Alice King's wine course
Part 4: champagne and sparkling wine

Tasting fizz
Now the fun starts. Select two different types of fizz from those mentioned below.

Champagne. Real champagne can only come from the delimited appellation area of Northern France that bears the same name. It’s made from a blend of three grapes, Pinot Noir, Pinot Menieur and Chardonnay. The vast majority of champagne sold is non-vintage, i.e. a blend of several different vintages. Either start by sampling a supermarket own-label champagne (expect to pay around £15.00 a bottle), or opt for one of the well-known names, such as Moet & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot or Bollinger. Make a note of those that you like. You will find each champagne house has its own individual style. As a general rule, a good champagne should have small consistent bubbles, which rise to the surface at the same rate. It will also stay fizzier for longer than a cheaper sparkling wine.

Crémant de Borgogne. A dry sparkling wine made according to the traditional champagne method from grapes grown in the Burgundy region.

Crémant d’Alsace. Again made using the traditional champagne method from Alsace grape varieties. Crémant d’Alsace tends to be slightly floral in character.

Blanquette de Limoux. Often quite sweet and grapey, this sparkling wine is made in the south of France. It is widely available throughout France, and is stocked in most large supermarkets in the UK.