• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Login Pelcro Shop

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • What it’s like living on Peng Chau
        • Pets and Planes: 5 Things to Consider
        • City meets country in this residential development
        • Financial considerations for expats leaving Hong Kong for Australia - how a qualifying foreign superannuation fund can provide tax advantages - Northland GroupThings to consider when moving to Australia
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • W Hotel Hong Kong Poolside PartyTop 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • What to watch this month – Netflix & more!
        • Best museums in Hong Kong - The Palace Museum14 of the best museums in Hong Kong
        • Great podcasts we are listening to!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • Choosing a university and finding the right fit
        • Pregancy in Hong Kong - maternity care at Matilda International HospitalPregnant in HK? What you need to know
        • A boarding school with wildlife on the doorstep!
        • A fun summer camp for teens in Cebu
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • Home design and décor tips - ginger jarsHow to bring your living room to life!
        • Rebecca, Brian and daughter Billie in their newly renovated Fortress Hill homeTransforming a Hidden Gem in Fortress Hill
        • Horizon Plaza stores - Indigo Living Boston Brownstone CollectionOur guide to furniture shopping at Horizon Plaza
        • See the Soho home of a professional organiser
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
        • Pets and Planes: 5 Things to Consider
        • Sri Lanka - Where to go for a girls tripWhere to go for a girls’ trip
        • Best Surf Breaks in Southeast Asia - padang padangBest Surf Breaks in Southeast Asia
        • Outdoor activities in Hong Kong - hikingOutdoor activities for all the family
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Seafood restaurant in Hong Kong - Lobster Shack4 restaurants to satisfy your cravings
        • Taste Test: Chinese Cuisine in HK
        • New bars and restaurants in Hong Kong - RositaNew nibbles: where to dine this May
        • Middle Eastern Restaurants and cuisine in Hong Kong - Mama MaloufTaste Test: Middle Eastern Eats
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Considering getting hair extensions?
        • Paraben-free skincare for men
        • Skincare anti-ageing products, overnight creams, face and eye serumsTried and Tested: Anti-ageing Products 
        • Sensitive skin moisturisers, serums & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • recurrent miscarriages – causes, risk factors, ivf treatmentHealth help: A focus on recurrent miscarriage
        • lung cancer - symptoms and treatmentLung Cancer: 8 Common Myths
        • Osteopathy in Hong KongOsteopathy for Body Aches & Pains
        • image of mum and baby for article on postnatal depression by clinical psychologist Dr Zaidi of MindNlife Hong KongBaby blues or something more?
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • Magazine
    • Advertise With Us
    • Close

10 champagne types you need to know when celebrating

28 June, 2018 by Melissa Stevens 2 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/10-champagne-types-le-french-grourmay/

How much do you really know about everyone’s favourite celebratory tipple? The annual Le French GourMay food and wine festival in Hong Kong has featured the Champagne region, with the aim of increasing people’s knowledge and enjoyment of different champagne types.

Make sure you know the different champagne types for next time you are celebrating
Make sure you know the different champagne types for next time you are celebrating

It’s well-known that only sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France can bear the name ‘champagne’. But did you know that the reasons for this date back to the formation of the Association Viticole Champenoise (or wine growing association of Champagne) in 1898? This group was instrumental in the formation of rules that stipulated only sparkling wines from the Champagne region which had been created using specific methods could be called ‘champagne’.

Champagne which meets agreed production guidelines can carry the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) certification. The official website of the Comite Champagne says AOC designation links a product with its geographical origin and makes it subject to rules of production and manufacturing.

In the case of champagne, to achieve AOC certification, it must be made using black pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes and white chardonnay grapes from authorised vine stocks. There are also guidelines controlling yield, minimum alcohol content, press yields and aging. These include that secondary fermentation must occur in the bottle with a minimum of 15 months for non-vintage champagne and three years for vintage. Most of the champagne types produced today is non-vintage, meaning that it is a blended from grapes from two or more harvests. Vintage champagne must be made 100 per cent from the year indicated on the label.

The amount of sugar used in production is one of the identifiers of champagne types
The amount of sugar used in production is one of the identifiers of champagne types

So, you are preparing for a party and have been charged with selecting the champers. What are the different champagne types?

Firstly, the designation relates to the types of grapes used or the amounts of grapes added. The second factor used to describe champagne types relates to its sweetness, which varies depending on the amount of sugar or grape must added after the second fermentation. Called the dosage, it impacts the sweetness of the finished wine.

Champagne types

#1 Blancs de blancs: This means the champagne has been made with 100 per cent white chardonnay grapes and usually ages well.

#2 Blanc de noirs: This is a light-coloured champagne made from the juice of dark-skinned grapes – this is more common for a sparkling wine than a champagne.

#3 Rose: Rose champagne is made by mixing a little red wine, usually less than 20 per cent, with white champagne.

#4 Prestige Cuvee: This is the top of the range offering from a producer, such as Moet & Chandon’s Dom Perignon or Roederer’s Cristal.

#5 Extra-brut: This means the dosage had less than 6g of sugar per litre.

#6 Brut: This means the champagne is dry, and in technical terms that the ‘dosage’ added to the bottle contains very little sugar.

#7 Extra-dry: Extra dry wines actually have a dosage with a small amount of sugar, so they are slightly sweet.

#8 Sec: Sec wines have a dosage of between 17 and 32 grams of sugar per litre.

#9 Demi-sec: Demi-sec champagnes mean the dosage had a fair amount of sugar. These pair well with desserts or wedding cake.

#10 Doux: A doux champagne is very sweet, made with 50 grams of sugar per litre.

This article was brought to you by:

Le French GourMay | frenchgourmay.com

Want to know more? Check out our Wine & Dine section!

Categories: Recipes & Groceries Wine & Dine Tags: Champagne Le French Gourmay Wine And Dine

Get the latest events, stories and special offers sent to your inbox
Get the latest events, stories and special offers sent to your inbox

You May Also Like

Mother's Day brunch recipe - Croque Madame

Mother’s Day Brunch Recipe: Croque Madame

Eggs Royale - recipe

Lazy day brunch recipe: Eggs Royale

Taste Test French Edition #3: Metropolitain Bistro de Paris

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.