Bonjour à Tous et à Toutes (Hello Everyone),

Je suis ravie (I’m delighted) that you’ve come along for the third article in my series to help demystify French wines so that you can enjoy and explore them sans avoir peur(without being afraid).

Since there is always cause for celebration—a birthday or anniversary, a triumph at work, or even just an awaiting cheese plate or a weekend brunch with friends—today I thought we’d dive into the world of French bubbly.

As with our other “beginner” articles, we are keeping things very simple here, sometimes even over-simplifying juste un petit peu (just a little bit), in the interest of making the topic easier to digest and the tips easier to put into practice! We’ll avoid big discussions of climate and terroir for now, in favor of getting ahold of the most basic facts. C’est parti (let’s go) !

And, if you want to take it a bit further and learn how to pronounce some words and phrases to describe French sparkling wines… I recorded some audio for you here! <—

And if you’re new here, I remind you that you can start by reading
Part 1
Part 2

How Not to Be Intimidated by French Bubbly: The 3 Most Important Types of French Sparkling Wine

1. Champagne

Everyone knows that Champagne is le roi (the king) of sparkling wines worldwide. But did you know that the Champagne region is so close to Paris that getting there takes under two hours? Also, only wines produced in this region (and following all the laws for the appellation) may be called “Champagne.” So there is no such thing as a “champagne” from anywhere else, even if it’s made in the same way.

L’avenue de Champagne, Epernay (courtesy of la Ville d’Epernay)

Fun fact: They say that the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay (one of the two famous Champagne towns, the other being Reims) is the most expensive street in France because of the millions of precious bottles stored in les crayères (the ancient white chalk caves used for aging) far below, which stretch for kilometers.
Why don’t they do an “Ocean’s 21” about that? 🙂

Champagne Basics

Why is Champagne So Expensive?

Champagne is made via a very complex, time-consuming, and expensive process that involves multiple fermentations, changing the position of the bottles, removing collected dead yeast cells without spilling the wine, sometimes adding a dosage (sugar/wine solution) to adjust sweetness levels, and long aging times. You don’t have to know all this, but it’s good to understand that making this style of wine requires a lot of effort, expertise, and finesse.

My French husband (we call him Monsieur B) took me to the Champagne region for our first wedding anniversary. I was bowled over when I found out that beyond what we see in the U.S., from say twenty of the biggest champagne houses (Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Moët, Bollinger, Taittinger, etc.), in France there are more than 300 champagne houses and 15,000 growers!

Hint: if you’re in France and you want to order champagne, choose one from a small house that you’d likely never be able to try elsewhere.

What are the Grapes in Champagne?

Keeping things simple, the three you want to know are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier (pronounced muh-NYAY). There are a few others, but these are the key players. Champagne can be white or rosé, and even white champagne can be made from red or white grapes or from both. Each champagne house decides on its own blend.

Depending on the type, champagne can be 100% one grape or a combination. Keep reading for some terminology that may help you in reading labels and talking about French sparkling wines.

Side note: if you do plan to visit the Champagne region, make sure to reserve to tour the cellars at Ruinart, the oldest maison de Champagne in France, established in the 1700s. In October this year (2024) they’ll celebrate a monumental redesign that will be worth seeing.

How Can I Tell if My Champagne is Sweet or Not?

This is one of the questions I get a lot about Champagne, and there is a pretty easy answer. You just have to look at the label, and you have to know the words that correspond to the sugar levels in the wine. There are seven of these levels in Champagne (they do not apply to still wines), and their names can be confusing. I am not going to post a residual sugar graph here, which is what wine nerds would normally do, because I don’t necessarily think grams per liter is a good reference for everyday wine drinkers.

Where does this sugar come from? It is a result of le dosage, which takes place at a later stage in the winemaking process, where a mixture of sugar and reserve wine is added to the bottle to achieve the desired sweetness.

• Brut Nature—this is a wine with zero sugar (dosage zéro) added. Pucker up for the driest of all champagnes (and French sparkling wines).
• Extra Brut—this could be just as dry as Brut Nature or a hint less (yes, even though it’s “extra” it is actually second on the dryness scale. That being said, an extra-brut champagne is still going to read as very dry.
• Brut—this is the most popular sugar designation in Champagne, and you’ve most likely tried it—dry, but with just a bit of sugar to balance the wine. I’d suggest starting with this as a baseline and seeing if you want to move toward a drier champagne or one with more sweetness.
• Extra Sec (Extra Dry)—isn’t it funny that “extra dry” is not the driest, not by far? You just have to memorize the fact that “extra dry” will be less dry than Brut and all that comes before it.
• Sec (Dry)—again, this is confusing for wine beginners because in fact, “Sec” is ranked fifth on the dryness scale, which means there will be some sweetness here, although it is by no means a terribly sweet effect, as the bubbles add freshness to the wine.
• Demi-Sec and Doux—these last two categories will take you to a place where you’ll taste and feel the sugar more, although because of the acidity and effervescence they still likely won’t have the cloying sweetness of a still dessert wine.

We served Champagne Philippe Fays at our wedding in 2022. I don’t even know if you can buy this outside of France, but it sure is tasty!

2. Crémant

We served Champagne Philippe Fays at our wedding in 2022. I don’t even know if you can buy this outside of France, but it sure is tasty!

For my money, crémant (pronounced cray-MAHn) is one of the most under-appreciated sparkling wines in France (and maybe in the world). Almost always less pricey than their neighbors in Champagne, they’re made from the same méthode traditionelle aka méthode champenoise as Champagne, but using grapes from their own region, be it Alsace, Bourgogne, or the Loire, for example. Aging requirements are generally lower than champagne, too (although there are exceptions). When it comes to bubbles, the pressure in crémant is generally exactly the same as champagne, so it’s considered “fully sparkling,” as compared with wines with less pressure (see the “other sparklers” section below for some examples). Some crémants will be livelier and more friendly than a fine champagne, but they are ranked in their sugar levels according to the same standards, and you can also find vintage crémant.

In Bourgogne, there are even two special higher classifications of quality: Crémant de Bourgogne Eminent and Crémant de Bourgogne Grand Eminent. These two are held to stricter winemaking standards, from grape varieties and exact juice extraction and sugar levels to required aging sur lie (this is where the wine rests on its dead yeast cells during the aging process, to give it that toastier, bread-y quality on the nose and in the mouth).

Below are some crémants to try when you’re looking for good value and quality. I’m linking to wine retailers in the US below, but wherever you are, you can also have a chat with your local caviste to discover their offerings.

If you ask about crémant, they will know you are in the know!

If you see the phrase “blanc de blancs” on a sparkling wine, it means that it is a white wine made entirely from white grapes.

• Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé, Lucien Albrecht
• Crémant de Loire Brut Non-vintage, Olema
• Crémant de Bourgogne Non-vintage, Moissenet-Bonnard

3. Other Sparklers

I am not going to spend a lot of time on these wines because they are not always as easy to find. The most important thing to know is that there are a few other words that describe slightly different sparkling wines. They basically refer to less strict production standards and lower levels of bubbliness or “atmospheres of pressure” so in essence, they’re not fully sparkling.

• Mousseux(pronounced moo-SUH) have a lower required pressure (about half that of champagne) and the standards for making them are less time-consuming and pricey. Example: there are generally no aging requirements for a vin mousseux.
• Pétillant(pronounced pay-tee-YAHN) is described in one of my wine textbooks as simply “fizzy.” It has only about one quarter of the bubbliness of champagne.
• Pétillant Naturel aka Pet-Nat or sometimes referred to as méthode ancestrale, which refers to its single fermentation (as opposed to champagne and crémant, which go through two distinct fermentations). These wines are sometimes unfiltered, so you may see sediment, and they are up there on the sweeter scale because of the way they’re made. But they’re easy-drinking and inexpensive wines and I predict that like the orange wine craze, they may have their moment.

What Kind of Glass Should I Use When Drinking Sparkling Wine?

This is a somewhat controversial question and here are the three main options.

1. Une coupe. Because bubbles are such an important part of sparkling wine, some experts feel that a wide-mouthed coupe does the wine a disservice by giving les bulles a larger surface from which to quickly escape, thus arguably leaving the wine flatter faster.

2. Une flute. Slender and tall, the champagne flute offers better bubble preservation. Non-fluters argue that with its narrow mouth, the wine’s aromas may be inhibited, as they have no room to swirl about, so you may be missing out on all it has to offer your senses.
3. Un verre à vin. A regular old (smallish) wine glass. Most champagne experts will say that this is actually the best choice because it offers a balance between bubble control and access to the pretty smells.

What Should I Look For When Tasting French Sparkling Wines?

There is such a range of aromas and flavors, all depending upon the grapes used, the terroir (where the grapes come from) and the decisions of the winemaker (the exact blend of grapes, which dosage to add, and how long to age the wine for example).

Colors may vary from the palest straw to a deeper golden hue. On the nose you may find floral elements or those of apple and lemon. Certain sparkling wines (especially those with higher sugar levels) may feature peach and hints of tropical fruits. Wines that are aged sur lie (on their dead yeast cells) may give toasty, bready vibes.

Use your senses and if you want to compare your own tasting notes to what the winemaker has to say, I suggest looking up the wine online as there are often notes from the vigneron (winemaker) or from critics or other experts. The most important thing is just to let yourself take a moment to appreciate what you are drinking with all your senses—look at it, note the size of the bubbles, the color. Smell the perfume and see what it evokes. Then give it a taste. Ultimately, these wines are designed for pleasure, so your enjoyment is the most important factor. But noting what you like/don’t like can help you with future choices of wines you want to try.

When Should I Drink a French Sparkling Wine? Perfect Pairings That May Surprise You

• Wine experts love champagne with cheese. For those of you who think the best pairing for blue cheese is red wine, allow me to blow your mind by suggesting that you try a champagne or crémant with your next Roquefort or Bleu d’Auvergne. C’est si bon ! (It’s so good!)
• Skip the mimosas at brunch and serve a crémant. It’s still up-and-coming status will give off cool kid vibes, and its affordable price point means you can buy two bottles instead of one. Also, crémant goes great with pancakes, quiche and brioche!
• Host a sparkling French-style apéro. It’s like a very chill cocktail party that is meant to take place before dinner. Set out a few different bottles at different sweetness levels, and arrange some little nibbles à grignoter (to snack on). C’est génial ! (It’s great!)
• End your meal with a sparkling partner to your dessert. Champagne and other sparkling French wines are a lighter alternative to syrupy sweet dessert wines or too-strong cocktails. Need a good dessert idea? How about this rhubarb and vanilla cream tart?
• Have a Pétillant Picnic. Seek out a pet-nat and pack it in your panier (basket) with a big jambon beurre (ham and butter baguette sandwich) or some roasted or fried chicken.

French Sparkling Wine Words and Phrases

If you’d like help ordering or talking about French sparkling wine, I’ve made an article with audio files to help you practice. Check it out here.

Eh ben voilà, encore une fois ! Well, we did it again, friends. We’re opening up all the possibilities of French wine by taking small sips. The best way to really get to know what you like is to taste the wines we’re exploring.

Bonne dégustation les ami(e)s, et à bientôt,

Karen

If you enjoy this article, and of course if you have any questions, please, leave a comment at the bottom of this page—I’m powered by interaction and would love to hear what my fellow French wine lovers think.

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