together | | | | States, Germany and the United Kingdom. |
| by serving up a chilled bottle of this fizzy treat. | | | | Champagne is popular because it is seen as the |
| Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by | | | | drink of the rich and famous. This is where the |
| inducing in the bottle secondary fermentation. This | | | | vintages come in. The mention of “Cristal” |
| creates the bubbles which make the drink special. | | | | at celebrity parties has led to the drink becoming |
| Many consumers call all sparkling wines | | | | more sought after. It is also synonymous with |
| champagne, but according to official EU rules, only | | | | Royalty and events such as the Ascot races, the |
| those produced in a specific French | | | | Henley regatta, and prestigious garden parties. |
| ‘champagne’ region are legally allowed to | | | | Also major motor sports grand prix events have |
| call themselves champagne. | | | | bought into the champagne life-style by allowing |
| Most champagnes are a mixture of Chardonnay | | | | winners to celebrate by spraying the drink at |
| and Pinot Noir grapes, although there are those | | | | trophy presentations. The sight of this expensive |
| that are made from 100% Chardonnay or Pinot | | | | and majestic fluid going to waste has heightened |
| Noir grapes, or from a unique house recipe. | | | | the appeal of the drink and the idea that it |
| Champagne as we know it is usually a brut (this | | | | represents success and celebration. |
| makes it fairly dry in taste). There are other | | | | Champagne should always be served cold and |
| sparkling wines, such as cava but they cannot | | | | poured into a champagne flute. True etiquette |
| officially be called champagne because they are | | | | says that the glass should never be more than a |
| not from the French region. | | | | third full. One point to be careful of when drinking |
| Initially wines from the region of champagne were | | | | champagne is that alcohol is absorbed into the |
| still, the first sparkling wine was produced in the | | | | blood more quickly than drinking still white wine. So |
| 16th century. There are now more than 100 | | | | be careful! |