food and beverage service

1. CHAMPAGNE
Noel Coward was asked one day why he drank champagne for
breakfast. “Doesn’t everyone?” he replied.
Champagne is the Wine of Kings and the King of Wines!
The name alone conjures an image of celebration, of romance .The name is
derived from the Latin term “Camania” originally used to describe the
rolling open country side just north of Rome in Italy. The northernmost of
France’s fine wine regions, Champagne is the source of the world’s finest
sparkling wines. Although Champagne drinking began in the early 16th
century it was as late as 1772, when the house of Veuve Clicquot founded
the “methode champenoise” which is the essence of today's champagne
preparation.
REGION
The champagne
region sprawls from
Charly to Rheims in
the northern part of
France, stretching a
mere 30 miles. There
are 4 areas in the
region.
1. Vallee de la marne
2. Montagne de
reims

2. 3. Cote de blanc
4. Aube
The region is famous
for its chalky soil
providing ideal
location for drainage
and humidity.
GRAPE VARIETIES
The most popular and commonly used grape varieties are:
Pinot noir
Chardonnay
Pinot meunier
THE MAKING OF CHAMPAGNE
The fizz (mousse) in a glass of champagne comes from carbon dioxide gas
present in the wine . It is under pressure ,so when you open the bottle there
is a great gush of froth followed by a finer, long lasting stream of bubbles in
the glass. Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of fermentation. This is produced in
champagne by dual fermentation which is gradually reckoned to be the best.
METHODE CHAMPENOISE
The principle includes a light dry base wine being bottled along with some
extra sugar and some yeast. The added yeast acts upon the sugar and the
wine ferments again but this time in the bottle. The Carbon dioxide
produced by fermentation remains dissolved in the wine under pressure. The
second fermentation takes between 10 days to 3 months.
REMUAGE
Once the young champagne has finished aging it is time for the lees to be
removed. The bottles are angled in racks called “pupitres” neck pointing
downwards. Everyday the bottles are given a short sharp shake. Gradually

3. the angle of tilt is increased. The process takes 8 weeks if done by hand. If a
Gyropallete is used it take only 8 days to complete the same process.
DEGORGEMENT
The plug of sediment (lees) is removed by passing the neck of the bottle
through a freezing solution. When the cap is removed the sediment is forced
out by internal pressure. The bottle may be topped with a ‘dosage’ of wine
and sugar.
BOTTLING
After second fermentation aging takes place in a bottle.Sealing of the bottle
with cork agrafe is done and the champagne is aged for another year before
shipping.
Various sizes of champagne are available starting from:
Quarter 185 ml.
Half 375 ml.
Bottle 750 ml.
Magnum 2 bottles
Jeroboam 4 bottles
Rehoboam 6 bottles
Methuselah 8 bottles
Salmanazar 12 bottles
Balthazar 16 bottles
Nebuchadnezzar 20 bottles
FAMOUS SHIPPERS
Bollinger
Tattinger
Ayala
G.H. Mumm
Moet et Chandon
Dom Perignon
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Piper Heidsieck
Charles Heidsieck

4. Laurent Perrier
Pol Rogers
VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE
The year in which the wine was produced and the characteristics of the
year’s harvest, which results from the particular weather conditions.
Generally when used in case of champagne, it means a wine of a great year.
Example - The champagne of 1982 is considered amongst the best in the last
half of this century according to the International Wine and Food Society.
QUALITY CONTROL
The whole process of champagne making as well as shipping is done with
great precision and control. Many of the best producers belong to the
Syndicat de Grandes Marques de Champagne and there wines are known as
Grandes Marques. The Comite Interprofessionel du vin de Champagne
(CIVC) is the authority responsible for the individual vineyard owners and
the commercial outlets for the finished product.
UNDERSTANDING THE LABEL
The following
information must appear
on the label-
1. The word
Champagne
2. The brand name
3. Sugar content
The amount
of residual sugar in the
wine determines its
category:Demi sec
33-50gm Sec
17-35gm
Extra dry 12-20gm
Brut under
15gm Extra brut
0-6gm

5. 4. Nominal Value (the
amount of wine in the
bottle)
5. Alcoholic Content
as a percentage of
volume (between 10%
to 13%)
6. Registration code
eg. CIVC
7. Producer
8. Location of
Producer
9. Country of Origin
CHAMPAGNE SERVICE ETIQUETTE
Champagne is best served in a flute, which preserves the mousse best,
but for toasting ideally
champagne saucers are used.
The most appropriate
temperature for service of
champagne is 8 degree
Celsius.
NEWS AND VIEWS
FIZZ WITHOUT THE
POP
The non-popping champagne
bottle has arrived and
champagne producer Lerlerc
Briant has been quick to
seize the opportunity. This
system has been adopted for
the De Mervel Premier Cru
brand which comes in a

6. special blue and gold bottle.
As to the system itself the
bottles
have holes in the neck made by
high pressure water jet,
allowing the user to release the
pressure by pulling the tab
covering the hole, which is less
than a millimeter in diameter.
LONGEST CORK FLIGHT
The longest flight of the cork of a champagne bottle recorded is 54.18 m.
(177 ft. 9 in.), achieved by Heinrich Medicus, USA.
OLDEST FIRM
The world’s oldest champagne firm is Ruinart Pere et Fils, founded in 172
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS
BELLINI
In a champagne tulip, take 90 ml of peach juice. Top up the juice with 120
ml of champagne. Garnish with a wedge of peach.
MIMOSA
Pour 90 ml champagne over 45 ml orange juice in a chilled champagne
saucer. Serve garnished with a slice of orange.
KIR ROYALE
Take 10 ml creme de cassis in a chilled champagne flute. Pour in 90 ml
champagne on the liqueur.
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
Soak a cube of sugar in a champagne saucer with two or three dashes of
Angostura bitters. Top up with 150 ml champagne. Garnish with a slice of
orange and a cherry.

7. special blue and gold bottle.
As to the system itself the
bottles
have holes in the neck made by
high pressure water jet,
allowing the user to release the
pressure by pulling the tab
covering the hole, which is less
than a millimeter in diameter.
LONGEST CORK FLIGHT
The longest flight of the cork of a champagne bottle recorded is 54.18 m.
(177 ft. 9 in.), achieved by Heinrich Medicus, USA.
OLDEST FIRM
The world’s oldest champagne firm is Ruinart Pere et Fils, founded in 172
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS
BELLINI
In a champagne tulip, take 90 ml of peach juice. Top up the juice with 120
ml of champagne. Garnish with a wedge of peach.
MIMOSA
Pour 90 ml champagne over 45 ml orange juice in a chilled champagne
saucer. Serve garnished with a slice of orange.
KIR ROYALE
Take 10 ml creme de cassis in a chilled champagne flute. Pour in 90 ml
champagne on the liqueur.
CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
Soak a cube of sugar in a champagne saucer with two or three dashes of
Angostura bitters. Top up with 150 ml champagne. Garnish with a slice of
orange and a cherry.