Why is Champagne so sour? 5 myths about Champagne
Champagne is seen by most as a festive drink that can light up any party. However, many also have the opinion that champagne is an overpriced sour drink.
Regardless of which camp you belong to, read on and get a quick introduction to the world of champagne and the myths that go with it:
Myth #1:
The champagne bottle must be opened with a bang.
False. While it is festive to open a bottle of Champagne with a loud POP! and foam on all sides, the goal is to open the bottle slowly so that only a small sigh is heard - and it is not just for fun, the champagne bottle contains an enormous pressure; about 6 bar where a car tire, by comparison, has a pressure of about 2-3 bar. In fact, 10-12 people die every year after being hit by a flying champagne cork! Then the bottle must be sanded so make sure that no one is in the way.
Myth #2
Champagne should be drunk from champagne glasses
False. The tall, thin champagne glass looks great and allows you to enjoy the many bubbles in the glass, but like all other wines, champagne is mainly expressed in its aroma. The narrow champagne glass does not give much surface area for the champagne, so most people prefer to use either a white wine glass or a specially designed champagne glass that is slightly wider in the middle, giving the champagne more space to unfold.
Myth #3
Champagne is sour
Both true and false. When people call a wine and often champagne sour, it is often because they have had a glass of very dry champagne. Champagne can be divided into 7 categories that tell how sweet or dry the champagne is; the drier the more 'sour' it will taste.
The vast majority of champagnes sold in Denmark are dry, also called Brut. If you want something on the sweeter side, go for Dry, Demi-Sec (or Semi-Sec) and Doux - and never drink Brut champagne with a cake! It just doesn't taste good; the sweet cake needs a very sweet champagne (Demi-Sec or Doux) or Asti.
Myth #4
Champagne is way too expensive
Both and. Yes, the bottle can only say Champagne if the wine comes from the Champagne district in France and yes, Champagne is expensive. There can be a long and heated debate about whether the price of champagne is too high or not, but like all other wines, price and quality are usually linked. There are high costs involved in producing Champagne; much of the work is done by hand, the wine cannot be sent to the market immediately, but must be stored for at least 15 months in the cellar, the thick bottles cost a little more to buy; all factors that make champagne a little more expensive than other wines.
At the same time, Champagne produces some long-lasting wines that have proven to be very good investments over time. This, together with a production that for some champagne houses is limited to a few thousand bottles, results in high demand and therefore higher prices.
However, you can find a very good bottle of Champagne in the price range of 200-300 kroner. Whether this is expensive is somewhat related to myth no. 5:
Myth #5
Champagne is no better than other kinds of bubbles.
Maybe. There are wonderful sparkling wines from other parts of the world; Cava from Spain, Franciacorta from Italy, Cremant from France and so on, all inspired by their famous ancestor from Champagne. What makes Champagne special is that the unique characteristics of the region; the chalky soil and a climate that is neither too cold nor too hot produce some exceptionally good wines.
You can safely choose a good cava or cremant and get a lovely sparkling wine in the glass, but once you've fallen for the bubbling bubbles, you owe it to yourself to try a good, classic Champagne.
Cheers!