How to serve Champagne with style
Champagne has always gone hand in hand with parties, weddings and other summer activities and celebrations.
The British love champagne and the UK is the world's number one export market. As the weather warms up, and our thoughts turn towards a cool glass of the "King of wines", Champagne's oldest wine house, Champagne Gosset - Aÿ 1584 - has put together some helpful tips to help us all become experts on serving champagne, as and when the occasion presents itself.
According to Philippe Manfredini, International Director at Champagne Gosset, "The way champagne is served can affect the way champagne tastes. There are really simple rules to remember when serving champagne, which will ensure a sparkling day for all your guests"
Serve up an ace this summer and follow these simple steps from Champagne Gosset:
• Chill the champagne for 20-30 minutes in an ice bucket (or refrigerate for 3- 4 hours) You can in fact store a bottle of champagne in the fridge
• The ideal temperature for serving is between 8°c and 10°c
• Unwrap the top part of the foil
• Hold the champagne bottle at a 45º angle
• Hold your thumb over the cork
• Twist the bottle, rather than the cork, and ease the cork out gently
• Pour an inch of champagne into tulip or flute shaped glass
• Once the froth has settled, top up the glass - but leave plenty of room to appreciate the aromas of the champagne
• Enjoy!
• Ideally a bottle of champagne should be enjoyed with two or three friends. Half bottles are also readily available in most fine wine shops. If you need to keep some in the bottle, special champagne bottle stoppers can be purchased from specialist wine shops.
And don't forget that most champagne is a fantastic accompaniment to a variety of different dishes. Champagne Gosset Grande Reserve is a great match for any seafood fish or poultry and also sweet and subtly spiced dishes, especially those with cooked fruit such as sweet and sour or a tagine. Gosset's rich, creamy, biscuity style ensures that whatever you choose to match with your champagne, you're sure of a great result.
Champagne Gosset is available, from around £30 a bottle, from good wines shops across the UK. For details of a stockist near you, visit: mckinleyvintners.co.uk
