It is time for a celebration and you want to celebrate with style with a good bottle of champagne. But you do not know how to choose from the different varieties in the market, so here are some lessons on picking the right bottle for you.

There are different types – the vintage and the non-vintage. Also, there are different kinds of grapes in a bottle. There are white grapes (chardonnay) and the black grapes (pinot moir and pinot meunier).

Vintage vs Non-vintage

Vintage comes from a specific year when there was an abundance of quality harvested grapes from a specific year. Not every year can be classified as vintage as it is dependent upon the weather in France. It also depends on the wine house if they will declare a year as vintage or not. Some wine houses may declare vintage champagne in a year, while other wine houses will not. It must be 39 months old before it can be sold in the market. But other wine houses will age the bottle of wine for a longer period of time.

A non-vintage is a blend that can be sold after 15 months.  The taste can be improved by storing the bottle in a cool dark place. As it ages, the taste will be richer and softer on the palate.

Chardonnay

A chardonnay is a white grape from France. The level of acidity is higher as compared to other varieties of grapes. The alcohol drinks produced from white grapes have a very long shelf life, thus, chardonnay is referred to as the king of grapes. Champagne that is made from 100% chardonnay is called a Blanc de Blancs.

Pinot Noir

This is one of the most difficult grapes to grow. It is a black grape that requires a very ideal weather in order to thrive well – warm in the morning and cool in the evening. The pinot noir is characterized by its strawberry and cherry aromas, with a light to medium fruit-flavored dry red wine. You will find it in a liquor store as more expensive as compared to champagne produced from chardonnay because of its difficulty in growing.

Pinot Meunier

Pinot meunier buds late and ripens early, and it is a bit higher in acidity compared to pinot noir. The flavors and aromas are almost identical to the pinot noir, except that it has a bolder citrus taste.

Brut vs Demi-sec

This refers to the dryness level of champagne. The brut is dryer than the demi-sec.  If you prefer to drink an alcohol that is dry and with no level of sweetness, then the brut is the right one for you. The demi-sec is sweet and it contains about 3.3% to 5% sugar.

Those are the guides when choosing the right bottle for you. Each grape has its own distinct flavor and aroma. Choosing one depends on your budget, type of grapes, and the level of sweetness.  It is time to celebrate and do it with class with a good bottle of bubbly.