How to Enjoy French Champagne from an Expert
The U.S. Champagne Bureau promotes French Champagne in the United States. While many sparkling wines call themselves Champagne, true Champagne comes from the region in France with the same name. Recently, Sam Heitner, Director of the U.S. Champagne Bureau discussed French Champagne exclusively with LoveToKnow Wine.
The U.S. Champagne Bureau
LoveToKnow (LTK): What is the purpose of the US Champagne Bureau?
Sam Heitner (SH): The Champagne Bureau is the U.S. representative of the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), the trade association that represents all the grape growers and houses of Champagne, France. The bureau works to educate American consumers about the uniqueness of the wines of Champagne and expand their understanding of the need to protect the Champagne name in the United States.
Differences Between Champagne and Sparkling Wine
LTK: Please explain the difference between true Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world.
SH: Put simply, it's only Champagne if it comes from Champagne, France. Though many regions around the world, including many in the U.S., produce fine sparkling wines, only wine made from grapes grown in the chalky hills of the Champagne region can rightly be called "Champagne."
The principal reason for this is that the name "Champagne" refers not just to the composition of the wines but to their terroir, which encompasses all aspects of the climate and the soil in which wine grapes are grown. The distinctive natural components of the terroir of Champagne are the underlying factors that account for the special flavor of wines from the Champagne region.
Thus, while some processes of Champagne production may be duplicated, the terroir is unique and impossible to replicate.
LTK: What are the current labeling laws with regard to Champagne and sparkling wines?
SH: The United States bans the use of "Champagne" on any wines not from Champagne produced after 2006. By signing an agreement with the EU on this issue, the United States joined the majority of other countries in the world that reserve the Champagne name exclusively for wines from Champagne, France.
Numerous quality U.S. sparkling wine producers proudly and successfully sell their wines without the term "Champagne." Unfortunately U.S. law includes a "grandfather" clause that allows certain wineries to continue labeling sparkling wines as "champagne," simply because they have labels that include the misleading term from before 2006. Reports claim that approximately 50 percent of all sparkling wines sold on the U.S. market are mislabeled "champagne." This means that U.S. consumers must be vigilant when purchasing wines to be certain they know where their wines come from.
LTK: How can consumers know they are purchasing true Champagne?
SH: The surefire way is to check the label. As I said, loopholes in U.S. law have allowed several sparkling wine brands to present themselves as Champagne. A true Champagne's label will use the term Champagne and not include a modifier such as "California" or "American." To learn more about the information provided on each Champagne label, please visit the Champagne Bureau's website.
Enjoying Champagne
LTK: If people are new to French Champagne, what do they need to know?
SH: That they need not be intimidated! At once elegant and approachable, Champagne has something to offer for everyone, from the most sophisticated connoisseurs to those who simply like to unwind with a glass of wine at dinnertime.
LTK: French Champagne seems to have a different character than other sparkling wines from around the world. What is it about French Champagne that makes it so special?
SH: There are many quality sparkling wines made around the world. Each is unique due to their location. Champagne has a special taste because it comes from a special place. The distinctive natural components of the terroir of Champagne-a unique combination of soil, sub-soil, climate and grape varieties unlike anywhere else in the world-are the underlying factors that account for the distinct nature of wines from the Champagne region. The appellation has strict regulations that cover all aspects of the growing, cultivating and production process. All are designed to ensure quality. At least two aspects of the region's terroir are worth mentioning: the deep chalk sub-soil that allows easy drainage and the parcel-by-parcel plot system that ensure only the best performing plots in the region are planted with grapes that produce Champagne.
LTK: Do you have any personal favorites?
SH: We at the Champagne Bureau represent the appellation as a whole, and thus we recommend all Champagnes!
Food Pairing
LTK: What do you believe to be the ultimate food-Champagne pairing?
SH: One of the great things about Champagne is that you can find a selection to pair with almost any meal. While certain Champagnes compliment savory meals, like steak or chicken, while other Champagnes go well with lighter fare like fish or pasta. Rosés can best be enjoyed with chocolate and other desserts.
Above all, however, it's a matter of personal taste. Wine lovers should experiment with different combinations until they find what suits their palette best. While Champagne is certainly an elegant beverage, it's also approachable: you could pair it with hot dogs and it will taste great!
Grand Tasting
LTK: Your organization recently hosted a Grand Tasting. Please talk a little about the event. Is it an annual event?
SH: The CIVC hosted two Grand Tasting events in May, one in New York and the other in San Francisco, to highlight the wide variety of wines that all contain the unique flavors of Champagne. More than 30 Champagne houses and growers attended each event, and each brand poured three wines-one vintage, one nonvintage, and a third selection of its choosing.
Both events were attended by more than 350 members of the media and wine industry, all of whom were able to enjoy some of the finest wines the Champagne region has to offer. We hope that these events are the first of many in the United States dedicated to celebrating the qualities born from the land, climate and centuries-old methods that can only be found in Champagne, France.
LTK: What else would you like others to know about your organization and Champagne?
SH: Should any of your readers would like to learn more about Champagne, please encourage them to visit our website.
Wine lovers can help us ensure that the place names of all great winemaking regions are protected by signing our petition to protect place and origin.
Thank you, Sam and the U.S. Champagne Bureau!
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