TechZati

I was at Pindar and Duckwalk Vineyards last week visiting friends Pindar and Nicole. November is champagne time and I went on a fantastic tour with Dr. Damianos who shared some of the secrets about champagne.

Champagne is made several ways – and it’s all about the bubbles. Bubbles can be forced into wine and created on the cheap in a few days, pressure cooked so they are forced in within a couple weeks and finally, the classic Method Champenoise, which is proudly noted on bottles and is what gives fine champagne its character.

So what’s with the bubbles? Well, fine champagne has very tiny bubbles that explode with flavor on your tongue. You’ll notice when you pour fine champagne into a flute glass (hold by the stem to keep the champagne cold) the bubbles are small and linger for a long time. I’m told these bubbles will last for 6-8 hours, but I’ve never seen a full glass linger that long.

Cheap champagne on the other hand gives you big bubbles that go flat after a short time – great for popping the bubbly during big parties, but not something to drink when enjoying a good steak.

On the tour we tasted Pindar’s naturale champagne.  Basically, you taste the flavor of the grapes – most champagnes add cognac in the finishing process.

A few factoids about champagne:

1. Champagne doesn’t age like wine.  If you got it, drink it.  It should keep in the bottle a few years, but no longer.
2. The year on the bottle refers to the year the grapes were picked, not the the year it was disgorged (expelling the yeast that collects during the process and putting in the cork).
3. Tiny bubbles that linger = methode champenoise
4. Champagne is aged 7 years or so before it gets to you.
5. Best served cold, from the fridge, put in the freezer for 10 mins (don’t forget).