Planning a special menu with champagne may seem simple because you can pair it with various foods and cuisines. But what kinds of food can you pair with which kinds of champagne?
Produced from the three grapes—chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier in the vineyards of the Champagne region of France, this beloved sparkling wine is celebrated for its complexity, depth, and elegance.
Properties of Champagne
Champagnes are typically light-bodied with low tannins. To appreciate good champagne, you must engage your senses: sight, smell, and taste. Before choosing what kind of champagne to accompany your food, let’s first find out how to pick good champagne.
The following are three things to consider when choosing champagne:
Appearance
Observe the bubbles when you pour the champagne into a glass. Fine bubbles indicate that the champagne is of good quality, while those of lesser quality have more varying sizes.
Tilt the glass to check for clarity; good champagne can be described as having a clear, translucent, or brilliant quality to it. Next, check the colour at the core. Depending on the kind of champagne, it should range from very pale straw to a moderate gold hue. The colour of the rim, the outer area of the core, should be slightly paler.
Aroma and Bouquet
Without swirling, tilt the champagne glass and subtly sniff or inhale the champagne. You’ll smell the primary scents or aromas and the bouquet of underlying scents that develop as wine ages. The smell should be clean, with a pleasant scent associated with fruits, nuts, herbs, or even bread.
Palate
This involves tasting a small amount of champagne in your mouth and feeling the bubbles within. You can taste the sweetness toward the front part of your tongue. Meanwhile, the wine’s acidity is tasted toward the sides and its bitterness at the back of your tongue. Did it feel velvety or tart? Good champagne should have a smooth, balanced flavour.
Champagne & Food Pairings
Champagne types depend on the amount of sugar added during the fermentation process, which influences the wine’s sweetness. Here are the types that are commonly available:
Brut
Champagne with no to very little sugar content is described as brut. It’s highly acidic with a bit of sweetness and can have hints of floral, fruity, or almond notes. Because of its acidic and dry properties, it suits rich and fatty foods such as creamy seafood like lobsters, risotto, pastas with rich sauces, and cheeses.
Extra-Dry
Also known as extra-sec, this type actually contains more sugar and is, therefore, sweeter than brut. Extra-dry champagne may have citrusy notes along with flavours of brioche and almonds. This wine is an excellent partner for soft cheeses like brie. Go for extra-dry champagne when serving caviar, salmon, or shellfish. It also complements the spiciness of Mexican or Thai cuisine and cuts through deep-fried foods.
Demi-Sec
With its sweeter flavour, and fruity aroma of citrus, apple, pear, and peach, demi-sec is an enjoyable aperitif before meals. Its sweetness can help balance out rich dishes and goes great with pork and poultry. It can also be paired with sweet flavours like chocolate and caramel desserts. To bring out its natural sweetness, serve it at a warmer temperature than the other types.
Doux
The sweetest type of champagne, doux has the most amount of sugar, with more than 50 grams per litre. It also has strong fruity notes with sweet biscuits, toast, and honey notes. Doux makes a great accompaniment to the intense flavours of lime or chocolate desserts. It also works well with rich, oily, and spicy foods.
Champagne For Any Menu
Planning what kind of champagne to pair with your food? You’ll find the perfect champagne at Ambrose Wine & Spirits. We specialise in distributing high-quality sparkling wines and offer an array of carefully selected champagnes to suit your needs.
Choose from our collection of champagnes available for wholesale and find out for yourself why we’re a trusted supplier of fine hotels and restaurants in Bangkok, Samui, Phuket and Chiang Mai. Contact us and let our knowledgeable staff help you pick the right champagne for any occasion.