In this joyful December season, with its pearls-like bubbles, champagne makes all kinds of festivities more charming. It is a prelude to delight celebrations, without discussion, it is THE one to warm up Christmas gathering all over the world.

A famous Champagne owner once told me that the elder person often appreciate a great cuvée of champagne at their youth, but the young people would prefer taste it when is more mature (It is a very surprising remark, isn’t it?) So I asked, what is the age to be classified as an “elder”? His answer was 50. Since I am not over that age therefore cannot know how true it is but personally, I do prefer great champagne with nice maturity by longer aging in bottle.

There are several styles of champagne in each brand: Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, special cuvée or “RD” but it is the Brut NV (non vintage) champagne who can represent the authentic “house style”! All champagne wineries try to build up their own style by the art of blending which reflects the personality of each brand. They want to be recognized and distinguished when their fans taste them. That is the specific difference of champagnes from other wines. That is THE philosophy of champagne.

Champagne tasting is very delicate likewise a fine tea tasting. The aroma is more refined than white or red wines. However, those trickling bubbles make champagne needs more skill to taste, without kidding, even for the wine professionals.

I recall when I was in Champagne, those bubbles makers had tendency to serve whole meal ONLY champagne. In the beginning, I was very surprised but it was a nice surprise. A fresh and energetic one can be a pleasant aperitif, a Blanc de Blancs is ideal for seafood and a vinous one with more percentage of Pinot (pinot noir & pinot meunier) is actually great to match with main dish based on meat or with heavy sauce. It also goes well with Asian cuisine. Champagne truly can match different needs! As Franck Crouvezier of restaurant K5 said, “it can be enjoyed anytime, even in the bedroom! ” - You see now, how good French are at making life sparkling!!

Chantal is a passionate about wines. She has visited nearly thousand of wineries in every major wine-producing region of the world, as well as having interviewed scores of winemakers, winery executives, top chefs and notable personalities in the world of wine & cuisine.

She worked with years of research and visits on French wine during her 11 years' stay in France to realize a book in Chinese, Soul of my Cellar, published in March 2008 in China and has won the Gourmand World Cook Book Award 2009 as the Best Wine Atlas/ Tourism Book (1st place). Her current project is the completion of two more books on the wines of the New World and on the wines of Spain & Italy.