{"id":22760,"date":"2013-05-15T10:38:23","date_gmt":"2013-05-15T00:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/?p=22760"},"modified":"2015-03-13T16:06:15","modified_gmt":"2015-03-13T06:06:15","slug":"champagne-darling-or-is-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/champagne-darling-or-is-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Champagne darling! Or is it…?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We used to call all bubbly \u2018Champagne\u2019. It didn\u2019t matter if it was the finest French stuff or a $6 bottle from the shop on the corner; champers was synonymous with any breed of sparkling wine.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Most of us knew that Champagne was a place in France, but until fairly recently we happily used it as a generic term for anything fizzy, just as Texta, BAND-AID and aspirin have come to stand for more than just the brand names they signify.What a lot of people don\u2019t know is it\u2019s been illegal to refer to anything other than true Champagne by that name since 1891, but most of the world has conveniently ignored this until a few years ago. Australia now has a formal agreement with France to not label any Aussie-produced wine with the word Champagne and so, the mouthful that it is, \u2018Australian sparkling wine\u2019 looks like it\u2019s here to stay.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s so special about Champagne? <\/strong>
\nFrom French nobles to Grand Prix podiums, these wines have been symbols of wealth and status for centuries. To qualify for the coveted C-word, a wine must be produced in the Champagne regions of northern France, and every detail from vine to bottle must adhere to the accepted, traditional methods of production. And because of the prestige associated with Champagne, its producers don\u2019t tend to make any rubbish. Nobody is going to waste their Billion-Euro bit of French soil on making wines that aren\u2019t absolutely premium.<\/p>\n

In Australia, Champagne is often kept for special occasions, but that\u2019s not to say it\u2019s unsuited to dinner at home or a weekend brunch. For a great example of the delicate complexity that makes up a Champagne wine, try our current favourite: Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut NV<\/a>.
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But before you go and tip everything without \u2018Champagne\u2019 on the label down the sink, let\u2019s talk bubbly that\u2019s not from that famous patch of French earth. There is top quality to be had in sparkling wines from all over the world, and the absence of the word \u2019Champagne\u2019 doesn\u2019t have to be a mark of a lesser wine. Even Saint Hilaire<\/a>, the oldest producer of sparkling wine on the planet, doesn\u2019t come with a C on the front.<\/p>\n

Aussies represent<\/strong>
\nJust as Aussies produce some of the finest table wine in the world, we have more than our share of great bubbly as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Top tip: <\/strong><\/em> For the top quality, look for \u201cMethode Traditionelle\u201d on the label, that means it\u2019s made in the traditional style of Champagne, even if it\u2019s not from there.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Cooler climates are best for bubbles, so try Jansz Cuvee NV<\/a> from frosty Tasmania, or have a go at the Bird in Hand Sparkling Pinot Noir Ros\u00e8<\/a> from the Adelaide Hills. These and a score of other \u2019non-Champagne\u2019 sparklings are truly world class, and you\u2019re not paying for a word on the bottle.
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Many Aussies actually prefer the taste of local bubbles;. Australian sparkling tends to be leaner and more approachable in flavour, whereas true Champagne can be quite full and \u201cyeasty,\u201d due to the minimum 12 months spent in the bottle before final release.<\/p>\n

The final word <\/strong>
\nWhether it\u2019s Australian or French, there are a huge variety of styles and flavours, and somewhere amongst them is probably your new favourite wine. It\u2019s just a matter of trying \u2018til you discover it.
\nAs with everything, when you find a bubbly you love, buy up big and don\u2019t get too caught up with what\u2019s on the label. Just don\u2019t call it Champagne if it\u2019s from Adelaide. You\u2019re technically breaking the treaty of Versailles.<\/p>\n