Art of Champagne

Nothing screams ‘Party’ like the sound of a champagne bottle popping open. Everyone loves champagne.

This drink goes by many names. Bubbly, champagne or champs, but whatever you may choose to call it, it still conveys feelings of elegance, romance and being social.

It's been asked many times whether the discovery of champagne was an accident. You may be interested to know its thought a near blind French Benedictine monk named Dom Pierre Perignon, is believed to be credited for the creation of champagne in the 17th century. He was a cellar master in the Champagne region and realised due to weather and climate changes, his wines began to ferment differently. “Annoying” bubbles started to appear in his white wines. So, he decided to blend different grapes together which created the first sparkling wine now known as champagne.

His name Dom Perignon now represents one of the world's most luxurious champagne brands.

With strict laws now put in place over using the word ‘champagne’, we are just drinking sparkling wine, unless yours comes from Frances north east Champagne region where the champagne grapes are grown, then of course you are drinking authentic champagne.

So, we raise our glass to Dom Perignon and toast in celebrating his ‘accident’. It was an accident well worth stumbling upon!

DID SOMEONE SAY CHAMPAGNE FOR BREAKFAST?

We love that champagne is the only alcoholic drink that is totally acceptable to drink at anytime of the day, including breakfast, making everything feel indulgent and luxurious.

Now we won't be bathing in champagne like our famous star Marilyn Monroe( We’d rather drink the 350 bottles used to fill her bathtub), nor will we be polishing our boots with it as done by the English high society folks of the 19th century.

We will however happily drink champagne at any opportunity given to me!

Did you know in each bottle of champagne you will find around 49 million bubbles? You better drink fast because you will lose 30 bubbles in every 30 seconds!

WHAT ARE THE FINER POINTS OF DRINKING CHAMPAGNE?

Everyone loves being offered an elegant glass of champagne and we know which are our go to brands that we enjoy drinking, but what is today's etiquette in drinking a glass of bubbles?

First up it is said not to drink champagne from flutes or coupes (oops,1st mistake). The shape of the glass affects the flavours and aromas of the champagne, so opt for a tulip shaped glass.

Champagne needs to always be served between 8 -9 degrees C (probably our 2nd mistake), to bring out the flavour. Champagne is very sensitive to temperature and light.

Successfully opening a bottle of champagne without the precious spillage has an art of doing so. Once you remove the wire cage (muselet) from your bottle, always keep your thumb firmly on the cork and twist the bottle not the cork. ( well that's our 3rd mistake)

While it's obvious we’re not an expert in champagne etiquette, we at Lifes A Hamper are experts in creating stand out champagne hampers.

Champagne hampers are a perfect way to say congratulations or celebrate any occasion.

And what goes best with champagne? Strawberries of coarse. That's why we couldn't resist creating our Veuve Champagne Hamper or our Moet and Chandon Hamper. Both these classic hampers include delicious, chocolate covered freeze dried strawberries. But don't go past our gorgeous Mini Moet and Chandon Surprise Hamper. Delight that special someone with a selection of the ultimate gourmet accompaniments. Honey Spiced Nuts, a Sweet Bouquet of white chocolate and of coarse chocolate covered strawberries.

No matter how you chose to drink your champagne, drinking exquisite champagne is an experience for all our senses.

The  built up joy and anticipation of holding onto a bottle of vintage champagne, waiting for that special day or moment to come around. That moment when you are holding what feels like a golden bottle, and begin to remove the foil and cage around the cork. The excitement and suspense that goes through your mind hoping to hear the cork pop! And see the ‘fog’ that escapes out of the bottle.

No other drink can give you all these wonderful joys and emotions. Presenting a bottle of champagne always will add a sense of celebration and cheer.

Cheers to that!