How to Choose a Bottle of Champagne for Your Next Party

1. How to Choose a Bottle of Champagne for Your Next Party No celebration is complete without a bottle of bubbly. But don’t just get any bottle. There are things you need to know before you ​buy champagne online​ from an online alcohol store. Is it champagne or sparkling wine? Ever wondered whether there’s a difference between sparkling wine and champagne? Well, there is. The word ‘champagne’ should technically only be used for sparkling wines that are produced in Champagne, a wine region located about an hour from Paris, in northeast France. For everything else, you can call them by the grapes they were made from, or simply ‘bubbly’ or ‘sparkling wine.’ Some of the most common varieties of sparkling wine include Prosecco (made from prosecco grapes in Italy) and Cava (made from a blend of Parellada, Xarel-lo, and Macabeo grapes in Spain). Choosing the right bottle for your next party

2. The key to selecting a great bottle of champagne is to think about the food you will serve and the flavours that will go perfectly with them. Three grape varieties are mainly used for champagne, each delivering a slightly different taste: ● ● ● Pinot noir tends to be structured and rich Chardonnay is elegant and pure Pinot meunier is rounded and fruity The terroir (soil) and how long the champagne was fermented with yeast and sugar also affect its flavour. Some of the best non-vintage bottles achieve their characteristic creaminess and depth because they were fermented for two to three years. Sparkling wines can range in flavour from dry to sweet. There are some cues on the label to help you find out where that bottle falls on this spectrum: ● ● Dry champagne says “brut" on its label. If you want a dry champagne with a hint of sweetness, look for the words "extra sec" or "extra dry." For sweet champagne, look for a Moscato. This white wine is a softer bubbly that goes beautifully with desserts. ● So now that you understand all things flavour, how do you match champagne with your menu? This is fairly easy because good champagne pairs well with all kinds of dishes. You really can’t go wrong. That said, crisp champagnes are usually served as aperitifs, while creamier types go well with man dishes. And if you want to truly want to impress, you can try these pairings: ● ● ● If you’re serving poultry, Asian food, and seafood, go with a premier-cru brut. If you’re serving smoked salmon, choose a rosé brut. If you’re serving truffles, lobster, or lamb, the best choice is vintage brut. Spotting top-quality bottles Here’s a trick you can use when you want to buy champagne online but don’t know where to start: Look for the words "Methode Traditionelle" on the label or the product description. This indicates that the bubbly was made in the same way as traditional champagne from France and doesn’t use the Charmat process, a time-saving bulk-fermentation technique. The word "vintage" along with the year on the label indicates that a particular bottle was made with extraordinary grapes, as determined by the winemaker. But what if it says “vintage” but doesn’t list a year? Don’t worry—that doesn’t mean it’s inferior. In fact, top winemakers have been known to combine grapes from different years to maintain a consistent taste and quality. Serving champagne

3. Champagne is ideally stored in a cool and dark place, like a cupboard or a wine cellar. Serve it at 6 to 8 degrees Celsius. You can certainly chill it in the fridge quickly, but if you want a more stylish way to serve this drink, use a proper ice bucket. Buy champagne online Get ready for your next party by stocking up on sparkling wine from 365Drinks! You will find a dedicated section for champagne here in our ​online alcohol store​. Sort the selection by brand or by price. We make it easy to find the best bottles for your requirements.