How to be a Champagne Connoisseur
There's nothing quite like a glass of fizz to put you in the mood for a party. The sensation of the bubbles bursting on your tongue is so pleasant that it's surprising more of us don't indulge more often.
But then again, with prices ranging from £20 to over £200 for a bottle, it's no wonder that this wonderful drink only makes an appearance on special occasions.
An obligatory drink at weddings, Champagne usually appears at the pre-reception drinks party and again after the meal to toast the newly weds. Going on the basis that each guest will enjoy one glass of champagne on both occasions, the average wedding of 80 guests will consume around 30 bottles, which can easily land the host with a bill of well over £1,000, so with this much money at stake it's worth doing your homework on what makes a great Champagne.
Deciding which bottle or bottles of Champagne to buy for your wedding is much easier if you know a little about the grapes, the wine and the history. The best way to decide which Champagne label to choose is to check with the experts. Whether you pick Mumm, Moët & Chandon, Roederer, Taittinger or any of the well-known French Champagne House labels...the bubbly you select will make your party.
CHAMPAGNE SPEAK - READING THE LABEL
The labels on bottles of bubbly try to explain three things:
* the sweetness of the wine
* the grapes used to make the wine
* the age of the wine - it's vintage
 SWEETNESS
The sweetness of a sparkling wine or Champagne ranges from:
- Extra Brut (Brut Sauvage) - Totally dry
- Brut - Dry
- Extra Dry - Medium dry
- Sec - Slightly sweet
- Demi - Sec: Fairly sweet
- Doux - Sweet
GRAPES USED
There are three grapes used to make Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Sometimes, a label will tell you what the wine is made of: Blancs de blancs is Champagne produced exclusively from white grapes (Chardonnay). It is invariably a very elegant, fine, and delicate wine. Blanc de noirs is Champagne produced exclusively from black grapes (Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier) creating a strong wine and fruit flavours and aromas. If neither of these descriptions appear on the label, chances are that the wine is a blend of the three Champagne grapes. Most Champagnes are blends of 60 to 70 percent Pinot grapes - fermented without pigmentbearing skins, so as to give white juice - and 30 to 40 percent Chardonnay.
Rosés are slightly different as they are not always made entirely of the three Champagne grapes. Blending in a little red wine - about 10 to 15% - is allowed under strict regulations.
TIP: Look out for the words 'cuvée spéciale' (or special cuvée). It signifies a wine of excellence, produced in very small quantities, and is considered the "jewel of the brand."
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Reception 
Meeting up with the lovely Kirstie McMurray from Cool FM, our compare for The Wedding Journal Reader Awards on Monday!
