Bubbly Basics

Cheers! Everyone celebrates a Sunday brunch with a Mimosa or Bellini, but how much do you actually know about the key ingredient: Champagne?

• Champagne is a sparkling wine named after the region in the north of France in which it is produced. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the two predominant grapes that make champagne. The label "Champagne" is copyrighted, which means that any other region that produces it cannot label it such, but must call it "methode champenoise."


• Champagne is expensive because it is produced in limited quantities from only one specific region. It is different from other sparkling wines like Cava and Prosecco because it undergoes a double fermentation process: once in the barrel and once in the bottle.


• Contrary to other wines, champagne does not get better with age.


• The Benedictine Monk, Dom Perignon, invented champagne by testing the process of carbonation. He learned that trapping carbon dioxide causes bubbles. The bubbles are actually the reason people get drunk easily from champagne; they carry the alcohol into the bloodstream faster.


• The quality of champagne is determined by the size of the bubbles; the smaller the bubbles, the higher the quality. Another way to determine the quality of your champagne is to check the bubble trains rising along the sides of the flute; there should be many different trains.


• Vintage champagnes are made from different blends of grapes during a specific year (or vintage) and are more expensive than non-vintage champagnes.


• Champagne bottles are thicker than regular wine bottles in order to prevent them from exploding from the interior pressure. Be warned that a projectile cork can travel between 40-100 miles per hour! The solution? Chilling champagne reduces the interior pressure.


• Champagne is best drunk from a tall narrow glass, which confines the bubbles and concentrates the aroma and taste. Bottoms up!

Ready to indulge in some bubbly cocktails? Try one of these easy recipes:

Barbie Slippers

Hawaiian Royale

Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail

We are happy to have Nola Solomon on board as an intern for FunnySpoon.com. As a French-American, she offers unique culinary insight on how to enjoy your food and efficiently plan for a hectic schedule. Give her recipes and tips a try!