How to serve champagne at home for a successful tasting experience?
At what temperature should champagne be served?
This is THE big question that every champagne lover must ask themselves. Should champagne be served chilled or very chilled? A festive beverage, a rich part of our cultural heritage... to serve champagne impeccably, you need to start by serving it at the right temperature.
Champagne should be served at an ideal temperature of between 8 and 10° (this may vary according to the type of champagne and its age). In other words, cool, but not chilled!
How do you ensure that your bottle of champagne is at the right temperature?
Place your bottle 20 to 30 minutes before serving in a champagne bucket filled half with water and half with ice.
Place your bottle at the bottom of the fridge for a few hours before opening.
Of course, you can also store your bottle in a suitable champagne cellar.
To avoid lukewarm champagne on special occasions (weddings, christenings, communions...), take these times into account... even if it means discreetly starting the service during a long speech to avoid champagne that's too cold (but not too early so that it doesn't warm up).
Can I drink champagne on the rocks? ? It may seem like a heresy, but in recent years, some champagnes have been specially created to be enjoyed on the rocks, with a high sugar content, such as :
the champagne Rich Veuve Clicquotalso available in roséin Magnum or Jeroboam.
Which types of glass are best suited to champagne?
Did you know? Contrary to popular belief, champagne flutes and champagne glasses are not the best glasses for expressing the full aroma of your champagne.
The best glass for serving champagne is the tulip-shaped flute: a tall glass with a rounded center and a narrow opening. This type of glass is best suited to bringing out the full aromas of your champagne, as well as its distinctive fine bubbles.
Nevertheless, if you prefer to use your favourite champagne glass or flute for champagne tasting, there's no need to throw them away! These glasses are still excellent choices.
Is decanting possible to speed things up?
Champagne can be served in a carafe at the table, but this is not recommended for all champagnes. It releases more aromas, but can also impair effervescence. For the best use of the champagne decanter, limit its use to complex champagnes, which are specified on the website as suitable for decanting.
How do I open my bottle of champagne?
With its explosive sound, the opening of the bottle is also what makes champagne a festive drink, often associated with special occasions... but be careful not to overdo it! To serve your champagne to guests without hurting anyone's feelings, a few good practices should be observed.
As soon as you begin to open the bottle, direct it towards a place where no one will be around (and especially not with the cork towards you!).
Hold on to the cork as soon as you remove the liner from your champagne.
Always hold the cork, grasp the bottle firmly and turn it to gently release the cork. Good to know: you don't need a napkin for serving if you've wiped the bottle well after removing it from the bucket.
Then serve in two parts: first with a small amount to aerate the wine and smell its aromas, then slowly up to two-thirds of the way up the glass. Serve close to the glass to avoid excessive foaming.
Is it really possible to "sabrer champagne"?
If you want to make your champagne tasting a unique moment, it is possible to literally "saber" the champagne... but not without proper training!
Champagne sabering was once practiced by cavalry regiments to celebrate victorious returns from battle. Today, it's a gesture that can be practiced, but not without danger. To do things properly, we recommend you attend a dedicated workshop.
Some champagne houses offer initiations, such as the sabrage initiation from Maison Canard-Duchêne, or the Champagne House Caroline Dufour.
Several tourist offices also offer this type of workshop, such as Épernay Tourisme and Reims Tourisme.
Ay Champagne Expérience offers a wide range of champagne experiences, including an introduction to sabrage.
And after serving, how do you clean your glasses?
Champagne service also depends on the quality of your glasses, and it's important to wash them after tasting.
If you can, avoid washing your champagne glasses in the dishwasher. Instead, wash them by hand in hot water, without detergent, and dry them by hand.
The essentials for elegant champagne service
For impeccable service, here are a few tasting accessories you can easily obtain.
A champagne bucketTo refresh your bottle 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
A set of tulip-shaped glasses, to serve your finest champagnes in the most appropriate glass to allow them to express their full potential.
To preserve your opened bottle of champagne, opt for a special conservation cork, such as the cork-stopper (or champagne cork), which preserves the complex bouquet of champagne aromas. Nevertheless, it's advisable not to wait too long to enjoy the end.
As you can see, serving wine involves a certain amount of ceremony, even when it comes to sparkling wines like champagne! Of course, the choice of a quality champagne remains a decisive criterion for a successful tasting, but respecting the different stages of this serving ritual will enable you to enjoy it to the full!
If you're still looking for the ideal champagne for an event or for your next special occasion, visit EnviedeChamp.com and choose the champagnes that will delight you at home from among our 1,200 references.
