Champagne is the name given to the world's most famous sparkling wine, which is sold under the protection of the Champagne AOC appellation and is produced in the French region of Champagne, using the traditional champagne method. The main grape varieties used to create the drink are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier.
Therefore, Russian champagne does not exist by definition, There is only Russian-made sparkling wine, but for convenience we will use the term “Russian champagne”.
Champagne has a bright golden color with a perceptible straw tint.
The taste has mineral tones and bright acidity. Created with bready nuances and notes of citrus.
The aroma of sparkling wine is fresh, fruity, it combines touches of pear, apple and quince, with a floral motif appearing at the end.
Semi-dry sparkling wine. It has a pink color, the shade of which varies from raspberry to lingonberry.
The taste of the drink is exquisite with a long aftertaste.
The aroma is dominated by fruit and berry tones, to which a floral tint is added.
White dry sparkling wine. It has a light golden color with greenish tints.
The taste is bright, fruity, with hints of violet and a fresh, long aftertaste.
The aroma is created by motifs of green apple and pineapple in the company of a floral-spicy palette.
Used as . Served with cream cheeses, caviar, seafood, poultry and light snacks.
According to strict rules set by the European Union to control the name of a product by its place of origin, only drinks produced in a specific French province are entitled to be called “champagne”. They are the ones who bear on their label a sign of their noble pedigree - the letters DOC. All other drinks, even if they accurately copy the blend and production technology, are called “sparkling wines.” In some countries they also have their own names. In Catalonia it is “cava”, in Italy it is “proseco”, in Languedoc it is “blanquette”. And these drinks also bear the elite acronym DOC. But often the law is not written to manufacturers. And in the old fashioned way they are called those made, more or less according to the technology that was invented by Abbe Perignon. Some drinks are an outright mess of waste materials, artificially carbonated. But among the domestic sparkling wines there are also ones worthy of being served for festive table. In this article we will look at the TOP 10 drinks in the “Elite Champagne” nomination.
As the British say, ladies first. But it is not the politeness of gentlemen that makes us let the lady go first. This drink really deserves to take first place in the “Elite Champagne” rating. Monsieur Clicquot, an unremarkable winemaker, rendered two great services to humanity: he married the young lady Barb Nicole Ponsardin and died in time to allow the widow to show her abilities.
The lady raised her husband's modest household to unprecedented heights. She invented a method for perfectly cleaning champagne and a bridle on the cork, because the pressure in the bottle is three times higher than in a car tire. In addition, the lady skillfully used natural phenomena for self-promotion. So, in 1811, the inhabitants of the Earth observed a comet. Veuve Clicquot immediately sent a ship to Russia (whose troops had recently defeated Napoleon) with a huge shipment of champagne, the label of which featured a tailed star. A gigantic sales market was secured. The entire aristocracy tasted the “wine of the comet”, and even Pushkin mentioned champagne in his poems. Now the cheapest products from the Veuve Clicquot house cost from two and a half thousand rubles. And the price of some elite bottles amounts to several tens of thousands of dollars.
This company is as old as Veuve Clicquot. Who doesn't know this elite champagne? A photo of a black bow with a gold border, sealed with a round red seal under the neck of a bottle, serves as an example of the French art of living. Moet and Chandon supplied their champagne to the court of the French king. Louis XV liked it, and Napoleon Bonaparte did not hesitate to stop by the wine house for it himself when he was passing through Champagne. Since the reign of Edward VII, Moët & Chandon have mastered the British market. And now the company is the official supplier of champagne to the court of Elizabeth II. Moët et Chandon is not limited to royalty. It is their champagne that pours into glasses when the prestigious Golden Globe cinema award is presented. Thanks to large circulations, the company's products are sold at more affordable prices. In Russia, a bottle of Moet and Chandon can be bought for two thousand rubles.
It's time to talk about the inventor of champagne as such. “House” is not a name, much less a building. Perignon's name was Pierre. Because he was a Benedictine monk, he was respectfully addressed as a Dom clergyman. Perignon lived in the seventeenth century, and in his spare time from prayer, he experimented with young, foamy wine at his Abbey of Hautvillers. He was the first to think of re-fermenting quiet drinks. He kept them in bottles made of very thick glass, sealed with an oak stopper. The elite champagne brand of the Abbey of Auvilliers was very quickly appreciated by the French aristocracy. Soon they began to supply it to the Sun King Louis XIV at Versailles. The firm "Moët and Chandon" bought the abbey's vineyards. The manufacturer continues to create drinks using ancient technology. This brand is called “Dom Perignon”. Since the vineyard area is small, this drink automatically increases in price. A bottle of regular Dom Perignon costs from eight thousand rubles. Dom Perignon Oenotheque - an elite brand of a wine house is valued at twenty-two thousand on the market.
In Russia this is the most expensive elite champagne. Its name has become known in our country since the reign of Alexander II. And it’s not surprising: “Louis Roederer Crystal” was made in 1876 specifically for the royal court. The word “Cristal” meant not only the maximum purification of the drink. By order of Emperor Alexander II, champagne was supplied in crystal bottles. About sixty percent of all products from Louis Roederer's wine house went to Russia. And even now our compatriots have remained faithful to tradition. Champagne "Louis Roederer Brut Premier" is the most popular of the French brands. Its average price is four thousand three hundred rubles per bottle. The exclusive drink “Louis Roederer Crystal” is valued much higher. Its cost varies from ten to thirty-five thousand rubles (depending on the year of harvest).
The owners of this wine house promote their products through Hollywood stars. Piper Heidsieck champagne was Marilyn Monroe's favorite. And at all Oscar awards ceremonies, the products of this house are invariably present. The company's PR managers seem to have discovered a gold mine. Now the names “Piper Heidsieck” and Hollywood are inseparable. In 1965, the company released a bottle 1.82 meters high, the height of Oscar-winning actor Rex Harrison (for his role in the film My Fair Lady, played opposite Audrey Hepburn). And last year, Christian Louboutin became the designer of the Piper Heidsieck house. This is how elite brut champagne appeared, released in a gift set with a crystal-heeled shoe. This PR stunt takes us back to the fairy tale of Cinderella. But at the same time, it also makes us remember the old wedding tradition when the groom drinks champagne from the bride’s shoe. It is not possible to find a gift set in wine boutiques in Russia. But ordinary Piper Heidsieck Brut champagne can be found for one and a half thousand rubles.
The first owner of the company in the eighteenth century decorated the label of his products with the red ribbon of the Legion of Honor. Now the company advertises itself through sports. The wine house’s slogan is “Striving for achievement and courage.” The company sponsors many sports competitions and scientific achievements. In 1904, this elite champagne was uncorked by the crew of the Le France ship in Antarctica. It is poured on the winners of Formula 1 competitions. "Mumm" is the third manufacturer in the world in terms of sales volume. A bottle of champagne from this company costs an average of two and a half thousand rubles.
Can sparkling wines be aged? Yes, if they are produced in the Krug cellars. This house initially focused on the quality of the drink, and not on sales volume. The company has only twenty hectares of its own vineyards! The best blend of wort is fermented in small wooden barrels and then aged in bottles for at least six years. Thanks to this method, champagne not only acquires a complex, recognizable taste, but also the ability to “age gracefully.” Such elite champagne can be kept in the cellar for at least forty years and then sold at a profit. Why not an investment? For example, at a wine auction in Hong Kong in April 2015, a bottle of Krug from the 1928 vintage went for twenty-one thousand two hundred dollars. But ordinary champagne from this company costs about twenty thousand rubles.
It is generally believed that Prestige Cuvée drinks should be dry: ultra, extra, nature and sauvage brut. But lately dessert wines have become increasingly fashionable. This trend is also reflected in champagne. They began to produce dessert Prosecco and Cava, and German sparkling wine Seeckt. Then the sweet “Cremant” appeared. This too, but it was produced outside the elite province. The "Crémant" from Jura and Alsace are very famous. Perhaps the most delicious sweet “champagne” can be called “spumati” (sparkling wine) from the Italian province of Asti. It is made from one variety of berries - Moscato.
The production of sparkling wines in the Russian Empire began in 1799, when Academician Pallas produced the first bottles of the drink made using the champagne method on his estate near Sudak. In 1804, a school was even opened in Crimea. There they began to conduct experiments on creating champagne wines. Prince Lev Golitsyn made a great contribution to winemaking. In 1900, his New World champagne received the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris. Golitsyn worked not only in Crimea. In 1870, on the royal estate on the banks of the Durso River and Lake Abrau in the Kuban, he, together with French specialists, grew vineyards and set up a champagne production plant. The first batch was released in 1897. But Abrau-Durso and Novy Svet were not the only brands of sparkling wines in Russia. Among the domestic names during the years of the USSR, “Moscow Elite Champagne” arose and now firmly holds its position.
There would be production capacities corresponding technological process. In the Moscow region there are mushrooms, berries and flowers, but not grapes. But berries of the Pinot, Riesling, Aligote and Chardonnay varieties are delivered to the Russian capital from the southern regions. At the MKSHV plant, grapes are turned into a drink called “Moscow Elite Champagne”: brut, semi-dry and semi-sweet. The amount of sugar in wine is regulated not by adding crystals, but solely by assemblage. The wort is aged for about six months. The result is a drink of rich light straw color, with a harmonious taste and an interesting bouquet.
Not everyone has the opportunity to purchase real champagne produced in the French province of Champagne for their celebration. These brands of sparkling wine belong to the highest price category. However, if you are on a limited budget, there is always the opportunity to buy inexpensive champagne. Currently, many producers offer affordable sparkling wines. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the list of alcoholic drinks that have a low cost, decent quality characteristics and can decorate a festive feast.
Affordable brands of champagne are produced both in Russia and in other countries where wine grape varieties are grown. Russian sparkling wines that are inexpensive in cost and quite good in quality include the following products.
Abrau-Durso. The collection of champagne produced by the manufacturer includes inexpensive sparkling wines. The cost of one bottle depends on the production technology and quality of the wine material. In the range of inexpensive drinks from this brand you can find dry, semi-sweet and sweet types of champagne.
Tsimlyanskoe. One of the best varieties of popular light alcohol produced in Russia. In addition to ruby-colored sparkling wine, the manufacturer offers pink and white champagne. You can purchase fairly high-quality extra brut, semi-sweet or sweet sparkling wine.
Phanagoria. In the production of sparkling wine, traditional technology of natural champagne is used. This good Russian champagne can be white or pink. The manufacturer offers dry and semi-sweet varieties.
Dolce Vita. Sparkling wine, which is especially popular among young people. The champagne is distinguished by its bright bottle design and has raspberry, strawberry and cherry flavor tones.
Santo Stefano. Refers to sparkling wines. There are two types of semi-sweet alcoholic drink available: white and pink. Alcohol is made from imported wine materials. Despite this, the wine turns out to be light and pleasant to the taste. Does not have characteristic alcohol notes.
Rachelle. The technology used to produce Rachelle products meets all international standards. The result is affordable, delicious champagne. The manufacturer offers alcoholic drinks white in color, which can be dry, semi-sweet and sweet.
Lavetti. Sparkling carbonated wines of this brand can be semi-sweet or sweet, pink or white. In the process of their production, elite grape varieties are used.
Villa Blanco. The manufacturer's collection includes white sparkling wines of brut, semi-dry and sweet rose varieties. This champagne is incredibly light and is especially popular among women.
Each brand that produces inexpensive champagne brands tries to maintain as much as possible the optimal ratio between price and quality of the product. Such alcoholic drinks will make any event solemn and memorable at relatively low material costs.
You can choose a relatively inexpensive, but at the same time high-quality champagne for a wedding or any other celebration from the assortment of such foreign brands.
Cricova (Moldova). The manufacturer's collection includes white, pink and red brands of sparkling wine. Sweet, semi-sweet, dry and dessert types of champagne are produced.
Lambrusco, Asti, Prosecco (Italy). Foamy alcoholic drinks, the quality of which is at a fairly high level. At the same time, the price is significantly lower than for champagne produced in France.
Cava (Spain). Champagne is produced using the secondary fermentation method. The alcohol is fermented and saturated with carbon dioxide directly in the bottle. The assortment includes brut, semi-sweet and dry drinks.
Cremant (France). This is the name of champagne, which is produced in the French provinces of Burgundy, Alsace and Bordeaux. This alcohol is classified as sparkling wine. It has a very affordable price.
In addition, today affordable champagne of relatively good quality is offered by manufacturers from Portugal.
There is always a choice. You should never buy the cheapest champagne. Because of this, the planned holiday may be ruined.
The price of champagne purchased for a celebration depends on the financial capabilities of the buyer. However, even with a limited budget, you can always choose a decent option that will be affordable. Inexpensive, but high-quality sparkling wine will allow you to fully experience the solemnity of the moment and will bring guests only positive emotions.
To feel good the morning after a noisy festive night, you need to be able to choose the right main drink - champagne. In stores today there is a huge selection of this alcohol, but not everyone knows what should be in the composition, what color is considered correct for sparkling wine.
The bulk of sparkling wine produced in our country is prepared using simplified technology. Therefore, the price per bottle is low. But wine artificially saturated with carbon dioxide is not real champagne. Although, this is not as bad a situation as buying a sparkling flavored drink based on sugar, alcohol and water (it has nothing in common with wine at all). What to do.
Value for money
The first sign of real and correct, high-quality champagne is its production from grapes. At the same time, it is necessary to note only three grape varieties that are suitable for this - Pinot Noir, Pinot and white Chardonnay, growing in the French province of the same name. Only such sparkling wine can rightfully be called champagne. Drinks that are sold under this name from a domestic manufacturer are just a good substitute for French champagne; the analogue may or may not be of very high quality; it also has its own nuances.
You need to understand that high-quality French-made champagne is quite expensive: from 3,000 to 50,000 rubles per bottle. But many people who have tried various real sparkling drinks and their analogues say that affordable price You can buy a domestic analogue, but you will need to try.
Important! Prices for champagne analogues from Russian producers depend not only on the grape variety, but also on aging. Here the price range will range from 200 rubles for white semi-sweet sparkling wine to 2,300 rubles for white brut wine.
Champagne is divided into different categories not only by the amount of sugar (brut, sweet or dry), but also by year of production. If the drink is aged for only a few years, then its price will be affordable. The cheapest analogues are ready for consumption just a few months after the wine material has been bottled.
Brut or semi-sweet
Champagne that contains a minimal amount of sugar is considered to have a pure taste. That is, you can safely choose Brut. Then comes dry sparkling wine; it goes well with white meat and seafood. But brut is a more dessert type of sparkling wine; it is especially suitable for peaches and pears.
But in our taste tradition, it so happens that brut and dry champagne are too sour for many and people prefer to buy sweet sparkling wines. In fact, even if dry analogues of champagne do not have the same taste as the original, what can we say about sweet varieties, which lose all the notes inherent in a particular grape variety.
What is the best champagne in Russia, rating:
1. “Abrau-Durso” is a sparkling wine that is produced in Russia. The cost per bottle is quite low, but the taste is also not particularly versatile.
2. From the Italian manufacturer Bosca, you can buy white and sweet sparkling wine, as well as drinks with various flavors, at a fairly affordable price.
3. The champagne from Crimea “New World” pleases with its range and taste. It is recommended to pay special attention to Novosvetsky Pinot Noir.
4. Sparkling light drinks Asti Martini are distinguished by their natural fruity sweetness and delight with a different range of tastes and aromas.
5. Of course, due to the old favorite name, many turn their attention to “Soviet Champagne”. It is produced in the classic way and tastes ahead of many leaders in this price category.
It remains only to figure out the question of whether you always get a headache in the morning after drinking champagne and why this happens. In fact, you will get a headache either after drinking too much of this drink or because it is not of very high quality and the manufacturer has added too much sugar to the sparkling wine. Because research shows that a bottle of an inexpensive analogue of champagne contains three times more sweet or semi-sweet sugar than a bottle of lemonade. Sugar causes fermentation processes in the gastrointestinal tract and inhibits the processing of alcohol by the body. As a result, a strong toxic effect occurs and you may have a headache in the morning. Moreover, this happens much more often from sweet champagne than from dry brut. Also read interesting story emergence
There is no better accompaniment to dinner than good wine. Some collectors devote an entire basement to this drink so that it does not spoil there and retains all the taste of the bouquet. However, we are more interested not in collecting, but in the best varieties for a certain price.
First, we want to answer some of the most asked questions about inexpensive wines. 1) Is it possible to find good wine inexpensively? Yes, for 400-500 rubles it is quite possible to find a decent wine, we recommend choosing producers from Chile, South Africa or Argentina, this way you will have a better chance of finding a really good wine, in this price category they are better than European wines. Also, for very small sums (less than 400 rubles), we recommend taking white wines. White grapes reach faster, unlike red grapes they are less demanding of conditions, which is why the production of white wine is cheaper, and accordingly the price and quality will be better than in red wine. Also, good wine can be found at a low price from domestic and neighboring producers. 2) What should you look for on the label, what types of wines are there? If we talk about European laws, then wine can be divided into three types: table wines, IGP wines and AOP wines. We won’t go into details, but let’s just say that if you are back side bottles, you see only the word France on the label, not counting the address of the manufacturer and importer - then the wine is table wine. If next to the name of the country you see a region, for example - Bordeaux, Languedo, etc., then this is an IGP wine, this wine is considered to be of better quality than table wine. Well, wines with the name of a specific appellation (AOP wines) are considered the best; they are protected by their place of origin, since the IGP also has its own production territory, albeit much smaller and clearly defined. It undergoes strict sample control, has a quality mark and a guarantee of its origin from the manufacturer. Such wines are more expensive; most of them are produced in France. 3) The label says that the wine contains sulfites, is this dangerous? Sulfites have been used in winemaking for centuries. This is a kind of preservative that protects wine from bad bacteria and promotes long-term storage of wine. For this, the manufacturer uses sulfur dioxide (E220). Finding sulfite-free wine in stores is almost impossible; now all producers use it, but in what quantities is another question. Some take the minimum, others the maximum. As a rule, less sulfites are added to red wines due to the significant amount of polyphenols they contain, which in turn have an antioxidant effect. It is impossible to determine the amount of sulfates at home, you can only try it in a practical way; if after a few hours you have a stomach ache or headache after a moderate amount of wine, most likely there are too many chemicals in such wine. In conclusion, we would like to say that you should not be afraid of sulfates; if they are used within acceptable limits, then this will not affect your health in any way.Wine of Abkhazia "Lykhny"
400 rub.This variety has a delicate aroma, with a light strawberry tone, as well as all the richness of Isabella grapes. Due to its low price and high quality, this contender takes first place in the ranking. If you have a modest budget, around 350-400 rubles, then Lykhny wine, due to its quality, may be your best choice.
Vinal AD "Kadarka"
300 rub.A drink from Bulgaria, made from Kadarka grapes, thanks to the aroma of ripe berries and ripe fruits, will look good at the festive table. This wine will go well with hard cheese and cold desserts.
Sauk-Dere "Merlot"
320 rub.A domestic variety of wine that will delight many lovers, since the taste of this candidate is not sour, but slightly tart. The bottle is designed very stylishly: the label is made in the form of a map of the Krasnodar region.
Chateau Taman "Saperavi Taman"
340 rub.Another candidate from the Krasnodar region, which is made from selected grapes, but its taste is not as good as the previous wine. The tartness and sourness can be scary at first, but after a while it feels much better.
RUB 5,360
Bright pink color, simple but slightly strong aroma, with a hint of mango and strawberry - signs good wine from Portugal. A light aftertaste with a hint of grapefruit makes this drink one of the best in the “budget” category.
"Tinajas" Carmenere Reserva
700 rub.This candidate is considered the best in its price category; it perfectly combines lightness and pleasant sourness. The taste reveals notes of red currant and herbs that go well with meat dishes. We recommend it, quite a good wine.
"Trapiche" Cabernet Sauvignon
540 rub.This wine has been awarded the title of best more than once. Friendly and mild taste, pleasant spicy aroma goes well with steak, grilled meat, baked goods and cooked vegetables.
"Campo Viejo" Tempranillo
700 rub.For such a sum, purchasing such a simple and aromatic drink is the best deal. Notes of blueberry and marmalade are felt. The bouquet itself is balanced so that it is felt without much acidity.
"Valentin" Parellada, Catalunya DO
690 rub.The combination of two Italian grape varieties, Garnacha Blanca and Parellada, results in a dry and elegant bouquet, with special notes of ripe fruit. It is recommended to drink only with fish dishes.
"Conti Serristori" Chianti DOCG
700 rub.This wine is good for everyday use; its history dates back to the 14th century. The pride of its region, it shows an excellent balanced taste with a slight sourness. It goes well with meat snacks and pasta.
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
950 rub.This is a special wine made from grapes grown in the terroir of the Marlborough region of New Zealand. The wine has a unique fruity taste, which is obtained through a special vinification technology.
