Become a champagne connoisseur – resources

Drinking champagne is one thing, but understanding the intricacies behind every drop is a whole new adventure.

Here at My French Life™ we’ve been busy learning all we can about champagne. It’s a thirsty business. So far we’ve shown you how to read a champagne label, and we’ve put together a guide to all the terminology.

Now we would like to share our secret resources – we’ve got everything you’ll need to know to become a champagne connoisseur!

Review sites:

Picking the perfect drop can take a bit of time and a lot of knowledge. To help us on our way we like to ask the experts.

De-coding these reviews can be confusing too. Some reviewers score their wines using the Parker Points® system, which is out of 100. Other sites review wines out of 10 and 20. It’s also important to read the tasting notes too.

There are plenty of champagne review sites on offer but here are two of our favourites:

• Champagnifique is a small site completely dedicated to tasting only the finest champagnes. They use the Parker Points® system.
• Gayot have some fantastic reviews as well as guide to different styles of sparkling wines. They rank out of 20 and/or give a tasting guide.

Handy facts:

If you’re looking for some tidbits on champagne then look no further. Once you’ve gleaned all the wisdom from our own savvy Francophile’s guide to sparkling wine, try these websites to broaden your knowledge even further:

• Glass of Bubbly has everything from how to store and serve champagne to a comprehensive list of champagne and sparkling wine houses.
• Champagne Jayne is another fantastic site, with news, facts and history. You can find anything from champagne trends to shopping guides.

And if you’re dying to know if champagne is the secret to happiness? Then My French Life™ writer Hannah Duke has all the answers in her interview with Champagne aficionado Jérôme Barret.

Where to buy:

Well, if you’re in Paris and looking for the perfect champagne, then Dilettantes is the place to start. In an interview with My French Life™ the founder Fanny Heucq gives great advice on all things champagne.

Paris by Mouth also offers an amazing guide on where to buy champagne in Paris so next time you’re in the capital you’ll know exactly what to get and where to buy it.

Being a Champagne connoisseur doesn’t have to be hard. Follow our guides and you’ll be there in no time!

Are you a champagne expert? Share some secrets with us! This conversation is missing your voice! Add your comments to the box below!