Champagne and Food Pairing

Most champagnes are a blend of Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes  selected from several  different vintages.  There are  different styles of  champagne, just like wine, varying between sweet and dry. The label on the Champagne indicates which style it is as follows:

Demi-sec: The sweetest of champagnes, but not as sweet as dessert wine.

Sec (Dry): A shade drier than demi-sec.

Extra Sec: one step drier.

Brut: Very dry form of champagne and the most popular.

Extra Brut/Brut Nature: Virtually no sugar added at all. Completely dry. Brut nature often has zero dosage.

Then there are the special categories of Champagne, which tend to be more expensive than the traditional champagne blend:

Blanc de Blancs: Made only with chardonnay grapes. This generally goes well with lighter foods, such as seafood and vegetables. Also good as a pre-dinner aperitif.

Blanc de Noirs: Made solely from pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes (red grapes). These champagnes have a deeper golden colour
than the blanc de blancs. It goes fantastically with full-flavored foods, such as meat and cheese. These champagnes are less common than the traditional blend.

Rosé: Various different styles of Rosés are produced and may be all pinot noir, pinot noir and pinot meunier or a blend of all three grapes. The colour can be from pinot noir wine added separately at the second fermentation, or from leaving the grapes in skin contact for a period of time to absorb colour from the skins. This method is called "saignée" which means bleeding. The lighter Rosés (blended from all 3 varieties) can be fantastic as a lunch time wine and the fuller flavoured rosés are excellent accompanied with food.

Vintage champagne: These champagnes are those made with grapes from a single harvest. They are only made in years when there is an exceptional harvest. They are always made with the best quality grapes from a specific harvest and from the best areas in Champagne. Vintage champagnes are also aged for longer on the lees. As  a resul they are more expensive than a non vintage.  They also have richer and more complex flavours due to their age and being longer on the lees. Due to this they may be paired with richer foods.

Due to the wonderful range of different styles of champagne, it is much more versatile than any single wine to drink with a wide variety of foods, beyond the predictable pairings with caviar and oysters.

Recommended food pairings for specific champagnes: Although these are only guidelines as taste is a very personal thing.

Brut non vintage:

• Scrambled eggs

•  Any mushroom dish
• Nuts, especially almonds
• Popcorn and potato crisps
• Cheese- especially hard cheeses such as parmesan, gouda or cheddar.
• Pasta or risotto-especially with cream or mushroom sauce. Avoid heavy tomato-based sauces as the acidity clashes with the high acidity of the champagne.
• Thin crust pizza, but not with heavy tomato-based topping.
• Vegetables
• Fish and seafood
• Poultry and game birds ie duck - but best with a Rosé

• Sushi
• Goats cheese

• Poultry especially duck
• Pink-roasted lamb
• Seafood and fish

• All fish and seafood dishes especially with rich, creamy sauces.
• Duck
• Caviar

Desserts that are not too sweet may be accompanied by a demi-sec champagne. Chocolate can be accompanied by an extra brut or demi-sec or a full flavoured dry ros

.