The Champagne Region & history

The Champagne Region & History

Very interesting summary of an article about the background of what makes up your personalised Champagne present. To view the bottles of Champagne you can send through the post, please click HERE.

Just Champagne

Just Champagne – who isn’t in love with Champagne? I have been smitten with Champagne for as long as I can remember. If you can think of a nicer sound than the sound of the cork of a bottle of Champagne popping I would be amazed. I love it so much I often send a bottle of Champagne to my friends as a suprise Champagne present, and you can imagine their surprise when they open it.

Champagne History

Champagne, and just Champagne, that is all there is to know! The history behind Champagne also fascinates me, it was some 300 years ago, the Champagne region was better known for making wine rather than sparkling wine, and then a change occurred which has captivated the world ever since. Just Champagne, sometimes we need say no more.

Champagne Origins

It was by accident that Champagne was first created as they were trying to match the quality of the Burgundy wines, but the climate meant a second fermantentation would happen. It is lucky this happened as otherwise you woulldn’t be able to post a bottle of Champagne online.

This second fermentation was actually regarded as a huge hinderance to the winemaking process of the Champenois in the 1600’s, they had little idea they had stumbled on a process that would lead to the creation of the top Champagne brands we know today, instead they saw it as a flaw in their process. If this had never happened we would not be able to say “Just Champagne” as we can today.

Back then Louis Pasteur was fascinated with it which lead to remarkable breakthroughs in the process. These are all methods we take for granted these days.

Champagne production Techniques

In terms of techniques, the ones that is the most respected is the champagne method, here the wine undergoes a second fermentation whilst within the bottle. Just Champagne you could say, but this is an important part of the process. The bubbles ultimately give a great texture to the drink, and then, finally when the cork goes pop it is time to drink up, and is there any better sound than the sound of a cork going pop? Send a bottle of Champagne to someone and let them experience for themselves!

Just Champagne and only Champagne has that particular sound and we wouldn’t want a cheap sparkling wine, or Prosecco or Cava in place of it. Although the bubbles are great, there is always that sense of trepidation when you start undoing the cork, will it fizz everywhere or not, just Champagne has that particular effect. They come with a mix of types, they are either Brut Champagne , or demi sec Champagne. Why not send a bottle of Champagne to someone now and give them the experience?

Champagne Taste Differences

Sometimes they are incredibly sweet, almost dessert like, other times they can be ferocious, rather like the tartare you would find on a steak, just Champagne and only Champagne can have that effect. They may come in the form of a blanc de blancs, they can be a Brut, or they may well be a prestige cuvées, do you get this with Prosecco or Cava, no, just Champagne.

The big Champagne houses produce some top Champagne brands, so it would be foolish to overlook them. it is well worth paying them a visit  to see the skill the have when it comes to blending the wines, and the effort that goes into making just one single cuvée, if you knew you would almost certainly send Champagne by the bottle online to a friend to remind them of it’s quality.

Having said that the buzz and energy you will see from the small scale growers is incredible to witness, again just Champagne is the drink you will experience this with.

If you visit the Champagne area and are looking for places to visit, try to pay a visit to Trésors de Champagne, this is a great little shop which specialises in unsual types of Champagne, they are still top Champagne brands but they will be neither cheap Champagne, nor expensive Champagne, but they will defintely be quality Champagne.

Champagne Region Summary

When visiting this wonderful region we couldn’t resist the various houses, cafes, cellars and so on, in the end we were stuffed from all the tasting and sampling we did, just Champagne and only Champagne, it is a hard life! There are many sparkling wines out there, the obvious ones are Prosecco and Cava, but for me just Champagne hits the spot in the way that only Champagne can.

 

Having said that crémant d’Alsace are very good also, and very under rated, I would imagine that most people outside of France haven’t heard of it, so if you choose not to send Champagne by the bottle online, maybe send a bottle of crémant!

Send a Bottle of Champagne

Now that you have a background about Champagne, Reims and everything that goes with it, treat yourselves and buy yourselves a case of Champagne next time you go, or treat a friend, but an unknown but nice Champagne and send a bottle of Champagne to a friend.