Russian sparkling wines. Names of champagne that are known all over the world

Champagne is a sparkling wine produced by secondary fermentation in the Champagne region of France. As you may have guessed, this drink was named after the province where it comes from, but in the post-Soviet countries almost any carbonated drink can be called champagne, which of course is wrong.

Interesting fact. Real champagne glasses have inner walls with a microscopic relief layer for bubbles to stick to the walls.

Often, difficulties arise when choosing champagne for a wedding or other festive events, where the main task is to combine good quality and reasonable price. We will help you not to make a mistake when choosing a fizzy drink and reveal many nuances.

By following these tips, you will definitely choose a good champagne, but remember that the taste and color cannot please everyone, so your perfect option You can only choose by trial and error.

Interesting infographics on the topic of champagne. Lots of interesting facts and useful tips.

Champagne variety

The amount of sugar added after fermentation and aging affects the production of any variety. Champagne is divided into:

• Sweet (Doux / Du) - very great content Sahara. More than 50 g/l
• Semi-dry (Demi-sec / Demi sec) - contains about 33-50 g/l
• Dry (Sec / Sek) - sugar content in the range of 17-35 g / l
• Extra dry (Extra sec / Extra sec) - sugar content within 12-20 g/l
• The most dry or brut (Brut / Brut) - the sugar content is less than 15 g / l
• Extra brut (Extra brut / Extra brut) - sugar is not added to such champagne at all

The most common variety in the world (but not in Russia)- brut. In Russia, they prefer sweet or semi-dry sparkling wine, choose these varieties if you arrange events with big amount guests. If you are on a diet, then it is better to choose brut, because. it contains almost no sugar

I really like champagne, namely French, real, and not "Soviet", Spanish, etc. But I agree, it takes a little getting used to brut, especially after many years of “Soviet sparkling”.

Feedback from the forum

Champagne quality

Producers divide champagne into:

• Champagne without year (champagne sans annee)- currently occupies a huge share of the wine market. This is a champagne that has not even been aged for a year. Only the type of champagne is written on such bottles. (white, pink, etc.) and be sure to indicate the sugar content.
• millezimnoe (millesime)- such wine is wholly or partly made from grapes of the harvest of the year indicated on the label.
• Prestigious (cuvee de prestige)- champagne made from the highest quality must, the year of production must be indicated and often the bottle can have an individual name.

It is also worth paying attention to the presence of an abbreviation, if there is one, then you are holding real, French champagne in your hands and you can be sure of its quality.

NM: negocian manipulant. These are companies (including most major brands) that buy grapes and produce wine;
CM: cooperative manipulation. Cooperatives that produce wine from grapes grown by members of the cooperative, with the entire crop pooled together;
RM: Recoltant manipulant. Producers who independently grow grapes and produce wine from them. They are allowed to purchase no more than 5% of the grapes from outside;
SR: Societe de recoltants. Association of winegrowers who produce common champagne but do not form a cooperative;
RC: Recoltant cooperateur. A member of a cooperative selling champagne produced by the cooperative under its own brand;
MA: Marque auxiliaire or Marque d'acheteur. A brand not associated with producers or growers; the name of the wine owned by someone else, such as a supermarket (such as Private Label);
ND: Negotiant distributeur. A merchant selling wine under his own brand.

Wikipedia

Grape sort

Traditionally, champagne is made from white chardonnay, red grape varieties are very rarely used, and these varieties are also rarely mixed.

Good to know. Champagne almost always comes out white (possibly yellowish) color, even if it was made from red grapes. This is because the juice has very little contact with the skin, which gives the grapes their color.

bottle size

Most often, champagne is bottled in standard bottles. (750 ml) and bottles large sizes (1.5 l) they are called magnum. Champagne in big bottles, usually best quality (because they have less oxygen), respectively, it costs much more than champagne in a standard bottle.

It is very difficult to find magnum bottles in Russia, because it is very difficult and expensive to produce them. (This can only be done by experienced glassblowers). If this bottle is not made correctly, there is a high probability that it will burst due to high pressure, so manufacturers use a more reliable option, a standard bottle on 0.75 l

Video about choosing champagne

The video will tell you how to choose the right champagne (a sparkling wine) in the store, they will also tell you which better variety and what appetizer to use when serving it.

Conclusion

You have learned enough about champagne to pick it up for the festive table or just buy it for dinner. Now you can feel free to experiment and find your own taste without worrying about which champagne to choose.

There are many in Russia good producers champagne, which perform well at international competitions. New technologies and expanding knowledge in the field of champagne allow us to make Russian sparkling products better every year.

So, how is the drink produced in the country? Which manufacturers are the most popular? Most importantly, what is the best champagne in Russia?

Krasnodar region is the main area for the production of wine materials for the manufacture of champagne. Production plants are mainly concentrated closer to large cities, such as Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov, Tsimlyansk and others.

The drink in this country is represented by two types:

• Soviet champagne;
• Russian champagne.

A feature of the second type is the use of wine materials from grape varieties that are not intended for making champagne. Imported wine materials are also allowed. The only condition for use is the established level of quality of future products.

In Russia, several types of champagne production are used.

• classical method. The most time-consuming, long and expensive process. So in Russia, for example, champagne brut is produced - aged white from Fanagoria. The process is based on the fact that the drink is re-fermented right in the bottle, in which it is then sold. In already ready drink add yeast, sugar and cork the bottle for a certain time. Precipitated yeast is removed from the bottle by means of a ridling or thinning. The longer the yeast sediment remains in the container, the more it affects the taste, texture and complexity of the final product. Ridling is done one more time before the final stoppering of the champagne. The bottle is turned over so that the dead yeast settles on the cork itself, then the neck of the bottle is frozen, and the cork with the sediment comes out due to pressure. The last step is to add the so-called "dose" - a small portion of sugar and wine, and then everything is corked. This way you get the best champagne.

• reservoir method. It is also called the Sharma method, after its inventor. Compared to the traditional one, it is less expensive, since secondary fermentation takes place in large pressurized tanks. This is how Russia prepares most of- champagne "Abrau-Durso" -. The tank method makes the taste of the drink brighter and easier to drink, while also emphasizing its fruity component. The best alcohol in the middle price category is made in this way.

• The continuous method was invented in Russia. It is very similar to the reservoir method, but is a little more complicated. The process consists in adding liqueur to the base wort - a blend of champagne wine materials with dissolved crystalline sugar, which passes through a series of pressurized tanks. Some of these tanks contain oak chips and sediment, which give the wine a yeasty flavor. In fact, this method does not make champagne very well. High Quality and price category.
• carbonation method. Ordinary saturation of alcohol with carbon dioxide. In Russia, the cheapest way to produce a drink. The result is a wine with rapidly dissipating bubbles.

Did you know? The most delicious champagne in Russia, according to the non-profit organization Roskontrol, in 2017 was named the brand Heritage of the Master. Lev Golitsyn" from CJSC "Sparkling Wines". secret great taste drink is its exposure for a month. In the process of aging, it acquires freshness, piquancy and light bitterness.

Rating of Russian producers of sparkling wines

LLC "Kuban-vino"

Today, Kuban-Vino produces an unprecedented number of still and sparkling wines - 56 million bottles per year. Since 2015, the plant has been cooperating with the best Italian oenologists from Enofly.

This allows you to expand the boundaries of possibilities for creating new lines of the drink and improving it. palatability. Premium drinks are made from the tender part of the grape juice. The use of modern technologies at the Kuban-Vino plant implies a slight effect on the berries, in which separation grape juice happens on its own.

This preserves the fine structure of taste, which subsequently makes the champagne refined and playful. The plant's products are represented by the best brands "Aristov", "Chateau Taman Select", "Chateau Taman", "Kuban-Vino".

JSC "Moscow plant of sparkling wines"

The history of the plant begins in December 1980. Currently, the volume of supplied products is about 50 million bottles per year. Production successfully combines both traditional Russian production methods and Newest technologies champagne wines.

The company regularly updates its equipment, reconstructs workshops, which allows constantly expanding the range of products. Only 10% of wine materials are raw materials from the best Russian grapes, the rest comes from abroad - Italy, France, Spain, Chile, Argentina, South Africa.

All raw materials are high standards and goes through a rigorous selection process. Products are represented by the brands "Moscow", "Russian", "Gold Standard".

CJSC "Abrau-Durso"

The plant produces the best champagne in Russia by tank and traditional way. The first method produces about 16.5 million bottles per year, the second method accounts for only 1 million.

Today the plant is one of the leading producers of the best sparkling wines. In the Abrau-Durso vaults there are samples aged for 20 and even 30 years, which are valued at several thousand dollars.

The main brands are "Victor Dravigny", "Specific department", "Imperial".

LLC "Rostov Plant of Champagne Wines"

The plant produces about 13 million bottles of champagne per year. The workshops use acratophores for secondary fermentation, as well as tanks for continuous champagne.

It was here that for the first time in Russia they began to make champagne and sparkling wines in Frolov-Bagreev's acratophores. The method of continuous champagne, introduced in 1964, is still used today. Best Brand an enterprise that can be found is "Rostovskoye".

ZSHV "New World"

The plant was founded by Prince Lev Golitsyn in 1878. Champagne is created using traditional french technology. The bottles are manually stacked for aging in cellars built under the direction of Lev Golitsyn, where they are kept for at least 3 years.

Champagne "New World" received its first Grand Prix of the World Exhibition as the best spirit in Paris in 1900. It was preferred by the royal family itself. It was served at the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II.

Products are represented by the best trademarks"New World", "Crimea", "Prince Lev Golitsyn", "Red Sparkling", "Novosvetsky Carnelian", Wine&Opera.

CJSC "Sparkling Wines"

The plant was founded on November 28, 1876 under the name "Slavic Brewery". The main production was focused on beer, honey and porter. Since 1947, the famous “Soviet Champagne” began to be produced here, and then “Lev Golitsyn”.

In 1992, the plant privatized CJSC Sparkling Wines. All equipment was modernized, as well as a complete reconstruction of production facilities. The range of manufactured products has expanded significantly.

The plant produces such brands as St. Petersburg, Rossiyskoye, Bourgeois, Lev Golitsyn.

Thanks to this small rating, you now know which Russian champagne is the best and most bought in Russia. So, if you prefer domestic brands to foreign ones, you will have plenty to choose from. Are you familiar with any of the presented brands and do you like the taste of Russian sparkling products? Be sure to share your opinion in the comments.

Tests household appliances carried out in conditions as close as possible to the conditions of its use in everyday life

The test program is formed by the Customer

WHAT A GOOD CHAMPAGNE

AiF conducted an examination of a fizzy drink in Rostest-Moscow

Which semi-sweet champagne is better.
We bought 5 bottles of semi-sweet champagne of Russian and Ukrainian production and sent it for examination to the Rostest-Moscow Testing Center for Food Products and Food Raw Materials.

Champagne can only be called white wine. And sparkling wines (often confused with champagne) can be white, rosé or red. At the same time, the foamy properties of these drinks are ensured by the fact that they contain naturally appears during fermentation carbon dioxide. If it is added artificially, it is a cheap drink! “Sparkling, that is, the presence of small bubbles, fountains and a beautiful white cap (mousse) in a glass, shows that the drink is of high quality,” explained Rostest experts who conducted the study. The most long-playing was champagne "Novosvetskoye". And the bubbles from the Crimean sparkling wine evaporated the fastest.

The next indicator is the concentration of sugars. We checked it to understand whether our samples correspond to the declared “semi-sweet” category. “Among winemakers, it is believed that added sugar corrects the shortcomings of the wine. That is why professionals especially appreciate brut varieties, where there is very little sugar and its level corresponds to the grape variety from which sparkling wine is made,” explains Roman Gaidashov, expert of the OZPP "Public Control". By the way, if the manufacturer adds more sugar than necessary (to make champagne, sugar is added to wine and cognac spirit), the drink may not have time to ferment - such champagne will turn out tasteless. In all samples, the concentration of sugar was normal. But we found the most sugar in the Novosvetskoye sparkling wine, and the least in Abrau-Dyurso.

An important indicator of the quality of champagne is the mass concentration of titratable acids. It depends on how the technological process was followed during production. If the concentration is below the norm, you have an unnatural low-grade wine in front of you. If it is higher, then the drink has gone bad. Among our subjects, all were within acceptable limits.

By the way, if you think that guilt - natural product without preservatives, you are mistaken. In the production of any wine, including champagne, preservatives can be added to prevent bacteria from multiplying in the bottle. “Sulfur dioxide is the oldest and, one might say, the most harmless of them,” says Roman Gaidashov. - Domestic producers, as a rule, do not exceed the norm, but foreign wines often contain more sulfur dioxide. The point is in a stricter framework: in Russia the norm is no more than 200 mg / dm³, in the West - no more than 300. In our samples, the Silver Age champagne manufacturer turned out to be the most caring - he did not put a lot of preservative. But in the “Fires of Moscow” there was the most dioxide. True, the experts immediately rehabilitated it and noted that this sample pleased them with the price-quality-taste ratio.

The fullness of the wine, its taste, bouquet and saturation are determined, among other things, by the mass concentration of the given extract. This is exactly the “component” that depends on the raw material - grapes.

The higher the concentration, the more full taste has a drink. Usually in champagne from white grapes (white sparkling wines), this indicator is close to the lower limit of the norm. But in red rich wines he is tall. Among the tested bottles, Silver Age champagne has the most complete taste - the high price is justified. But the price of Novosvetskoye champagne is the same, but the saturation is much less.

WAITER, CHAMPAGNE!!

“Never ask for champagne... It's vulgar. Only wine! The waiter, by your appearance, should understand that you drink wine only champagne! - according to the memoirs of a contemporary, he taught good manners V. Mayakovsky.
The poet knew what he was saying: champagne is not just good wine, but a kind of symbol. A sign of exclusivity, elitism. sign good taste and respectability.
“Not everyone likes it, not everyone can afford it ... But there is no strength to overcome the desire to bark at the whole hall: “Man, champagne!”. Know ours! - this is from the book by V. Gilyarovsky "Moscow and Muscovites".
Well, how not to remember “in the subject”: in the mornings, either aristocrats or degenerates drink champagne! Be that as it may, but there are days, there are events (and there are many of them) when we cannot do without champagne. Whether we love it or not so much. What, say, New Year without champagne?! Well, how not to raise a foaming glass for the happiness of the newlyweds? Or for the health of the esteemed hero of the day? And with the wishes of seven feet under the keel on the side of the ship they break not vodka, not french cognac or whiskey - only champagne! Champagne is the drink of the day. Such already this wine - champagne!

Buying champagne should be approached responsibly. After all, it can decorate a holiday, or maybe, if not spoil it, then seriously overshadow ... Not champagne, of course, but a burda that you can easily buy in a champagne bottle. It will hiss for about five minutes in large bubbles and run out of steam, calm down forever and ever before the eyes of the astonished public. Soda!
Not all champagne that sizzles and foams! The first officially registered scam had a shameful place back in the reign of Nicholas I. Someone Krich, who arrived in Russia even “not for ranks and awards”, but with one goal - to get rich as quickly as possible, being in the position of director of the Crimean State School of Winemaking, without philosophizing for a long time over grape varieties and methods of making wine, launched a trade Crimean wine under the label of the French "Roederer". For counterfeiting, as we would now qualify this act, the unscrupulous foreigner was expelled from Russia in disgrace by the emperor, who was quick to be punished.

Let's talk about what real champagne is and how not to be deceived when buying it, as well as about Russian traditions in the production of sparkling wines

Champagne, according to international law, can only be called wine produced in France, in the province of Champagne. This is a white or rosé sparkling wine, the saturation of which with carbon dioxide occurs during the secondary fermentation and subsequent aging.
In the manufacture of champagne, the strict rules stipulated by the country's legislation for this category of wines are strictly observed, regarding, in particular, the vine pruning and grape harvesting system, yield per hectare. The whole process from picking berries to bottling is under the strict supervision of both the producers themselves and the French controlling organizations.
For the production of champagne wines, three grape varieties are used: Chardonnay - white, Pinot Noir - red, Pinot Meunier - red. Champagne made only from Chardonnay is called "white of whites". If champagne is made from red grapes, then it is called "white from black".
Grapes are harvested by hand, while unripe, damaged and rotten berries must be removed from the bunch with tongs. They are delivered for processing in special plastic baskets with holes in the bottom so that the grapes can “breathe”, and the juice from the damaged berries flows out and cannot be used for the production of champagne, since it inevitably oxidizes during transportation.
The premises where the presses are installed are built near the vineyards. Pressing is a very crucial moment. The main thing at this stage is to separate the skin and seeds from the must (grape juice) as soon as possible so that the dyes and tannins contained in the skin of red varieties do not get into it. Pressing takes place in several stages. The result is two wort fractions. The first is called cuvee. The best champagne wines are made from cuvée: they are distinguished by their special sophistication, freshness and the ability to have a longer life in the bottle.
The second fraction of the wort is called thai. Squeezed juice (wort) is kept for 12 hours at a low temperature. So it undergoes primary fermentation. It turns out the base wine for champagne. Part of it is left in reserve, sent to be stored in large tanks at a temperature of 10 ° C under an inert gas. This ensures maximum freshness of the wines until their use in subsequent years. The other part is assembled (mixed) with wines from different regions of Champagne, different varieties grapes (and we already know that there are three of them) and, most often, different years harvest. The most typical champagne is just such a mixture. It is based on the wine of the new vintage and plus reserve wines, that is, wines from previous vintages. The composition of such an assemblage can include up to 200 wines. This Champagne is fundamentally different from other wine-growing regions of France, the best wines which almost always come from the same vineyard and are made from grapes from the same vintage.
Features of winemaking in Champagne are predetermined by climatic conditions. In this region, depending on the weather, the wines of one vineyard, but of different years, can vary beyond recognition. Grapes in Champagne rarely ripen completely, and assemblage allows you to compensate for the shortcomings of the grapes of a particular vineyard.
The purpose of the assemblage is not only to disguise, level out the shortcomings, but also to strive to ensure that the sum becomes better than any of its components. A master winemaker in Champagne is often compared to an artist, and the reserve wines he uses are compared to a palette. In especially good years, producers produce vintage champagnes or vintages from grapes of the same vintage.
To achieve the typicality and recognizability of the style of his champagne, the master "winemaker conducts numerous tastings and mixing wines, after which he proceeds to assembling. After creating an assemblage mixture, the wine is bottled. Since the sugar content in it is usually less than 1 gram per liter, then to provoke the second fermentation (fermentation) in the bottle add tirage liquor, which consists of cane sugar dissolved in reserve wine, yeast and additives containing gelatin or bentonite.
Bottles are sealed with special “working” corks equipped with metal staples. After corking, the bottles are placed in a horizontal position in the cellars. Under the influence of the circulation liquor in the bottle, secondary fermentation begins, lasting from one to two months.
This time, the carbon dioxide formed during the fermentation process cannot escape and begins to dissolve in the wine. From time to time, the bottles are shaken slightly so that the resulting sediment (yeast decomposition products) does not stick to the walls.
After the completion of fermentation, a long exposure of champagne on the lees begins. During this period, the bottles are not touched at all. It is the long aging on the lees that gives champagne sophistication, richness and complexity. By law, non-vintage champagnes must age for at least 15 months, and vintage champagnes must age for at least three years.

At the end of the soak, the next process begins - remuage. The essence of this operation is to reduce the formed sediment to the cork. Traditionally, this operation is carried out on wooden music stands, resembling a sliding ladder with two boards, in which holes are made at a certain angle, allowing you to give the bottle any angle of inclination. The bottles are first exposed in a horizontal position, then daily rotated around the axis by 1/8, gradually tilting down the neck, gradually giving the bottle an almost vertical position.
It is believed that the idea of ​​​​remuage belongs to Madame Clicquot (whose name is one of the most famous champagnes), who was looking for a way to get rid of the sediment in the bottle for a long time, until she found original solution by donating dining table, in which, by her order, holes for bottles were made. Much later, tables were replaced by music stands, which took up much less space.
When the sediment reduced to the cork is sufficiently compacted, the stage of disgorgement begins, that is, the sediment is removed. The neck of the bottle is placed in a coolant at -20°C, the sediment turns into an ice floe and literally “shoots out” when the bottle is uncorked.
Before finally corking the bottle, dosing (or dosing) liquor is added to it - sugar dissolved in wine, the amount of which varies depending on the type (from completely dry to sweet).
Champagne is sealed under strong pressure cork stopper, which is always provided with the champagne label of the house. A metal cap is put on the cork, which protects it from rubbing with a muzzle - a wire structure that protects the cork from spontaneous flight.

The classic bottle method of champagne is complex and time-consuming, but guarantees high quality wine. Using this method, at the end of the 19th century they began to prepare champagne in Russia, in the Crimea, under the guidance of Prince Golitsyn, who is called the founder of the production of Russian champagne. Having deeply studied the winemaking of France, Golitsyn boldly set about organizing the production of champagne in his Novy Svet estate near Sudak, where he planted vineyards. According to his project, first-class cellars were built.
After ten years of experience in making sparkling wines using champagne, in 1890 Golitsyn began commercial production of champagne. In 1896, Golitsyn champagne appears at a ceremonial dinner during the coronation celebrations of Nicholas II. In the same year, Golitsyn organizes the production of sparkling wines in AbrauDyurso. In the spring of 1900, at the Paris World Exhibition, Lev Golitsyn presented the 1899 edition of Novy Svet champagne from Russia. Russian champagne was unanimously recognized by experts and was awarded the highest award of the competition - the Grand Prix Silver Cup.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the founder of the production of "Soviet Champagne", academician Frolov Bagreev, developed the acratophoric champagne method, in which secondary fermentation is carried out in special metal tanks - acratophores, which made it possible to reduce the duration technological process 30 times.
A variation of this method is the continuous method of champagne, when the primary fermentation wine material is pumped through a system of 7-8 huge hermetically sealed tanks and turns into sparkling wine in 20 to 30 days. This is a cheaper, democratic wine, but it meets the main, “generic” feature of sparkling wine: it is saturated with carbon dioxide in an absolutely natural way.
The bulk of the wine, which, calling champagne, we drink "for life", is produced using this simplified technology. Sparkling wines "in champagne" are made in many countries. In Italy they are called "spumante", in Spain - "cava", in Germany - "zekt" ... Sparkling wines produced according to the "champagne method" are obtained in all wine-growing provinces of France, but they are called "crema". got accustomed - "champagne". But we have to say goodbye to this name, so beloved by us. Alien Brand!
In 1997, Russia recognized the exclusive right of France to this trademark and assumed the obligation not to use the designation “champagne” (as well as “cognac”) for Russian exported drinks in the future. Within 20-25 years, the name “champagne” should be replaced with “sparkling” and domestic market. Assuming champagne, we will drink sparkling!

Today, the market for sparkling wines is large and diverse. True connoisseurs can, if funds permit, indulge in a bottle of real French champagne "Veuve Clicquot"...
Or Moet and Chandon. There are many others famous brands. This class of drinks, frankly, is not available to everyone. But this is not a reason for frustration if you are driven not by snobbery (“certainly French!”), but by a natural desire to give yourself gastronomic pleasure with wine of excellent quality. There are many worthy wines in the shops, made by us or our closest neighbors and sold, as they say, at our prices. Some of them still continue to be called champagne for the time being. Others establish themselves in the minds of consumers under the correct designation "sparkling".

Classic sparkling wine is produced by our Abrau Durso, Novy Svet in the Crimea, Artemovsky in Ukraine, Cricovo in Moldova. Red sweet sparkling wine with a fruity aroma is produced by the old Cossack method at the Tsimlyansky factory located in the Rostov region.
Wineries located far from the climatic zones of grape growth operate on wine materials purchased in the south of Russia, in Moldova, Spain, Italy, Argentina.
Champagne has a very subtle, unique bouquet and taste. Color - light straw or golden with a greenish sheen. The alcohol content is not more than 12.5%. The smaller the bubbles, the longer they play in the glass, resembling a rosary or a string of beads, the better, the better the quality of the wine.
Left in an uncorked bottle for the night, real sparkling wine will not run out of steam, will not calm down, and will play in the morning. When buying, carefully study the information on the label, which should indicate the manufacturer, its address and the trademark of the enterprise, as well as the designation of the taste characteristic: from absolutely dry to sweet.

Without reading the label, you run the risk of buying instead of champagne in best case fizzy wine, at worst flavored fizzy drink, made from alcohol, water, sugar, flavoring, which is artificially saturated with carbon dioxide. At the same time, the prices are such that it really is champagne, and not a liquid that promises heartburn.
It happens that on the label, cleverly made in the usual style of “Soviet champagne”, it is written in large size “Soviet semi-sweet”, and on the back label, which not everyone bothers to read, “Semi-sweet carbonated wine”. "Sparkling" is not "Sparkling". Probably, everyone understands that this is not the same thing, but in a hurry, and due to lack of experience, you can not get a grasp and instead of noble sparkling wine, buy artificially carbonated sparkling wine. Poppy!
If you bought real champagne, then you should know:
Champagne is usually served at a temperature of 8-10°C, which best contributes to the perception of the aroma and taste of the drink. To cool the wine, you can put it in the refrigerator (but not in the freezer) for about an hour or use a special ice bucket to cool it. Keeping champagne in the refrigerator for more than two days is not recommended - the cold kills the aroma and game of the drink. In general, champagne should not be stored for more than 2-3 years: the quality is lost. Champagne glasses need to be washed cold water without any detergents.

There are just a couple of days left before the New Year, so many of our compatriots are actively engaged in solving the issue of purchasing food for the festive table. At the same time, not the last place is given to the choice sparkling drink, which will make the holiday truly memorable and fun. And, in order to make this task as easy as possible, experts have compiled , after reading which you can easily purchase quality drink By reasonable price. The relevance of the issue of choice lies in the fact that the modern market is simply replete with offers, significantly increasing the chances of the consumer to purchase surrogates.

Champagne is synonymous with fun, joy and victory, so you can always see it as a decoration for a romantic meeting and other other festive events. And if it the best Russian champagne, rating which occupies high horizons among similar products, the holiday can definitely be called a success. At the same time, it is important to understand that the best sparkling wines are produced in regions that are engaged in the cultivation of grapes of special varieties. If we talk about Russian manufacturers, then best Russian champagne rating 2017 suggests that these are products from CJSC Abrau-Dyurso (Krasnodar Territory), whose main brands are the wines Victor Dravigny, Specific Office and Imperial.

Rating of Russian champagne 2017

According to experts, Abrau-Dyurso CJSC is the largest domestic producer of sparkling wines, which makes its specialists zealously monitor the quality of drinks supplied to the market. It is for this reason that its products lead , especially since the pricing policy of the enterprise allows us to talk about the availability low alcohol drinks for most segments of the population. On the whole distributed as follows:

ZAO Sparkling Wines (St. Petersburg). Main brands: Saint-Petersburg, Rossiyskoye, Bourgeois, Lev Golitsyn.

ZSHV "New World" (Crimea). Main brands: Krymskoe, Pinot Noir, Novosvetskoe.

JSC "Moscow plant of champagne wines" (Moscow). Main brands: Moskovskoye, Rossiyskoye, Zolotoy Standart.

LLC "Kuban-Vino" (Krasnodar Territory). Main brands: Chateau-Tamagne.

LLC "Rostov Plant of Champagne Wines" (Rostov-on-Don). Main brands: Rostovskoe.

OJSC "Tsimlyansk wines" (Rostov region). Main brands: Tsimlyanskoe.

In this context, the correspondents of our news agency put emphasis on the fact that this rating of Russian champagne producers was not made on high-quality and taste characteristics drinks, but on their popularity and demand among the population. Well, since people tend to buy products only from trusted manufacturers and affordable prices, then the rating compiled by experts can be considered as the main criterion for choosing champagne, including for the purpose of decorating the New Year's table with it.

Some nuances of buying drinks

Despite the fact that experts have champagne rating Russian production , allowing you to make an accented choice, it is important to understand that you need to buy it only in specialized stores or large supermarkets. As a rule, employees of retail chains of this level very scrupulously check the supplied goods for quality and timing of implementation, and their pricing policy is based on a more flexible schedule. And of course, their marketers track positions such as champagne rating Russian manufacturers , trying to buy only the drinks that are in demand. And this means that here you can always buy a bottle of high-quality sparkling wine and meet New Year fully equipped.

Special attention should be paid to the cost of the drinks offered. So, if we are talking about products that are rating of Russian-made champagne 2017 occupies the highest positions, then its price cannot start with an amount below 300 rubles. Of course, if we talk about global manufacturers, then their drinks can cost up to 5,000 per bottle, but not everyone can afford these products. Well, for an average Russian, a bottle of sparkling wine at a price of 300-500 rubles is quite acceptable. Incidentally, for comparison, consider rating of Russian champagne 2016, which practically does not differ from the current situation on the market of low-alcohol products. For our part, it only remains for us to add that the question how to choose the right champagne for the new year actually presents no difficulty. You just need to follow your priorities and take into account information regarding the rating of the manufacturer.

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Champagne- a drink that was invented for kings. Apparently, hence its prestige and price. Only the taste of the contents of not every bottle with the label "Champagne" makes you feel like a king, or at least enjoy a few sips. You need to get lucky and get a real one high quality product, not a surrogate.What you need to know when choosing champagne?Let's find out.

Manufacturers secrets

Champagne, or rather sparkling wine, is produced all over the world in two ways: classic - in bottles and acratophoric - in tanks.

The tank method involves an accelerated production mode at minimal cost and large volumes. That is, the price is low, and the quality of drinks differ slightly.

Wines made the classic way, have a aging period of three years and are more expensive. On the label you can find a note - "seasoned".

If you are a gourmet, then it will not be difficult for you to determine taste features wines made different ways. Classic wine it tastes different from the “reservoir” one with a characteristic yeast tinge.

Please note that there are also sparkling wines, but simply - "carbonated". They are saturated with carbon dioxide artificially. On the label with such a "champagne" small print there is a corresponding inscription.

Kinds

Sparkling wines, depending on the sugar content, were divided into 6 types.

1. Extra- brut or ultra - brut - less than 6 grams of sugar per 1 liter.

2. Brut- from 6 to 15 grams of sugar per 1 liter.

3. Extra dry- from 15 to 20 grams of sugar per 1 liter.

4. Dry- up to 35 grams of sugar per 1 liter.

5. Semi dry- from 33 to 55 grams of sugar per 1 liter.

6. Doo- more than 50 grams of sugar per 1 liter.

For connoisseurs, brut or dry champagne is more suitable - they have a stronger bouquet inherent in the drink. If you drink champagne only on holidays, it is better to take semi-sweet.

Quality level

Champagne, according to the level of quality, is usually divided into three groups:

1. No year of manufacture This is about 80% of the total production. The label does not indicate the year, but there is information about the sugar content.

2. Millesime or vintage champagne. Made from grapes of the same harvest in good years. It has undergone secondary fermentation, there is a vintage year on the label, it has been aged for at least three years.

3. Prestigious and special- made from selected grapes, there is a year on the label, it has its own name, it is unrealistically expensive.

Color

Champagne happens white And pink. The French believe that champagne cannot be red, since carbon dioxide creates unpleasant combinations with tannins, which are found in significant quantities in red wines. Although if you have tried Crimean and Moldovan red sparkling wines, you are unlikely to agree with this statement. As for pink sparkling wine, this is a real rarity. It produces about 1 percent of the total. Its taste is more “dense”, but in terms of elegance it is not inferior to white.

grape varieties

Most champagne is made from grapes. Chardonnay- on the label Blanc de Blancs.

From black varieties, for example, Pinot Meunier or Pinot Noir, it turns out stronger wine. called blanc de noirs- in translation: "white from black".

If there are no inscriptions on the label, then this means that the wine is made from varieties white grapes plus at least one black variety.

We meet by clothes

After you decide on the type of champagne, inspect the bottle. The color of the glass should be dark green. Then the sparkling wine will be protected from sunlight, which means it will retain its properties longer. The high quality of the product is also indicated by expensive cork. By the way, the bottle should be stored in a horizontal position, then the wine wets the cork and does not allow it to dry out, which means that carbon dioxide does not escape.

Do not buy bottles with crooked and damaged labels.

On the label itself, the energy and the nutritional value, product composition, sugar content, color, shelf life and date of manufacture.

The bottle is open...

Everything will become clear after the cork flies.

Regardless of color and sugar content, sparkling wine should be free of sediment. A benign drink is always transparent, and the color of white champagne is golden or light straw, that of pink is from light pink to red, and that of red is from light red to maroon.

The aroma of champagne is well expressed and without foreign odors. Brut has a refreshing, sour taste; semi-sweet wine has a slightly sweet and sour tint.

If you uncork the bottle correctly (without a shot), then the foam will be fine and persistent, and the bubbles will “play” for at least 24 hours.

And if the label says "carbonated wine"? This suggests that the drink did not ferment, but was simply carbonated using a special apparatus. It will take 10 - 15 minutes after opening the bottle, and the artificial bubbles will disappear. And in real champagne, they persist for at least 24 hours.

Buy a bottle with a cork stopper because oxygen can pass through the plastic stopper.

If there is an inscription "seasoned", then this is a good champagne.

But the presence of the words: “with flavors” or “with additives” is a sign of a fake.

Some tricks

Ordinary, not vintage, champagne is stored for no more than two years. Therefore, you should not uncork a bottle that you have kept for 10 years from the date of your wedding - most likely, the champagne has already deteriorated. Sparkling wine does not tolerate temperatures above 5 degrees Celsius. But don't put it in the freezer! It is better to keep in the refrigerator, and 20 minutes before serving - in a bucket of ice.

Champagne is poured a couple of minutes after the bottle is uncorked. This makes the taste better. Pour the champagne by tilting the bottle slightly and preferably slowly.

The choice of dishes is very important. Pour sour varieties of champagne (brut and dry) into elongated tall glasses, and sweet varieties - into wide glasses such as bowls on a leg.

Champagne is best eaten with olives, shellfish, cheese, poultry meat. Also suitable black caviar. From sweet snacks, cakes and cakes are suitable, cracker, fruit and ice cream. But chocolate is not suitable, it does not allow you to feel the aroma of the drink.

Good luck choosing!

Choosing on New Year's table champagne, even before going to the store, decide what kind of champagne you would like to taste in new year's eve: brut (sugar content less than 15 g/l), extra-sec (very dry, sugars from 12 to 20 g/l), sec (semi-dry, sugars from 17 to 35 g/l), demi-sec (semi-sweet, from 33 up to 50 g/l of sugar) or du (sweet, more than 50 g/l of sugar). Experienced winemakers advise: if you drink champagne once or twice a year, then it is better to buy semi-sweet. If you drink champagne every month, then choose dry. Specialists, experts and aristocrats who drink champagne daily should drink only brut.

Champagne- a traditional drink that is drunk on New Year's Eve to the sound of chimes. But not all people know how to choose a good champagne. Here are some ways:

1. Good champagne, or sparkling wine, rarely costs less than 200 rubles.

2. Buy champagne only at dark bottles. If the bottle is light, it is likely that the champagne will be bitter. The drink should be clear and without sediment.

3. If the label says the wine was produced classical method, which means that champagne was carried out according to French traditions, separately in each bottle. This champagne will most likely please you with exquisite taste.

4. The label on the bottle must be glued evenly and exactly in the center. The glue should not be visible.

5. Read the composition of the drink carefully. In good champagne there can be no flavors or food additives. Fruit and berry notes can only be present as a result of the characteristics of the area in which the grapes grew.

6. Ideally, champagne is stored in a horizontal position so that the drink wets the cork and keeps the bottle sealed. If champagne is stored upright for a long time, there is a risk that the cork will dry out and air will enter the bottle.

7. Champagne should not be older than one to one and a half years. After this period, the taste of the drink deteriorates.

8. When choosing real champagne, carefully read the label on the bottle. For example, the letter combination N. M. means that the wine producer is also selling it at the same time. This is the highest quality champagne, which comes directly from the manufacturer to your table.

Other designations - M. A., R. M., S. M. - indicate that the company sells, but does not produce wine. Champagne can be produced by small farms that supply grapes to large producers and use their symbols. At the same time, the quality of champagne is noticeably inferior to branded wine.

In general, champagne is made from three types of grapes: two red - pinot noir (pinot noir) And pinot meunier(pinot meunier) and white - chardonnay(chardonnay). As a rule, champagne is an inflorescence of wines from these three grape varieties. Champagne gains weight thanks to Pinot Noir grapes, Chardonnay gives elegance, Pinot Meunier - softness.

When buying a bottle of branded champagne, make sure that the bottle that the seller sells to you lies in a horizontal position before that (this applies to bottles with a cork, not a plastic stopper) and the wine wets the cork.