Champagne Classification

One of the biggest misconceptions is that all sparkling wines can be classified as Champagne. While all Champagne is indeed sparkling wine, not all sparkling wine can be labeled Champagne according to French appellation laws. A sparkling wine’s terroir – that is, the geographic region where the grapes are produced – and production method are key factors in this distinction between French Champagne and all other sparkling wines.

The Marne Department of France, developed a rhetoric of French identity that promoted its own marketing success as national. This ability to mask local interests as national concerns convinced government officials of the need to protect Champagne as a symbol of French patrimony.

The Champagne Method

During the mid 17th century the bubbles were discovered by accident. It was the British made the first discovery, after importing still wine, found on arrival that some of the wooden barrels had fermented and contained bubbles.

The Brits enjoyed the fizzy and wanted more but they did not, at that time understand why it happened. The good news was that they did have the glass technology to bottle Champagne so they could serve it at parties. Historical records point to Christopher Merret, an English scientist and physician, as the first to publish details on a second fermentation process in wine around 1662, Merret's papers document how English cider makers had begun adding sugars to wine to create a sparkling drink similar to the Champagne we know today.

The combination of sugar and an increase in temperature inside wine bottles produced carbon dioxide bubbles, a discovery that would eventually form the foundation of French wine makers' "method champenoise"

Dom Perignon

In the late 17th century Dom Perignon, cellar at the Benedictine abbey of Hautvillers , discovered that by blending grapes from different vineyards and mixing with wines from different harvests, the overall quality and uniformity improved and became more consistent in character. Perignon was the first to initiate the practice of aging, conserving and transporting wine in bottles, and he is credited with being the first vintner to use corks to seal the wines. He believed the wine bubbles to be a defect as did the King. In fact, the Church wanted to tame the effervescence which caused so many wine bottles to explode in the region's monastic cellars. Louis XIV did help to establish Champagne's royal status by drinking non sparkling red wine from Les Riceys almost exclusively.

Madame Clicquot et al.

Notable contributors to the popularization of Champagne and the improvement of sparkling wine production during this period were French pharmacist Andre Francois, French scientist Jean-Antoine Chaptal and Madame Clicquot who is credited with introducing riddling or the method of using pressure to eject sediment from wine bottles. However, without the coal-fired glass making practices from Great Britain where the glass could be made thicker and thus able to withstand the pressure of the second fermentation, Champagne could never have been bottled.

Generations of local vintners struggled to keep their houses running. Claude Moet hauled his bottles to Versailles and gave Madame de Pompadour her first taste of bubbly, prompting her memorable quote, "Champagne is the only wine that lets a woman remain beautiful after she has drunk it." There was also Charles-Camille Heidsieck, known as "Champagne Charlie," who popularized champagne in America and ended up being imprisoned as a spy during the Civil War.

Champagne can be classified under 4 families of wines:

Body: Described as, powerful, structured and intense.
Such Champagne wines are usually made with a predominance of Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier, two grape varieties which create distinctive aromas and give the wine depth, vinosity, power and vigor. These are muscular Champagne wines, enjoyable for theirs scents of violets, spices, truffles, fresh butter, Virginia tobacco, ripe wheat and biscuit pastry.
Heart: Described as, generous, warm and soft.
These wines are fresh, smooth and always well-balanced. They are usually dominated by Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier, but they can be Rose or Demi-sec. Their colors range from golden yellow through to deep pink. On the nose, red petals, honey, peaches, pears in cinnamon, candied oranges and gingerbread may come to mind. On the palate we appreciate their round and soft character.
Spirit: Described as, light, vivacious and delicate.
Invariably they are brut or Blanc de Blancs Champagne wines with a preponderance of Chardonnay. As they mature and reach their optimum they develop a certain raciness. Champagne wines with Spirit are lively, brilliant, clear-cut, often with a grey-yellow color. Their bubbles are light, quick to form, sprightly with a lovely delicate appearance. We are reminded of fresh fruit, in particular citrus and exotic fruit, mint and fresh almonds. A true jewel with a light golden color and fine necklace of bubbles.
Soul: Described as, mature, complex and rich.
The rarest vintages, the most complete wines and collectible Special Cuvées. Inevitably these are mature wines, often from exceptional years. The extremely fine bubbles and their old gold, even amber like appearance inspires an almost religious awe in many drinkers.