How to Pop a Celebration
Champagne, Methode Cap Classique (MCC), sparkling wine, bubbly and champers are just some of the words used to explain more or less the same thing. Or do they? We asked chef, business owner and connoisseur of all things palatable, GT Lundie, to explain the differences.
By Benno Stander
GT owns the Lowveld favourite restaurant, Zest, and has also in recent times acquired Kavinga Guesthouse and Venue. Despite him being a very down to earth sole that doesn’t bother much with pretences, his knowledge of everything food and drink related should not be underestimated. According to GT all bubbles are definitely not equal.
Champagne
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France and since the drink Champagne originates from this area the term has been reserved for produce that is made in the original manner and originates from this area.
According to GT the Romans were the first to plant vineyards in the area of northeast France with the region being cultivated by at least the 5th century, possibly earlier. Wines from the Champagne region were known before medieval times. Champagne was perfected by a Benedictine Monk from Hautvilliers, Dom Perignon, some 300 years ago.
The method of making Champagne, also called Méthode Champenoise, involves a second fermentation in the bottle and riddling which is the process of turning the bottles 45 degrees every day so that the yeast doesn’t stay at the bottom. These days riddling is done automatically by rotating containers. To get the yeast out of the bottle the neck it is blast frozen with the yeast inside. The yeast is then pulled out as a frozen plug before putting in the cork.
Methode Cap Classique
If Champagne is made according to the traditionally correct method in South Africa, we still can’t call it Champagne because it is not from Champagne. We don’t call it South Africa either but rather refer to it as Methode Cap Classique, also known as MCC.
According to GT the rose might still smell as sweet when called by another name and he firmly believes that some of the South African MCCs can give many French Champagnes a good run for their money on any given day.
Method Charmat
Method Charmat is another method for making the good stuff that involves all the same processes, only it doesn’t happen in the bottle. Instead an autoclave, a large pressurised container, is used. In some cases barrels or clay containers might also be used to for the fermentation process. Although this is strictly speaking not the right way, it is a cost effective alternative that also produces good quality natural sparkle.
Sparkling wine
Funnily enough, in South Africa the word Champagne is most often used to describe sparkling wine, which is the furthest from Champagne of all of the variants. Sparkling wine is readily available and rather cheap as it is not made with the process described above. It is basically just wine that gets sweetened with sugar before CO2 bubbles are inserted like you would do with a soda stream machine. This makes for rather big bubbles in abundance and a very volatile cork pop, especially when the bottle is not properly chilled.
Temperature
If your bottle is too warm it will make it somewhat more dangerous to open and will also lose a lot of its bubbles and taste intensity. The best serving temperature is between 6 and 8’C.
Glass
Champagne glasses are long and slender to keep the surface area as small as possible to minimize the loss of bubbles. To keep the bubbles also pour straight down into the middle of the glass and be sure to rinse your glasses properly as soap residue can cause loss of bubbles. Sparkling wine with high levels of CO2 bubbles is often poured down the side of the glass to get rid of some of the bubbles.
Opening the Bottle
Although shooting the cork is great fun, it is actually considered bad manners and is not good for the content either. Releasing the cork in this manner can take out a lot of the sparkle and leave you with a rather flat beverage. This however does not apply to carbonated sparkling wine. The right way is actually to loosen the wire cap seal but not to remove it. It will assist with controlling the cork. Then holding the cork turn the bottle until the cork is gently freed.
Sabrage
If you do however feel the need to pop the cork in celebration why not do it like Napoleon? It is easier than you think! Traditionally a saber is used but if you don’t have one in your kitchen drawer the back of a carving knife or even a spoon can work too. The spoon is however a little less chivalrous so we recommend you go for the knife.
Start by finding the seam of the bottle that runs down from top to bottom. Then with one swift movement run the knife along this seem until it makes solid contact with the glass ring before the cork. This should set the cork flying. Because only the glass ring breaks off, and half the cork still pulls out of the bottle after it has broken, the chances of finding glass in your bubbly is very slim.
Serving Champagne
Many people think the right way to serve is to hold the bottle with one hand by placing the thumb in the hollow at the bottom of the bottle. This is actually not correct as you have very little control over pouring. The correct way is to first present the label to the guest by placing both hands under the bottle, then pour it straight down into the middle of the glass by holding the bottle around the neck. When you are done pouring rotate the bottle to turn off the last drops so it doesn’t land on the table.