Tips from the pros to finally enjoy the champagne

De rigueur during the holidays, the king of wines requires some special attention that sometimes go against conventional wisdom. The point with Emmanuel Delmas, Sommelier at Fouquet's, and Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy, independent winemaker.

Do not drink too young

On sale three years of aging, the champagne is not necessarily intended to be drunk immediately. Rather, it is usually best to wait says sommelier Emmanuel Delmas. 'This is a wine that can be left to improve in the cellar for five to ten years or more for a vintage. 'So at 12 euros a bottle that has too many bubbles and acidity may be considered less aggressive after a few years. For an immediate taste, the safest way to get it right is, as the butler, turning to a vintage between 1997 and 2000.

Let some fresh air

Once bottled, the champagne is kept in a reducing environment, without air. "Personally, I always prefer to open the bottle ten to fifteen minutes in advance to allow time to acclimatise.

There is no risk that bubbles escape, as is often feared," said Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy, winemaker independent Cumières. 'If you appreciate the wine-champagne for his part, can be perfectly decant', for his part stressed Emmanuel Delmas. Indeed, the quality of a champagne does not come from his excitement, but his material is going to blossom in contact with air.

Never use ice

If you forget to put your bottle in a cool, do not try to catch up by sliding a few minutes in the freezer. 'The cold too bright may inhibit the development of aromas.The ideal is to allow the cylinder to cool gradually dropping it for about twenty minutes in a bucket of ice and water ', Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy calls. And to avoid not only cool part of the bottle, it must ensure that the water level in the bucket is sufficiently high.

According to Emmanuel Delmas, the optimum temperature would be 8 to 10? 'C for basic and champagnes from 12 to 14?' C for sleeker. 'A true champagne is primarily a wine. It may well be eaten at room temperature if it is not very high. 'Turn the bottle, not the cork!To prevent bubbles from escaping in the form of geyser upon opening, it is of course the bottle handle as little as possible, without stirring. Once the metal wire cage is removed, it is recommended to keep your thumb on the cap to retain the pressure and tilt the bottle slightly. Then you should turn the bottle around the cap? "And not vice versa!?" for it to be removed gently without flying to the ceiling.

Ban straight flutes


While cuts may leave too flared effervescence fan, flutes classic narrow and straight, in contrast, will tend to over-constrain the rise of bubbles. Result: the aromas are stuck and can not be expressed. Better to opt for relatively high flutes to allow the bubbles to rise but more flared than usual so that all the subtleties of the drink are highlighted.

Attention, after choosing a suitable glass, it would be sacrilege to clean dishwasher safe. Indeed, the champagne bubbles owe their existence to the presence of impurities? "Dust, cellulose fibers from a towel?" on the glass and should be avoided too corrosive cleaning.

To keep the excitement of the drink after opening the bottle, it is also unnecessary to put a silver spoon in place of the cap. Only a seal with a cap stopper will keep the bubbles a few days.

Dare during the meal


King of the aperitif, champagne is also suitable to accompany any meal. To begin with fruity notes, Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy recommends a champagne made from Pinot Meunier. Then, a chardonnay blanc de blanc, finesse and elegance, is associated particularly well with fish. A champagne made from Pinot Noir, more round and plush, is recommended to accompany white meats. However, champagne is not suitable if you opt for red meat.

As highlighted Emmanuel Delmas, however, it is difficult to classify the choice based dishes. 'The rule of thumb, if you want to mix, mainly progressively increase in power starting from the champagne and the most lively aromas of acid into increasingly complex. '

Never for the dessert


Finally, the professionals agree to counteract the custom of serving champagne at the time of slicing the log with glazed chestnuts ... Sugar would upset the taste of wine by increasing its acidity. 'This may break the whole dynamic of the meal. Behind a white wine, red wine and a very evolved, we may expect a sweeter wine with dessert. But not a champagne. '

If the meal is washed down with champagne, then I can live with a pink champagne served with a fruit cup concedes the sommelier. Otherwise, not to depart from tradition, it is better to drink champagne again once the meal is over.Meanwhile, the best rule is that dictated by your taste buds!