The laurels of its invention belong to the French, and champagne itself has long become one of the symbols of the country. And there is every reason for that: this sparkling wine was created at the end of the 17th century by the monk Pérignon as a wine for kings and court nobility, which explains its prestige and high price. The latter, however, does not scare off lovers of this blessed drink.
Champagne belongs to the few French wines on the cork of which the name of the appellation is indicated - Champagne. If there is no inscription, it means you have a fake in front of you. After all, only that sparkling wine can be called champagne which is produced in Champagne from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes using the classic technology. Other sparkling wines, however perfect they may be, cannot lay claim to this loud name.
Any wine, and especially champagne, should be drunk according to etiquette. The drink is poured into small glasses, which can be either tall and narrow (flute) or low and wide (coupe). We call them, respectively, champankas and kremankas. The former are preferable because they prolong the process of gas release. Glasses are filled in two steps to three-quarters of the volume. Just before serving, do not forget to chill the drink: champagne breathing coolness is real bliss!
But heavenly pleasure also requires heavenly snacks. As the French themselves believe, champagne is universal; it allows a wide variety of gastronomic combinations. It can be drunk alone as an aperitif (brut) or for dessert as an accompaniment to various dishes (demi-sec). Classic combinations are with caviar, game, strawberries, peaches, pears. Having it with chocolate, as is customary here, is categorically not recommended. After all, it overpowers the taste of semi-dry and kills the bouquet of brut. Connoisseurs are hardly delighted by pineapples in champagne either. Much better suited to champagne is radish or - funny as it may seem - pickled cucumber.
As French doctors say, champagne with an alcohol content of up to 12 degrees is beneficial to health due to the effect of carbon dioxide on respiration and blood circulation. In addition, it promotes the secretion of gastric juice, increases appetite, and improves digestion. If the drink is consumed in reasonable amounts, it is perfectly digestible and does not cause headaches. Perhaps that is why here, as in other countries, rarely does any celebration, especially the New Year celebration, go without champagne, which creates a festive mood. And that is understandable, because it has a French character - light, sincere, cheerful, and explosive.