Celebrate with Champagne

Enjoying a glass of champagne on its own certainly is a satisfying experience. However, some champagnes, especially those created with food in mind, are even better when enjoyed alongside well-chosen dishes. The aromas, tastes, and appearances of food and wine play off one another and are mutually enhanced when paired to perfection.

                                         

For true connoisseurs, the choice of wine will determine what will be eaten, not the other way round! And of course, food-and-wine pairs are even more of a triumph when the techniques are clear-cut and the rituals appropriately observed. As we celebrate all the phenomenal women in our lives on Women’s Day (9^th August), what better way to commemorate the day than with a get-together with friends over a good bottle of French champagne and delicious food?

Mumm, a leading French champagne – and the third best selling champagne in the world with over eight million bottles sold – has put together some ideas on how to pair your champagne with different meals. Mumm comes in three variations which are suitable for different palates and can be paired with a variety of different meals.

GH Mumm Cordon Rouge

This brut champagne is ideal served as an aperitif. Its aromatic richness is also a perfect match for white meat such as veal chops, and fish such as monkfish or red mullet. It is also a perfect accompaniment to a mixed salad or fine charcuterie, such as Italian ham.

GH Mumm Brut Rosé

This delicious champagne is particularly appreciable served chilled as an aperitif. Although traditionalists would serve it with summer berry desserts and biscuits roses de Reims (pink sponge fingers), it is also a delicious match for seafood such as grilled lobster and marinated salmon, as well as ethnic dishes such as a tajine.

GH Mumm Demi-sec

A hedonistic wine, GH Mumm Demi-sec is a wonderful match for desserts such as fruit salad, yellow fruit and champagne zabaglione, tarte tatin, and caramalised peaches. Its roundness and fruitiness also makes it a fine accompaniment for sweet and savoury combinations such as foie gras with figs, as well as blue cheeses. 

<sidebar> Champagne Etiquette

·      Chilling

The perfect temperature at which to enjoy champagne is regarded as 8 °C, which is generally achieved by popping your bottle in a bucket of ice before guests arrive.

·      Holding

The ideal way to hold a bottle of champagne is to tilt it slightly and hold it gently with four fingers on the side of the bottle, and your thumb in the centre of the bottom of the bottle. Make sure the label is visible to your guests.

·      Opening

The pop of the cork as a champagne bottle is opened is the symbol of most celebrations. To get it right, try cutting your foil instead of ripping it open – use the blade of your wine opener to cut around the top of the rim by turning your hand. Tilt the bottle and hold it at a 45 degree angle, away from you and your guests. Push down on the cork firmly with one hand, and with the other, twist open the wire cage, and voila!

·      Filling Glasses

The classic beginner’s mistake is hoping to fill the glasses in one go. To avoid spillage, it is better to serve in two phases. The trick is to pour an initial amount of wine, slowly tilting the glass, as the flow along the wall will promote the formation of bubbles. Take a pause to allow the foam to subside, then pour a second time to fill half (or two thirds) of the glass.

·      Holding Your Glass

A champagne glass should only be held by its stem. As well as avoiding any dreaded finger marks on the bowl, this also prevents the wine from being warmed too quickly by the heat of your hand.

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