To champagne

Champagne. The drink of celebrations, the sparkling treat for weddings and New Year's Eve, black-tie dinners, the birth of a baby, Sunday brunch, Tuesday evening...well, I think you get the picture. I can imagine a thousand reasons for breaking out the bubbly. Champagne just seems to dance, inspiring thoughts of the Jazz Age, of Fred and Ginger, top hats and platinum silk, but of course its history stretches much farther back. The first king of France was anointed with wine from the Champagne region on Christmas Eve in 496, however it wasn't until the late 17th century that Champagne found its fizz.

Last summer I had the enviable opportunity to spend a week at the Pol-Roger family home in Epernay, France. Pol Roger founded his distinguished Champagne house in 1849. It's one of the smaller Champagne producers - if you can call a stock of 7 million bottles small - but it's highly prestigious. Danielle and Christian Pol-Roger were perfect hosts and happily accepted the task of teaching me about Champagne's tremendous diversity and its long and venerable history.

To Make

While only three grape varieties are permitted under the Appellation Controllî, I was surprised to learn that two-thirds of them are black skinned. Pinot Noir infuses the vintage with power, Pinot Meunier is selected for fruitiness, and the white skinned Chardonnay adds finesse.

To Serve

Although there's a lot of mystique around Champagne, serving it is deceptively simple. For one thing, Champagne is equally enjoyable served at the beginning or end of a meal. (Yes, I tested this theory myself several times). Also, Champagne pairs beautifully with appetizers such as fresh oysters or foie gras but also with simpler foods such as asparagus or grilled fish and vegetables. Sweeter Champagnes are the perfect complement to dessert while roses work beautifully with fresh fruit. Aged champagnes are perfect served with rich, dark chocolate and then, who needs dinner?

What about mixing Champagne with other beverages such as orange juice? While a mimosa is a lovely addition to Sunday brunch you needn't use the good stuff. Choose a flavorful sparkling wine (only wines from the Champagne region of France earn the distinction of "Champagne") for fruity cocktails. Or try a Bellini, an Italian tradition that began at the legendary Harry's Bar in Venice. It calls for fine champagne and a puree of white peaches.

Determining what you will serve with your Champagne is perhaps less confusing than determining what sort of glass to serve it in - the coupe or the flute? According to legend, the coupe glass takes its shape from Marie Antoinette's breast. While this legend is titillating, aficionados insist that the narrower flute captures and sustains the bubbles more effectively.

To Chill

To chill your bubbly, it's best to place the bottle in a bucket with ice and water and allow to stand for 15-20 minutes. Or, pop it into the fridge for 3-4 hours. However, even if you can't wait to celebrate, keep Champagne out of the freezer as it will ruin the aromas and flavours.

To Store

Like all fine wines, Champagne has to be aged. The difference is; it's already aged for you at the source so your bottle is ready to enjoy. For your own purposes, you can store a bottle of Champagne for 2-4 years (or slightly longer for vintage champagne) but if you wait too long you run the risk that the Champagne will lose some of its vitality.

Storage shelves can be made of hollow concrete blocks, wood or metal. Just make sure they are sturdy because wine bottles are heavy. If you have room for a wine cellar it's a lovely idea to add a small table to accommodate intimate dining.

Now that you know the best way to chill champagne, why not do it in style? Silver or crystal Champagne buckets are widely available accessories. Of course, the Champenois are also fond of a cooler that holds several bottles at once. Collectors look for aluminum or hotel silver wine coolers as well as vintage models which often sport labels from notable vineyards such as Dom Perignon and Moet et Chandon. Think of this purchase as investment since a Champagne bucket is also ideal for displaying fresh flowers.

Fine Champagne is one of life's little indulgences. Champers, as English call it, has been a favourite of the British royal family since the days of Queen Victoria. And a bottle of Pol Roger was waiting for Winston Churchill wherever he traveled. You'll be in good company the next time you throw a party - maybe for the holidays - when you treat yourself and those you love to a luxurious bottle of bubbly.