Many wineries and enterprises are engaged in the production of champagne. But some of them have been the undisputed leaders for many years, offering their consumers high-quality and amazing-tasting drinks. I suggest getting to know the ten most famous champagne houses that are known all over the world.
1. (Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin)
Widow Clicquot can be considered one of the first women entrepreneurs. At the age of 27 in the early 19th century, after the death of her husband, she inherited a medium-level winery. She decided to manage his work herself and raised him to unprecedented heights. She bought 18 km from the proud. dungeons, turned them into wine cellars and filled with bottles of champagne.
Widow Clicquot invented a method of purifying champagne to crystal clearness, which is still used by all winemakers in the world. She also owns the invention of a wire bridle (muzzle) worn on a cork, because the liquid in the bottle is under a pressure of about 5-6 atmospheres. According to legend, she herself came up with an orange branded label for bottles of her champagne.
The products of the Madame Clicquot enterprise were supplied to almost all the royal courts of Europe, according to some reports, Widow Clicquot champagne was one of the first to be delivered to Russia to the royal table.
Widow Clicquot lived a fairly long life - 88 years. Since her immediate family showed no interest in winemaking, she disinherited them and betrayed her prosperous business to her friend and manager, Eduard Verde, who worked with her from beginning to end. His descendants have strengthened the fame of this brand, at present it is one of the most famous brands champagne, it is drunk in 150 countries of the world.
To date, the cost of 1 bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut champagne » on average leaves 2500 rubles, " Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame" with orange branded label on a black bottle costs about 10000 rubles. The cost of the best wines in exclusive packaging can reach tens of thousands of dollars.
2. Moet and Chandon (Moet & Chandon)
This company has been producing one of the most famous and prestigious brands of champagne for more than 250 years. Initially, almost from the first days, Moet & Chandon was one of the main official suppliers of the royal courts. His wines were supplied at one time to Louis XV, and Napoleon Bonaparte sometimes visited the estate himself when he was in Champagne on business. The English king Edward VII loved their champagne so much that he was always accompanied by a servant who carried a basket with two or three bottles to fill the glass at the first request of the monarch. Currently, the house of Moet and Chandon has a Royal license to supply champagne for Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. In addition, for almost two decades Moet and Chandon Champagne has been the official champagne of the Golden Globe Awards.
The champagne bottle has a black bow with a gold border, fastened with a red round seal under the neck of the bottle. It was invented in 1886, and since then has remained an unchanged signature part of Moet & Chandon products.
Champagne house Moet & Chandon is perhaps the largest producer of champagne in the world, the production volume is about 30 million bottles per year, which is twice as much as that of the main competitor - Veuve Clicquot. Due to the large volume of production, the company sets quite democratic prices. The main wines of the house: Moet & Chandon Imperial, first released back in 1860, in honor of Napoleon, costs from 2,000 to 6,000 rubles per bottle, depending on the vintage (in Moscow); Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon - an exclusive vintage champagne produced since 1936 costs from 7,000 rubles per bottle.
Dom Perignon)
This famous brand of champagne got its name in honor of the man who invented the technology for the production of champagne - a Benedictine monk who lived in the 17th century. It was he who came up with the ideas of secondary quiet fermentation of wine, making blends of white wines, aging wines in thick-walled bottles and corking them with cork corks. He devoted his whole life to creating an unusual sparkling wine, and as a result of 50 years of experiments, he managed to create a wonderful drink that foamed and sparkled like a living one. It was first presented on August 4, 1668. The champagne invented by Pérignon was of such excellent quality that rumors about it quickly reached the royal court and wines from Dom Pérignon began to be supplied to Louis XIV (“the sun king”).
Modern champagne is produced in accordance with the traditions laid down by the legendary monk - to create the best sparkling wine in the world. Its quality is such that this shamanic does not need any additional advertising.
The main types of products are: Dom Pérignon at a price of 7000-9000 rubles. per bottle, as well as Dom Pérignon Rose and Dom Perignon Oenotheque, considered one of the most exquisite sparkling wines in the world, their cost ranges from 17,000 to 22,000 rubles.
4. Louis Roederer
Worldwide, this brand is known for its "luxury wine" - Louis Roederer Cristal. Sometimes it is also called the "royal drink", since it was first produced in 1876, especially for the Russian Tsar Alexander II. House "Louis Roderer" until the revolution of 1917 was the official supplier of wine to the court of the Russian Emperor, more than 60% of its products were supplied to Russia. Champagne got its name Crystal because it was supplied in specially made crystal bottles.
The shamanic house of Louis Roderer is one of the few elite wineries that have become family-owned. All over the world, his champagne is a symbol of luxury and aristocracy. The golden label on the bottle with elegant script and monograms confirms the sophistication of the drink and its purpose for the powerful.
This champagne house produces a lot of wine for the family business - about 3 million bottles a year, and champagne Louis Roederer Cristal- only 500 thousand bottles. The limited volume of production, the prestige of the brand and the excellent quality of the drink determine the pricing policy of the company. Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Premier costs from 4300 rubles. per bottle, Louis Roederer Cristal - from 10,000 to 35,000 rubles, depending on the year of harvest.
Piper-Heidsieck)
This champagne is known as the drink of Hollywood. It accompanies almost from the very beginning all the festive events associated with the Oscar award ceremony. It was Marilyn Monroe's favorite drink. In 1965, the company created the largest bottle of champagne in the world - 1 m 82 cm, which corresponded to the growth of American film actor Rex Harrison. It was intended to celebrate Harrison's receiving an Oscar for his role in My Fair Lady. This gigantic bottle was the size of 64 ordinary bottles and was filled with a magnificent 1959 Piper-Heidsieck Brut vintage champagne.
You can buy Piper-Heidsieck Brut champagne at a fairly low price of 1500 rubles. for a bottle.
G.H. Mumm)
The stylish MUMM label is easy to remember with the diagonal red ribbon that runs across it. She is a symbol of the legion of honor and one of the first owners of the champagne house adorned her wine in the 18th century. This brand name is easily recognizable on the shelves of wine stores, and on commercials, and on balloons that the company likes to launch.
Digging G.H.MUMM positions its champagne as a wine of adrenaline, extreme sports, travel and discovery. For many years it has sponsored various events related to technical breakthroughs and sports achievements of mankind. No wonder the main slogan of the company is the phrase - "Courage and desire for extraordinary discoveries."
The company carried out the first sponsorship project at the beginning of the 19th century. The famous traveler Captain Charcot "christened" his ship "Le France" by breaking a bottle of champagne on its side. MUMM Cordon Rouge, and On July 14, 1904, Captain Charcot and his crew on an ice floe in Antarctica celebrated Bastille Day with a glass of MUMM champagne. By the way, the winners of Formula 1 often pour champagne of this particular brand on each other.
The prices for the products of this company are quite democratic, for example, a bottle of MUMM Cordon Rouge costs from 2,500 rubles.
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The main credo of this champagne house is quality and endurance. “Their strict and very conservative policy of aging wine for many years before releasing it to the market seems almost incompatible with the pace of the modern world.,
but fortunately, this ensures their highest quality, maturity and complexity,” said Robert Parker.
This company does not pursue quantity, it produces only about 100 thousand bottles a year. The area of her own vineyards is small - only 20 hectares, and she buys the best grapes from another 56 hectares. the best Champagne vineyards. The wine is fermented in small wooden barrels, and then aged in bottles for at least 6-8 years. Thanks to this, the wine acquires a unique recognizable complex taste and the ability to further noble aging in the bottle.
The wines of this champagne house are among the most "long-playing", their quality remains unchanged or even improves with time. This is the fault of the so-called "late sale", as they can be aged for 30 or 40 years.
It is clear that such a drink cannot be cheap, a bottle of Krug champagne costs from 12,000 to 25,000 rubles per bottle.
At a wine auction in Hong Kong, a 1928 bottle of champagne from the Krug Collection was purchased for $21,200.
Paul Roger )
This champagne house was founded in 1849 by Paul Roger and is currently managed by his two great-grandchildren. It produces one of the finest champagnes that can be stored for 30 years or more, which makes it very attractive to wine collectors.
Winston Churchill, who once said: “I can't live without champagne. After winning, I deserve it, and after losing, I need it.” The Pol Roger company supplied him with wine in specially made bottles of 1 imperial pint (0.57 l) specially for him, which was served to Churchill by his butler at 11 o'clock in the morning, after waking up.
This company produces about 1.5 million bottles of wine per year and sets world-class prices. Champagne Pol Roger Brut costs starting from 3,000 rubles, and Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill from 10,000 rubles.
9. Bollinger
Bollinger champagne wine is traditionally in the top five in terms of quality, along with Dom Perignon, Louis Roederer, Pol Roger and Krug. The brand Bollinger Grande Année (Bollinger of the Great Harvest Year), which belongs to the category of elite wines, with impeccable quality, stands out in particular.
One fact from the history of this brand brings it closer to the brand of Veuve Clicquot. Surprisingly, the champagne house gained its popularity and fame when the widow Lily Bollinger took over the reins of power. Widowed at 42, she directed all her extraordinary energy to improving the technology of champagne production, maintaining the tradition of the highest quality of the brand. The modern heirs of the House of Bollinger continue these traditions of quality. The Champagne house is known for its famous "Charter of Ethics and Quality", which he promulgated in 1992, and which he consistently follows. This is bearing fruit, the demand for elite Bollinger champagne exceeds supply so much that it is distributed across countries in accordance with quotas specially set by the company.
The company produces approximately 1 million bottles per year and sells champagne at the following prices: Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut - from 3,000 rubles, Bollinger Grande Annee - from 6,000 rubles, Bollinger Grande 1999 in the form of a bullet for agent 007, in a wooden box - 5765 dollars.
10. Salon
Salon is one of the smallest great champagne houses, which began its activity with a 1 hectare vineyard bought in 1911 by Eugene Aimé Salon. A frequenter of restaurants and connoisseur of the best French wines, Salon felt that he could create a completely unique wine of unsurpassed quality with extraordinary properties. His idea was to create champagne exclusively on the basis of Chardonnay and only in the years of the best harvests. He did not want to engage in the production of mediocre wine.
The volume of production was extremely small - about 50,000 bottles, and not every year. From the very beginning, this approach made champagne the glory of a luxury drink - extremely rare, prestigious and expensive. The very first issues made him a name, and in the 20s of the 19th century, Salon became the "wine of the institution" in the legendary French restaurant "Maxim".
After the death of Salon, his property was resold twice, but the new owners maintain the Salon brand and the wine is still made only from grapes. best years. During the last 30 years, wine has been produced on average once every three years.
Surprisingly, the prices for such an exclusive champagne are relatively low, from 13,000 rudders per bottle.
Oh, it's champagne! The drink of royalty and aristocrats.
Subtle and sparkling, slightly intoxicating mind and awakening spiritual feelings. That's what this article is about!
The choice of champagne as a gift, at first glance, may seem like a simple matter, because champagne is sold in any store and is presented in a wide range. But this is only at first glance. If you delve into the topic of production, study the technology and the varietal component, then questions may arise about his choice. Thanks to a competent approach to choosing a gift, the result will not be long in coming. 13 sommelier tips will come in handy!
At the beginning of the article, I would like to say a few words about the fact that real great champagne is produced only on the unique chalk and limestone soils of the Champagne region. There are no such soils anywhere in the world! It is this drink that can bear the proud name of champagne, and everything else is inherently sparkling wine.
The classics of the genre are the key to success, or briefly about
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The main rule when buying champagne is knowledge of the method of its manufacture. A self-respecting manufacturer never violates the age-old traditions and classic technologies for the production of sparkling wine. Only the method of secondary fermentation in the bottle, with elements of manual labor of masters, called remuage and disgorging, can serve as a 100% guarantee of quality.
Real champagne is made only in the Champagne region. So it was many centuries ago, so it is, and so it will always be. The famous champagne is very expensive! Look for the name on the label « a sparkling wine » and remember that the price of a good sparkling wine starts from 600 rubles.
Champagne must have a minimum residual sugar content and be brut, or at least be dry. Blanc de Blanc is cool and means the white-on-white method, while Blanc de Noir refers to the method of making white champagne from red grapes with white flesh. Interesting, isn't it?
Note to the layman: No country in the world considers it permissible to write the word "champagne" on the label of its sparkling wine. The only exception is Russia.
"Bubbles" do not guarantee quality.
What should not be given?
When choosing champagne as a gift, do not stop your eyes on the goods located on the shelves at the so-called "eye level". Usually there is an economy segment product that is not suitable as a gift. Neither the shape of the bottle, nor the cork, nor the notorious bubbles in the drink serve as a guarantee of quality in this situation.
The donee, if desired, can buy it on his own. The category of such "sparkling wines" includes factories RISP, MKShV(Moscow city) DZIV(Derbent), some plants in St. Petersburg, Krasnodar Territory and others. The price of such drinks belongs to the budget category and does not exceed 200 rubles.
These sparkling wines undoubtedly can and should be consumed in a friendly company, during a wedding feast or a fun party. However, for a gift, they are too “weak” in their inner content, since they are not made according to classical technology(method of secondary fermentation in a bottle), but the so-called acratophoric method (fermentation in a vat). It is unlikely that a bottle of such a drink will be able to please the hero of the occasion. But joy is the main goal of any gift.
Champagne or sparkling wine? Key Similarities
and differences
Wines are divided into still and sparkling. This law cannot be disputed. Champagne is nothing but sparkling wine. It is important to consider production technologies here. In addition to classic sparkling wines, you can find carbonated wine drinks on store shelves. A striking example of such a drink is the beloved "Bosco" at a price of 250 to 300 rubles (producing country - Lithuania, Russia, Italy).
Another example is the wonderful Lambrusco, which belongs to the category of pearl wines (the country of origin is Italy), the price varies from 250 to 800 rubles, depending on the manufacturer. Delicious and sweet, low-grade Lambrusco is liked by many young girls and women. But do not chase the low price - a good Lambrusco cannot be cheap!
Remember that neither Bosco nor Lambrusco are examples of sparkling wines and are produced using a completely different technology!
Read the label and back label carefully. Many manufacturers in the race for sales are cunning and write the following: labrusco, lambrusco. This is a so-called marketing ploy, it is not prosecuted by law. The main thing to remember is that this product has nothing to do with real Italian.
You can buy these wines in almost any store. It is likely that such a present is suitable for visiting or for a modest romantic date. It is better to refrain from handing such drinks to the hero of the day or a high-ranking official, so as not to get into a delicate situation.
Russia and its age-old traditions
Let's be patriots of our Fatherland and start our rating of champagne wines from a Russian manufacturer. Since pre-revolutionary times, Russian winemakers have been trying to produce worthy sparkling wines. Historical evidence of this is Prince Golitsyn, who is considered the founder and progenitor of the glorious Russian winemaking.
As a gift for a reasonable price, you can buy sparkling wine from a popular manufacturer "Abrau Durso". You should pay attention to his exposure. It is she who determines the final price of the goods. Choose vintage options in gift boxes. The price for 0.75 liters of goods is from 1,800 rubles. Do you think it's expensive? Actually it's worth it!
Factory New World produces classic, aged sparkling wines produced in compliance with all the rules. The product line is widely represented in the branded shops of the Crimean winemakers. Wine aging - from 9 months to 3 years, which significantly affects the price. Champagne can have a different sugar content, be white, pink and red. As a gift, only its seasoned versions are suitable. For such a gift, you will have to pay from 1,000 to 2,500 rubles.
With a competent approach, any buyer will be able to buy as a gift an excellent and high-quality "champagne" from TD "Fanagoria". For example, at a price of 500 rubles.
How much sugar should you put in?
Proper sparkling wine or, as we used to call it, champagne should be brut or dry. Only the most fermented sugar allows you to enjoy the true taste of the contents. The presence of sugar suggests that they may smooth out imperfections; such “champagne” does not leave a harmonious aftertaste.
Brut or dry is an ideal aperitif, but sweet or semi-sweet go only for dessert.
When choosing a gift, you should still take into account the preferences of the hero of the occasion. If a person does not like acidity, then it is better to present him with sweeter versions of sparkling wines. The best present will be the well-known Italian sparkling wines produced in the small province of Asti, which is geographically located in the world-famous Piedmont region. These sparkling wines are made from the famous Muscat grape variety. Thanks to him, they are so tasty and rich. Look for the letters DOCG on the front and back labels. Their presence suggests that you are holding true, sweet, nutmeg gold from Piedmont.
The bestseller in this category is undoubtedly Italian sparkling wine. "Mondoro Asti". Many recognize him by the original bottle, which has a helical, spiral shape. The retail price for 0.75 liters is from 1,250 rubles. But do not confuse Asti with Mondoro Brut, as this is a completely different story.
Undoubtedly, for a sweet lover, a good gift will be « Asti Martini" And « Asti Cinzano». These drinks occupy the second and third places in the market for sales of sparkling sweet and semi-sweet wines, and are not much inferior in quality to their more expensive counterpart Mondoro. Their price on the shelf is approximately 850-900 rubles. These items are often discounted. Sparkling wine is sold in convenience stores and is a product of mass demand.
France - pathetic and expensive
Do you want to follow French fashion and be in trend, as modern youth say? Do you want to deliberately emphasize the significance of your gift and have a tidy sum of money? Then feel free to go to a wine boutique or look at the top shelves of reputable stores. In ordinary stores that are located in the courtyard and belong to the economy class category (for example, the Magnit chain of stores), such sparkling wines are not sold.
We are talking about France and its incomparable with any other champagne wines. The Champagne region is the best in the world and offers the buyer a choice of several categories of champagne. AOC category says that the wine is especially controlled by origin (literal translation: appellation original control). The other two categories are of higher quality, they are called Grand Cru And Premier Cru, respectively read as great and first.
An unmistakable gift option can be "The Widow Clicquot" And Moet and Chandon » . These trading houses are among the top five world brands. The price for 1 bottle of such champagne varies from 5,500 rubles and depends on the trade margin and design option (for example, an iron tube costs more).
Millesime champagne, which is made from the best grapes harvested by hand in one calendar year, will be a great gift for a sophisticated gourmet. Chic quality dictates the high price of such a drink. It can reach more than 10 thousand rubles. and even 20 thousand rubles. for 0.75 liters.
Famous Dom Perignon (Dom Perignon) the 2006 harvest is estimated at 18,000 rubles per 1 bottle.
There are also quite rare exclusive names of sparkling wines. awesome "Crystal" is every collector's dream. The minimum price of such liquid gold starts from 22,000 rubles.
Italy - sparkling traditions
One of the leaders in the supply of sparkling wines on the world market and a competitor to France is sunny Italy. The aforementioned region of Asti gives the world sparkling wines with a high content of natural sugar. To select the category of dry and brut, the well-known Prosecco produced from the grape variety of the same name. It has two quality categories - DOC And DOCG. Both categories indicate that the wine is especially controlled by origin, and the letter G indicates a higher quality assurance.
In addition to Prosecco, Italy is famous for other sparkling wines made from various varieties of red and white grapes. They are not particularly popular among consumers and will most likely be purchased only by special order in an online store or in a specialized wine boutique. Decent quality contains it is made in the Piedmont region from a rather rare variety of white Nebbiolo grapes. The price for 0.75 liters cannot be called budgetary - from 5,300 rubles.
Spain - quality in a glass
Every self-respecting country, one way or another, produces sparkling wines. Spain is known for its red tannin wines from the Rioja region. Not many buyers know that one of the best examples of sparkling wines is Spanish Kava. It comes in white or pink and combines best traditions champagne. Cava is produced using the traditional classical method and guarantees excellent quality at a reasonable price (compared to the Champagne region). Shelf price - from 700 rubles and more.
Sparkling wines of the New World
The countries of the New World include Chile, Australia, South Africa, Argentina. If we talk about Chile, then this country offers both white, rosé and red types of sparkling wines to the Russian market. Among others, you can find sweeter options.
For a lovely lady gift, you can choose Fresita, gift box sparkling rose, sweet, costing from 1,300 rubles per 0.75 liter.
For a drier option, opt for Conchay toro, « Sunrise» Sparkling Brut. Its price is quite budgetary and amounts to 600-650 rubles, and you don’t have to worry about the quality. Both options are presented in a gift box, which is very important for a gift.
Give high-quality alcohol, and let the donee be delighted!
How to choose good cognac, worthy liquor and what kind of wine is better to buy as a gift - we will tell in this article ( 3 ratings, average: 5,00 out of 5)Share on social networks!
For most of us, champagne is the usual alcoholic drink, which helps to have fun celebrating the celebration and spending time in the company of loved ones. But there are people who consider it a collectible item. For rare varieties, wealthy collectors lay out tens of thousands of dollars at auctions. In a moment, you will know how much the most expensive champagne in the world costs.
The prices are shocking. Moreover, people pay out fabulous sums for only one bottle of sparkling wine. Here is a rating of the most expensive champagne.
1. Heidsieck ($270,000)- was intended for the Russian Emperor Nicholas II. But as a result of the crash of the Swedish ship carrying it until 1997, this champagne was at the bottom of the sea. Divers managed to lift only 200 bottles, they were sold at auction to wealthy businessmen from Russia.
2. Pernod-Ricard Perrier-Jouet ($50,000) is the cost of a set of twelve bottles sold together. The buyer has the right to choose a grape variety and store the purchased champagne in the cellars of Pernod-Ricard for 8 months.
Pernod-Ricard Perrier-Jouet 3. Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam ($40,000)- in 2005, one bottle of this champagne in an exclusive designer packaging was sold at auction for forty thousand dollars. The price of Dom Perignon White in regular packaging is $350.
Dom Perignon White Gold Jeroboam 4. Krug 1928 ($21,000)- Champagne produced from the harvest of 1926 (considered one of the most successful years for grapes) and bottled in 1938. It is bought by connoisseurs of elite alcohol of the highest quality.
Krug 1928 5. Cristal Brut 1990 ($17,000)- in 2005, at Sotheby's in New York, one six-liter bottle of this champagne was sold for more than seventeen thousand dollars, the collector wished to remain anonymous.
Cristal Brut 1990 6. Perrier-Jouet ($6,000)- made from a mixture of grape varieties of different years, has an exquisite taste with fruity notes. It is for its fruity flavor that collectors value it so much.
7. Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1995 ($3,500)- Another elite representative of the Krug winery. This brand belongs to the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy holding, hence the high price.
Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1995 8. Dom Perignon 1966 ($1,900)- a rare champagne, accidentally discovered in the cellars of one of the Belgian mansions. It is dreamed of by collectors all over the world.
Dom Perignon 1966 9 Clos Du Mesnil ($750)- is also one of the rare representatives of the Krug winery. The drink was bottled in 1995.
Ruinard - oldest existing champagne house.
Now part of the LVMH holding (Louis Vuitton - Moët Hennessy)
Founded by manufacturer Nicolas Ruinard in 1729 - for the first time in Champagne specifically for the production of sparkling wines; and exactly when the French were allowed to export wine in bottles (until 1728 - only in barrels). Initially, the wines produced were intended to be gifts to key buyers of Nicolas Ruinart's textiles - this is how this champagne entered the European market. However, the wine was such a success that in 1735 Nicolas Ruinart left the manufactory and focused entirely on the production of champagne.
In 1768, Claude Ruinart (son of Nicolas) bought 8 kilometers of Gallic chalk quarries for his cellars - an ancient labyrinth at a depth of up to 38 meters near Reims, recognized in 1931 as a historical monument of France. These quarries are still used to age Ruinard champagne.
In 1959, the Dom Ruinart blanc de blanc was released from the prestige cuvée by the house of Ruinart in honor of the uncle of the founder of the champagne house, the monk of the House Thierry Ruinart, who “infected” his nephew Nicolas with a love of champagne.
Produced today "Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Millesime Brut" (Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Millesime Brut) is made exclusively from Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards and aged for at least 10 years. Chardonnay is the main variety in the production of Ruinard champagne.
"Crystal" (Crystal)
"Crystal" ("Crystal", if you follow the French pronunciation) is a brand of champagne produced by the house of Louis Roederer (Louis Roederer) from Pinot Noir (60%) and Chardonnay (40%) with a mandatory six-year aging on the lees.
Champagne "Crystal" is bottled in crystal bottles with a gold label, which are wrapped in a UV-impervious film (because crystal, unlike glass, transmits ultraviolet radiation that is harmful to wine).
"Cristal" was created in 1876 specifically for the Russian Emperor Alexander II. For this champagne, the best cuvees (cuvée) of the house of Louis Roederer were selected, which was an atypical technique for champagne producers. This practice was later called "prestige cuvée" ( prestige cuvee ).
Legend has it that the use of the flat-bottomed crystal bottle was dictated by our emperor's fear of being poisoned during the "Dinner of the Three Emperors" where this champagne was first introduced. The crystal clearness of the bottle and the absence of curves in the bottom allegedly made it possible to detect poisons that could be added to the drink by ill-wishers.
However, given that Crystal was one of the eight great wines on the menu for this dinner (including Sherry and Madeira), doubts arise as to the historicity of this version. She is also not mentioned on the Roederer website. One way or another, Crystal Champagne is exceptional among champagnes in general, and for the Roederer house in particular. It went on sale only in 1945.
"Moët and Chandon" (Moët & Chandon)
Moet-Chandon is the largest champagne producer today.
The house was founded in 1743 by Claude Moet as Moet et Cie, and is now part of the holding of luxury brands LVMH (Louis Vuitton - Moët Hennessy). The surname Moët is of Dutch origin and is pronounced "Moët". In 1832, the management of the champagne house was shared by Victor Moet (Victor Moët, a direct descendant of the founder) and the son-in-law of the retired Jean Remy Moet, Pierre-Gabriel Chandon de Briailles. From that moment on, the champagne house became known as "Moet and Chandon".
For most of its history, this champagne has gone hand in hand with the royal families of Europe: from the iconic location of Napoleon Bonaparte (a former family friend) to recognition “on the other side” of the English King Edward VII and the Russian Tsar Nicholas II.
At the end of the 18th century, the house acquired the vineyards of the famous abbey of Ovilliers (Hautvillers), in which the legendary house of Perignon once worked.
In 1973, Domaine Chandon was founded - a branch of a champagne house in California (in the Napa Valley). In 1986, the eponymous branch (> Domaine Chandon) began work in Australia.
Since 1842, this champagne house has produced more than 70 vintages.
"Dom Perignon" (Dom Pérignon)
Vintage (and only vintage) champagne produced by Moet-Chandon since 1936 (this year the 1921 vintage was released to the market).
The first champagne class "prestige cuvée" (prestige cuvée), released on the open market. The first in history was "Crystal", but it appeared on open sale later.
Champagne is named, of course, in honor of the legendary Benedictine monk Pierre Pérignon, who made a huge contribution to the development of champagne winemaking. The vineyards of the abbey, which was "raised" by the house of Perignon, today belong to the champagne house "Moet-Chandon"
Vintage 1961 was on the tables during the wedding of Lady Di and Prince Charles in 1981.
This champagne is made only from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varieties, approximately in equal proportions (with the exception of individual vintages).
The Widow Clicquot (Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin)
"Veuve Clicquot" - the second largest production (after "Moet-et-Chandon") champagne house, founded in 1772, headquartered in Reims.
Now part of the holding of luxury brands LVMH (Louis Vuitton - Moët Hennessy). But in the time of Napoleon, Jean Remy Moet, who was a personal friend of the emperor, was her main rival in the champagne market.
The founder of the house was Philippe Clicquot Muiron, whose son married Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, who at the age of 27 became the widow of Clicquot, taking over the family business engaged in banking, fabric trading and champagne production.
Widow Clicquot became the first woman to head a champagne house and one of the first women entrepreneurs in France. Her husband, before he died of a fever at the age of 30, laid a good foundation for Madame Clicquot's future business. As we already know, it was on the production of champagne that the enterprise of the Clicquot family, under the leadership of the widow, focused. And under her leadership, it grew into a prosperous, innovative (as they would say now) production.
Madame Clicquot turned out to be a truly resourceful woman and a talented entrepreneur. The modern production of champagne owes much to the widow Clicquot. Among the developments that saw the light of day thanks to Veuve Clicquot are such important things as a muselet and a dressing table (pictured).
The Widow Clicquot "penetrated" into Russia even before the war of 1812, and during the Napoleonic Wars, the widow Clicquot's champagne was the only one that overcame the blockade and ended up on the tables of the Russian nobility, thanks to the foresight of her attorney, Mr. Louis Bon: his ability to negotiate and, of course, bribes. And later, when Russian officers broke into the cellars of the widow Clicquot, she uttered her famous phrase: "Let them drink - all of Russia will pay." At the same time, the manner of opening champagne with a saber appeared.
Napoleon's defeat was to Madame Clicquot's advantage, since it deprived the most influential patron of her main competitor - the Moet house (then still without Chandon). And before the ink had dried on Napoleon's abdication, a batch of Veuve Clicquot bottles under the Dutch flag (so as not to run into trouble) was already on its way to Königsberg.
"Comet" by Veuve Clicquot
After a series of unsuccessful vintages in the early 19th century, 1811 was a turning point for French winemakers.
For Cognac, this year is generally considered one of the best in history, and a bottle of Château d "Yquem 1811, opened in 1996, received the maximum 100 points from Robert Parker (one of the most recognized wine critics).
The "Great Comet" of 1811, which was visible to the naked eye for almost 260 days, was taken as a sign from above and a symbol of the great harvest. "Veuve Clicquot" released its Cuvée de la Comète, which is called the pioneer of "modern" champagne, since the method of remuage invented by Widow Clicquot (collecting sediment in a champagne bottle for its further removal) made it possible to produce champagne, revolutionary in transparency and purity of taste, as we know it now.
In July 2010, a group of Finnish divers discovered the remains of a ship with a load of 168 bottles of champagne from the second quarter of the 19th century at the bottom of the Baltic Sea near the island of Eland. Most of them turned out to be Juglar (now Jacquesson & Fils) champagnes, and a few were non-vintage Veuve Clicquot champagnes from the early 1830s. To date - this is the oldest champagne.
Since 1987, the Veuve Clicquot champagne house has been part of the LVMH empire and the majority owner of Cloudy Bay Vineyards (New Zealand, Marlborough)
The abundance of alcohol in stores in recent decades has baffled its lovers and admirers. So, for example, the well-known champagne is represented in them by dozens of bottles, and not just the one where the prefix "Soviet" proudly flies. And that's not counting sparkling wines.
In fact, champagne is sparkling wine, but brought to us from Champagne, the French province where it is made. All other types of such a drink should be called wines.
Champagne classification:
Manufacturers of the "ladies" drink have long divided it into categories. Varieties of champagne (and types of sparkling wines) are classified according to the level of sweetness, the variety of grapes and the year they were harvested, and the characteristics of alcohol production.
- Champagne / sparkling wine / is distinguished by grape variety:
- Vintage species (mono-varietal) are prepared from one grape variety, "extracted" in one harvest season (i.e. 1 time in 3-5 years).
- Non-vintage types (assembly) are prepared by mixing 3 varieties of wine berries (pinot meunier and noir, chardonnay). Often in such alcohol there is from 10 to 40% of sparkling wines made earlier - 2-3 years before. Moreover, these wines are not of high quality, at best - average.
- For sweetness:
- Doux / Dulce - sweet, dessert, containing sugars over 50 grams per liter
- Demi-sec / Rich / Semi-Seco - semi-sweet / semi-dry, containing sugars 33-50 grams per liter
- Sec / Dry / Seco - dry types containing sugars 17-35 grams per liter
- Extra sec / Extra-dry / Extra Seco - extra - dry champagne containing sugars 12-20 grams per liter
- Brut is the "dryest" drink, containing up to 15 grams of sugar per liter
- Non-dosage - an expensive, natural, sugar-free variety that can detect residual sugars, but not more than 6 grams per liter
In addition, sugar is not added to such varieties of sparkling alcohol as Brut - Nature Extra, Ultra, Sauvage, Zero.
- According to the “color” of champagne (sparkling wine), we can distinguish:
The classic shade of champagne is golden, and many do not accept others, “calling” them as not real. But this drink can have other shades and at the same time be the most real.
- Blanc de blancs is a variety - "white of white", it is made only from "chardonnay" (white grapes). The color of the drink is golden.
- Blank de noirs is a variety - “white from black”, it is made using “pinot noir or meunier” (red grapes). The color of the drink is shades of red.
- Rose Champagne is a "pink" variety in which the pink color is achieved by soaking the skins of red grapes in white wine must or by blending white and red wine. The color of the drink is pink.
- Cuvees de prestige / delux / special - elite vintage champagne from the village of Champagne, made from Grand Cru berries. These are Dom Pérignon, Laurent-Perrier's Grand Siècle, Pol Roger's Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, Moët & Chandon's and Louis Roederer's Cristal. The color of the drink is golden.
- Bottle capacity:
Standard champagne bottles hold 0.75 liters, magnum bottles hold 1.5 liters. The latter are considered ideal for sparkling wines, but you can also find bottles of other volumes on sale:
- 30 liters - Melchizedek (produced only by Drappier)
- 27 liters - Primat
- 24 liters - Solomon
- 18 liters - Melchior
- 15 liters - Nabuchodonosor
- 12 liters - Balthazar
- 9 liters - Salmanazar
- 6 liters - Mathusalem
- 4.5 liters - Rehoboam
- 3 liters - Jeroboam
- 1.5 liters - Magnum
- 0.75 liters - Bouteille
- 0.375 liters - Demie
- 0.18 or 0.2 liters - piccolo bottle / split / quart
- By manufacturer:
- RM - this variety is produced under the full control of the wine house from its own grapes
- NM - the drink is made by large producers from purchased grapes (wine materials).
- ND - champagne brand belongs to one company, production - to another
- MA - this variety belongs to restaurants or hypermarkets that do not own either vineyards or production.
- SR - alcohol is produced by an association that controls a number of brands at once.
- RC - brand of champagne belongs to the seller (trader)
- By region of production:
- Italian - Asti, prepared from the Moscato vineyards. This is a dessert and light drink. Another variety of sparkling wines from a sunny country is Spumante. They are represented by dessert and semi-sweet varieties. Dry sparkling wines here are called Prosecco. In addition, the lines of sparkling wines Bracchetto, Lambrusco, Franciacorta, Fragolino are considered excellent brands of Italy. The taste of Italian varieties emphasizes their "youth" (you should not keep them for more than a year).
- South African - Cap Classique, it is prepared from African grapes. The range of varieties allows you to choose a drink of any color and any sweetness.
- Spanish - Cava, white or pink (Cava Rosado), on the original cork - an image of a four-pointed star. Only 3 wine houses produce it - Segura Viudas, Freixenet and Codorníu.
- French, but not from the province of Champagne - Crémant. These are Crémant de Bordeaux, Crémant d'Alsace and Crémant du Jura. Other French sparkling wines are also famous - Champagne, Limoux.
- German - Sekt, prepared only from raw materials from German vineyards, for example, Riesling. The range of varieties allows you to choose a drink of any color and any sweetness.
Of course, there are other types of champagne - Crimean, Moldovan (Cricova), Portuguese (Bairrada), Russian (Soviet champagne, Abrau-Dyurso, Tsimlyanskoye), etc. etc. They are distinguished by taste, aroma, quality, fame.
We will not describe the ornate play of bubbles in drinks, the tenderness of their taste, the lightness of the aroma and their magical overflows in the edges of a crystal glass under artificial lighting - here, anyway, the main criterion is the taste of each person.
But the most famous champagne brands in the world are: Dom Pérignon (Dom Pérignon) with a price of $ 600 per bottle, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (Veuve Clicquot) with a price of $ 80 - 250 per bottle (depending on the type), Moë [email protected](Moet and Chandon) from $70-200 per bottle, Louis Roederer (Louis Roederer) from $150 to $1000 per bottle, Piper Heidsieck (Piper Heidsek) from $50 per bottle, G.H. Mumm (Mumm) with a price of $ 80 per bottle, Krug (Circle) with a price of $ 400 - 800 per bottle, Pol Roger (Paul Roger) with a price of $ 80 per bottle, Bollinger (Bollinger) with a price of 100 to 6,000 $ per bottle, Salon (Salon) with a price of $ 400 per bottle.
As you can see, fans of "sparkling" have plenty to choose from. But did you know that for drinking this wonderful drink, different types glasses?
According to the material, they can be made of glass or crystal (depending on the price of alcohol and the scale of the celebration).
By shape, there are several types of champagne glasses:
- Champagne flute- special glasses for serving drinks. They have the shape of a flute: a thin elongated leg and a narrow high bowl. This is a classic glass with a volume of 120-200 ml. It has a variation where the top of the bowl tapers slightly.
- coupe champagne- a glass for tasting sweet types of sparkling wines. It has a wider and flatter bowl than the classic glass. Its volume is 150 ml. It is inconvenient because the bubbles and aroma quickly disappear. But at buffet tables, towers are often built from glasses of this type. This is a spectacular show: a drink is poured into the top glass, which, flowing like a waterfall, fills the rest of the glasses in the lower tiers.
- Glasses for red wine- can be used for tasting champagne - they better reveal the bouquet of its taste.
You can also drink champagne from other glasses - narrow or tulip-shaped (as well as embossed, creative, "broken", designer), but it is not recommended from martini glasses due to the rapid loss of aroma, although martinki are quite suitable for some cocktails on champagne base.
