The most irresistibly glamorous of wines, champagne is the bottle we all reach for to celebrate the special moments in life. But today, with so many affordable sparkling wines available, we don't need an important occasion in order to
crack open a bottle.
In this fascinating, beautifully illustrated book, award-winning food and drink writer Fiona Beckett, pulls the cork on exactly what goes into a champagne bottle – from the unique terroir of the Champagne region to the magic addition of older 'reserve' wines – and reveals how the New World has developed its own outstanding sparklers. She explains how
fizz differs in style – from wines that make refreshing aperitifs to bottles that can stand up to the most robust of flavours as part of a meal. With her specialist knowledge of food and wine matching, she suggests some inspired pairings with both classic and contemporary dishes.
There's also advice on how – and where – to buy champagne, how to store it, how to open a bottle and what type of glass will show it off to best advantage. And, for cocktail lovers, there's a dazzling selection of winter and summer champagne cocktails and even some sparkling Chardonnay versions.
