Champagnes are world-famous wines, often used to celebrate big occasions or milestones. As a result, this drink is popularly referred to as the celebration drink. Champagne – also known as Bubbly — is an exquisite wine produced in the northeastern part of France. It gets its name from the region itself which is called Champagne. Interestingly, the name Champagne is used for wines produced from that part of France which also follows certain production guidelines.
There are different kinds of Champagne wines, each with different sugar levels which determine the taste and alcohol grading. These Champagne wines include Demi-Sec, Brut, and Extra-Dry. There are three kinds of grapes commonly used to make Champagne wines, these include white grapes, black grapes, and Pinot Meunier.
You can grab a bottle at a local wine store where a wine merchant can suggest the most suitable Champagne for you or you can buy Champagne online and get it delivered to your doorstep.
Here are five things you should know when you buy Champagne online:
1. Bubbles Differ from One Another
Buying a bottle of Champagne means you have purchased an exclusive wine produced from the Champagne region in France. If you buy a bottle of wine — no matter how expensive — which wasn’t produced in that region, then it is not authentic Champagne wine.
In essence, there are three basic forms of sparkling wines which include Cava, Prosecco, and Champagne. Of all the wines available in the world, the most honorable of them all are the ones produced in the Champagne region in France. As a result, there is no such thing as “bad Champagne”, because the process of producing Champagne is considered an art. Almost everything involved is done in close perfection. The procedures are carefully followed and the timing is extremely important.
Champagne produced from the three popular grapes earlier mentioned often contains citrus flavors with unique bubble structures. When the bubbles produced are observed to be fine and persistent, it means that it is a high-quality Champagne. The less fine the bubbles, the lower the quality of the Champagne.
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2. It Is Not Always about the Big Brands
When you buy Champagne online, you must understand that high-quality Champagne does not necessarily have to be produced by big, popular brands. Of course, there are household names in the Champagne production business, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot opt for smaller brands. The bigger brands often buy grapes from independent growers who themselves produce Champagne wines from the grapes they harvest.
Interestingly, some of these big brands only form grower-producer partnerships with independent growers. The growers are responsible for overseeing the production process from start to finish. Hence, purchasing growing brands isn’t a bad idea since you can also purchase high-quality Champagne wines from them.
3. Get a Wine Thermometer for Optimal Wine Temperature
It is conventional and acceptable to serve sparkling wines chilled. However, it is important to avoid serving them too cold. A cold wine loses some of its taste and flavors, making it taste bland in your mouth. As a result, it is important to get a wine thermometer that can help you regulate or date the optimal temperature for serving Champagne wines. So, if you’re going to buy Champagne online, you can also order a wine thermometer.
A general procedure for serving chilled (but not too cold) wines is to fill an ice bucket with water and ice. Place the wine bottle in the bucket and allow it to stay chilled for about twenty minutes. This is a safer and more reliable option than putting the bottle in a freezer. You may not remember to remove the wine bottle from the freezer, which may result in an explosion after getting extremely cold.
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4. Expect to Get What You Paid For
Buying Champagne online is an effective method of purchasing an exclusive bottle. Most times, the price and product description is written on the platform. Therefore, you can be sure to expect exactly what you ordered. True Champagnes can cost as much as $30 and up to $300 for a single bottle. If a particular Champagne wine costs below $20, you should be skeptical about its originality.
5. Drink What Pleases Your Taste Buds
As already established, Champagne prices vary from one another. However, it is not always the price that matters but the pleasant taste it gives your buds. For example, you may fancy drinking a $30 Champagne because you enjoy the taste more than a high-quality $90 Champagne.
So, in essence, it is not always about the money but the sweetness and satisfaction you derive from a particular Champagne brand.
All Champagne wines are produced with quality and perfection in mind. However, it is important to know certain things about them before you buy Champagne online to save you time and energy.
