Champagne

Champagne is a French sparkling wine, produced from the grapes grown in the Champagne region. The main grape varieties used to produce Champagne include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. Sparkling wines that come from other countries are produced with different grapes, and can not be legally called Champagne. After the primary fermentation and bottling, some yeast and rock sugar are added to the bottle to induce a second fermentation, and this is where all those bubbles come from. After some aging the remains of yeast, called lees, are removed, and the bottle is re-corked to preserve the carbon dioxide. There are several types of Champagne: cuvee, which is considered to be the top of the line; blanc de noirs, which is produced from the red grapes; blanc de blancs, which is made only from Chardonnay grapes; and rose, which is produced by leaving the juice to macerate with dark skins for a short period of time, or by blending cuvee with still red wine. Champagnes can also be classified by the amount of sugar added after the first fermentation and by the aging period: Brut, Extra Brut, and Brut Natural (from sweetest to least sweet). Check out our nice selection of Champagnes, perfect to toast or to get toasted with! So pop off that cork and raise some glasses!