Why Champagne is the Only Way to Start the Season (Or Breakfast)

Wine Reviews

Why Champagne is the Only Way to Start the Season (Or Breakfast)

The sparkle that brings elegance to any occasion

Disclaimer: I LOVE champagne. It has everything you could wanting a celebratory wine. It’s own entrance music, that satisfying thwack that announces the beginning of something wonderful. The way way the bubbles dance over your tongue, enlivening the senses. And a wonderful, mouth watering freshness that resets the palate and whispers to your brain, “Darling, you look fabulous, and yes, you should probably have another.”

There is history, of course, one ironically characterised by the fight against the bubbles that have made the region famous. There is prestige, quite a drenching of snobbery and a wine making process with more regulations than a nuclear power plant. But lets leave that all aside and jut talk about the pure, unadulterated joy of the thing.

Tasting the stars

Hold a glass of Champagne up to the light and witness the stars! . The relentless, ticklish stream of perfect little bubbles—the last gas go those microscope yeast so essential to champagne’s savoury and complex charm. They race to the surface, bringing with them that signature, electrifying scent of brioche, lemon zest, and maybe just a hint of “maybe work can wait for another day."

"And a wonderful, mouth watering freshness that resets the palate and whispers to your brain, “Darling, you look fabulous, and yes, you should probably have another.
"

The Culinary Chameleon

The truly marvellous, and often understated, magic of Champagne lies in its stunning versatility at the dinner table. It’s the ultimate culinary wingman, capable of pairing with dishes that would make lesser wines flee in terror.

  • The Classic Pairing: Oysters? Naturally. Caviar? Everyday darling. But the wine is elegant enough so keep the food simple -  A Brut NV with a light cured fish dish, or even a bag of ready salted!
  • Elevate the Friday night takeaway: DO NOT judge before you try it. An elect Blanc de Blancs with fish and chips. The searing acid of the Champagne cuts through the fat like a laser, while the savoury notes of the batter harmonise beautifully with the wine's depth.
  • Don’t forget dessert: Demi-Sec is a revelation. Someones baked apple tart? The slight sweetness of the champagne compliments without overpowering the soft fruit.
  • Doctor’s Orders: And have you really cured a hangover until you’ve downed a beautiful glass of bubbles with a wonderfully greasy fry up? Remember Champagne doesn't judge; it simply elevates.
Champagne

Champagne

Two Centuries of Sparkling History

Champagne Joseph Perrier has been uncorking effervescent history since 1825, a timeframe so vast it makes most modern wine estates look like they started yesterday morning. Imagine the sheer dedication: the same family has kept the bubbly flowing, enduring two centuries of changing hemlines, questionable musical tastes, and the continuous struggle of hiding a hangover. Now, with Benjamin Fourmon leading the 6th generation, the family is still tending to their 21 hectares (mostly robust Pinot Noir with a splash of elegant Chardonnay) located near villages with names so fancy they score 93% on the official 'échelle des crus' scale—because only the best vineyards could possibly fuel this dynasty. They craft every bottle with a laser-focus on freshness and purity, a philosophy that promises their vintage wines won't just taste great today, but will have the "impressive energy and poise" to outlast your great-grandchildren. 

As the celebratory season—be it the holidays, an engagement, or simply the successful completion of a Monday—approaches, Champagne isn't just an option.

Why? Because no other drink possesses its sheer, instant theatrical impact. The ceremony of the uncorking, the golden pour, the rising chorus of tinkling flutes—it’s a collective, unspoken acknowledgment that this moment is special.
Why Champagne is the Only Way to Start the Season (Or Breakfast)

Joseph Perrier Vintage 2018 Champagne
£58.00 £75.50

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Why Champagne is the Only Way to Start the Season (Or Breakfast)

Why Champagne is the Only Way to Start the Season (Or Breakfast)

|Michael Mulgrew
Disclaimer: I LOVE champagne. It has everything you could wanting a celebratory wine. It’s own entrance music, that satisfying thwack that announces the beginning of something wonderful. The way way...