“Brothers, come quickly! I’m drinking stars!”
The famous words of seventeenth century Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon. Bubbles still excite today, making sparkling wine - called Champagne when it is produced in the Champagne region of France - hugely popular today.
Champagne is the only wine region in the world that focuses exclusively on sparkling wine. Being the most northerly continental European wine region, its temperatures rarely rise above 16 degrees Celsius during the growing region. Its soils are dominated by chalk - the same land as the famous White Cliffs of Dover!
Champagne is typically made from three very well-known grape varieties: Chardonnay, a light-skinned grape, and Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, both dark-skinned grapes. Although there is no specific requirement as to how to use these , the Champagnes will have different names depending on the grapes used. Blanc de blancs, meaning "white from whites" are Champagnes made exclusively from light-skinned grapes, i.e Chardonnay. Blanc de noirs meaning "white from blacks" are Champagnes made from dark-skinned grapes. There are also Rosé Champagnes made by blending both dark-skinned and light-skinned grapes. It is actually the only Rosé in the European Union which can be made by blending both red and white grapes: it is illegal elsewhere!
Champagne is made through a series of intricate steps: press - primary fermentation, in stainless steel VATs or oak barrels - blending to achieve the desired style of the Champagne house- secondary fermentation where the liqueur de tirage (yeast and sugar) is added, creating the sparkle- aging to acquire bready, toasty and biscuity notes- disgorgement and corking where sweetness is added from the liqueur d'expédition (sugar and wine mix)- further bottle aging to allow the liqueur d'expedition to mix with the Champagne.
Ever heard of Extra-Brut, Brut, Sec and Doux Champagnes? This depends on the amount of sugar level in the Champagnes themselves. Extra-brut Champagnes barely has any sugar whereas Doux Champagnes are extremely sweet and luscious.
Pop Up Wine takes the hard work out of deciding which champagne to buy. We hand-select champagnes that are high on quality AND offer them at discount prices. Our champagne's suit any budget. Check out our selection of champagne.
Billecart Salmon Brut NV is one of our most well known and loved champagnes.
But if its rosé champagne you're after, try Dumangin's NV Rosé; sourced exclusively from Premier Cru grapes from its famous vineyard in Chigny-Les Roses.
Having a party? Save by buying your champagne by the case (6 bottles).
Pop Up Wine delivers champagne everyday of the year. Order anytime and we'll deliver it same-day.