Pop The Cork
Celebrate With Champagne

Pop goes the champagne cork. And then that fizzle sound as it enters the glass. The prickly feeling as some of the bubbles hit your nose. And then the clink of the glasses. Cheers! Here’s to champagne - the granddaddy of all celebratory drinks. It even launches ships.

First, a word about semantics. True champagne comes only from the like named region in France. All other bubbly is really sparkling wine. But like Kleenex, the word champagne has become a generic term - except in France.

The two most renowned champagnes are Dom Perignon from Moet Chandon and Cristal from Louis Roederer. These and the better champagnes are highly flavorful and silky smooth with light bubbles.

Most champagnes and sparkling wines are made from a blend of the chardonnay, pinot meunier, and pinot noir grapes. Yes, the same grapes that make the red wine pinot noir. But it is the juice of the pinot grape that is used for champagne - not the skins used in making the wine itself.

Champagnes and sparkling wines run from very dry to very sweet. From top to bottom is from dry to sweet:

• Extra brut
• Brut
• Extra dry
• Sec
• Demi
• Doux

Note that dryness is really an absence of sweetness. Sweetness depends on how much sugar is added during the fermentation process. Is the sparkling wine vintage? A year on the bottle? That means that the majority of the grapes were harvested in a single year. For sparkling wines, this is only done if the year is exceptional and they are planned to be aged. Thus, this is a sign of better quality.

How bubbly is the bubbly? Cheaper sparkling wines have carbon dioxide pumped into the bottles. This artificial carbonation is the same as in soft drinks. And like soft drinks, the bubbles fizzle out rapidly. Tiny bubbles (like the Don Ho song) is a key to quality since they come from the fermentation of the wine and not through artificial means.

Two things to remember about serving a sparkling wine. First, serve it cold (45 - 50 degrees) serve it cold (45 - 50 degrees). Second, pour it into a tall narrow flute. They are shaped this way to preserve the bubbles. And they look so elegant, don’t they?

Some will serve them in coupe glasses that resemble those used for margaritas. Since so much of the sparkling wine is exposed to the air in these glasses, the bubbles fizzle out way too soon. I try to avoid them. Or if I have to, I’ll drink the champagne quickly.

Before you can open a bottle as noted below, you need to get one (or several). So.... Check out these champagnes.

To properly open a bottle of champagne, do the following:

1. Make sure you are pointing the bottle away from people and fragile objects.
2. Peel off the foil on top of the bottle.
3. Carefully and slowly untwist the wire cage holding down the cork. Hold the cork as you do this.
4. Hold the bottle at a 45 degree angle and slowly twist it while holding the cork very firmly. I emphasize to twist the bottle - not the cork. Use a towel if necessary.
5. Pull slowly at the cork as you do this. As the cork comes out, actually push it back down slightly to keep it from popping too forcefully.

Done correctly, you will get a controlled light pop with a little hissing sound. Music to the ears.

After opening the bottle, pour a small amount into the flute. Let the bubbles settle and then fill it up about half way. Then, you will empty the glass personally and refill as needed. Salute!

P.S. Did you know that there are about 250,000,000 bubbles in one bottle of sparking wine? They don’t call it bubbly for nothing.

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