Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
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Champagne BLENDS Classic: This is most champagne houses’ entry-level non-vintage wine. The flagship of the house and their most-produced line, it is a blend of all three of the champagne grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). Though the percentage of the blend will vary from house to house, each house aims to con- sistently recreate its style year- to-year by blending different grapes, villages and vintages. Pairing: Pizza or any food that is not too mild in flavor. Blanc de Blancs: This literally translates to “white from white,” meaning white wine from white grapes. In short, this is a 100% Chardonnay style — the most elegant form of champagne. It is perfect for an aperitif, with light fare at the beginning of a meal, or for sipping at a reception. Pairing: Raw or cooked seafood with mild flavors (oysters, scal- lops, cod fish), vegetarian dishes or white meat. Rosé: Rosé champagne can be made in two different ways. Saignée is the more traditional but uncommon method, requiring the contact of still wine with the skin of black-skinned grapes (Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier). It’s tricky, as timing is key to controlling the desired color of the wine. The second method is to blend still red wine with still white wine. Pairing: Think pink, orange and red—smoked and fresh salmon, tomato and watermelon. Blanc de Noirs: This is wine made from predominately black- skinned grapes (Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier). It’s at the opposite end of the style spec- trum from Blanc de Blancs — heavier and more opulent in style. Think notes of red fruits, mushrooms and brioche. Pairing: Pork and veal. Single-Village: The majority of champagnes are blends of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from several different villages, but this style of wine is made from grapes from one single village (e.g., Cramant or Chouilly). True terroir wines, they will show the distinctive flavors of the land. SWEETNESS LEVEL There is a range of sweetness levels for champagne, and these four are most common in today’s market: Zero Dosage/Brut Zero: This is the driest style of champagne, with a sugar level (dosage) of fewer than three grams of sugar per liter added during the last stage of champagne making. Pairing: Raw oysters or raw meat (carpaccio or steak tartare). Extra Brut: With up to six grams of sugar per liter, this wine is still very dry in comparison to the standard Brut. Due to its high acidity and low sugar, the wine will shock at first. It’s very naked. Pairing: Fried food works well; it cuts through the grease nicely. Brut: The most common style of champagne. Pairing: Cooked food and nothing too delicate in taste or texture. Demi-Sec: This style has fallen 52 • Beverage Dynamics • www.beveragedynamics.com • May/June 2011 out of fashion, and I hope it regains popularity. A sweet dessert wine champagne, its dosage can be as high as 50 grams of sugar per liter. Pairing: I suggest having it alone as a dessert wine or serving it with cow’s milk cheese that is not too creamy. AGE NV: Non-vintage champagne is made from a blend of still wines from different years. It is a youth- ful style of wine, meant to be drunk and not aged. Pairing: Same as for Classic and Brut. Vintage: This is wine from a single year, so it’s always from vintages in which the grapes showed exceptionally well. This is serious wine and will improve with cellaring -definitely a cuisine wine. Pairing: Older champagne can definitely stand up to meat. I like having vintage wines with steak.