Jancis Robinson - Champagne: Navigating sparkling wine

[@stefanvansteenberge]

Also worth mentioning: Jancis is giving the good example by pouring sparkling wine in a 'normal' wine glass and not in a flute or coupe. A larger tulip style glass is important to keep the aroma's and being able to swirl the wine in your glass. Someone in the comments below also mentioned the excellent Riedel Champagne glass, but any proper universal style wine glass will do (Spiegelau Definition or Gabriel Glas).

[@djmatster]

She's actually using her own line of wine glasses. This line was designed to be a 'universal' glass for all types of wine. They are all handmade and are extremely thin crystal.

[@ericnienhuis1425]

It’s a sad indictment on me that I always thought Jancis was just a big toff…stupid me. Clear, precise and wine presented in a simple way…and she seems lovely I now subscribe…after all the wasted years

[@ThreeFiddy1701]

You wally!

[@euan7166]

She is...very patrician.

[@deathchips926]

but nonetheless wise enough to recognize your folly. Cheers to that!

[@angelazaccaria3733]

Love Janice!

[@gilliandrysdale5306]

that was very interesting thank you

[@sailnav]

What about Cremants? French sparkling wines from outside of Champagne.

[@Will-yz8zm]

Agreed. I am in Canada and an English friend introduced me to Cremant - price point is astonishingly lower with much better quality than many Champagnes!

[@ThreeFiddy1701]

@@Will-yz8zmWhat does being Canadian have anything to do with comparing Cremant to Champagne? ... You do know that Champagne from one maker to another varies significantly in taste, owing much to the ratio of grape varities used to make it and their cost/effort in quality control right?? How can anyone arbitrarily rate a classification of wine over another when the sample window is so limited to a handful of bottles from a supermarket? ... The level of utter inexperience and misinformation spread by so-called wine enthusiasts on the YT comments section is breath taking.

[@Will-yz8zm]

@@ThreeFiddy1701 nothing - just that we have heavy taxation on wine/spirits, so price point makes a significant difference.

[@him050]

Something that always impresses my family is my ability to open a bottle of sparkling wine without it making a sound. It's the simple things in life 🤣.

[@fabianmckenna8197]

Waiter for many years and we were taught not to pop champagne bottles it can sound common and vulgar! If you can afford and enjoy champagne, then nobody around the restaurant needs to know...... On holiday in New York at a fancy Italian restaurant with all the waiters dressed in dinner suits looking very efficient. Our waiter unfortunately huffed at puffed while attempting to open a bottle of Cava before I eventually offered to show him the proper way. I put a napkin around it, twisted the bottle one way and the cork in the other direction and eased the cork out quietly. Some sparkling wine corks can be tight but it's simple when you know how.

[@AlanHughes-s4o]

I note Jancis carefully opened the bottle of Champagne in the classic style. A number of years ago I watched hosting staff at Bouvet Ladubay in Saumur (Loire) open their traditional method sparkling wine and they twisted the muzzle but did not remove it when twisting the bottle to remove the cork! I tried this at home and it works well as if you have chains on a car tyre when driving in snow, it gives you a good grip to the cork with your hand. Try it!

[@rohanlg790]

Ouhh I LOVE THIS SERIES ❤

[@hitzpi]

She is the queen of the wine world

[@BBCMaestro]

We agree! 👑

[@cheddarfish225]

It would have been nice to mention Franciacorta

[@pmbpmb5416]

Agreed and Sardinian traditional method , very occasionally Aldi have a one-off DOCG Prosecco with very fine bubbles .

[@jerzystruczak782]

top ones beat most super pricey ch. hands down

[@jeremiahreilly9739]

Hurrah for English sparkling wines. I think an "advanced sparkling wine introduction" is needed. Where are the various-and often good-crémants? Crémant d'Alsace? de Bourgogne? de Limoux? Or the methode ancestrale, Blanquette de Limoux? Swiss sparkling wines (I live in Switzerland). Franciacorta? The love-it/hate-it Lambrusco. Personally I love a dry lambrusco. Sparkling shiraz? I've read that there are Mexican sparkling wines, although I've not had the pleasure. Nevada sparkling wines (USA). I find it easier to hold the bottle on the base when twisting the bottle off the cork. Please, more.

[@neomage2021]

For me, when having champagne I almost always go with Krug. Though on a weekend casual brunch with friends I go with a fairly cheap prosecco.

[@itsmederek1]

About English sparkling wine, the price-quality equation is very different if you buy it outside of the UK no? I understand it is competitive if you are based in London but in the EU it normally loses to Champagne for the same price in my opinion.

[@davidb6635]

I don’t suspect much of the good stuff gets exported, probably just the mass produced mega producers like Nyetimber. But it’s the same for us coming to France to buy cheaper champagne there because it doesn’t have duty or English taxes. I pretty much only serve English sparkling wine at home now.

[@itsmederek1]

@@davidb6635 Im curious how the value proposition stacks up if you are not in the UK or France. Does Champagne come out on top?

[@davidb6635]

@@itsmederek1 watch Jancis’ video. She comments on exactly that.

[@itsmederek1]

@@davidb6635 Do you mean this one?

[@davidb6635]

Yes. Time stamp 6:44

[@harvey2609]

Anything with Jancis...click.

[@pallasathena1555]

I’ve been to several restaurants where the English sparkling wine is going, price wise, toe to toe with champagne. We really have got an emerging market product on our hands. Thing is English sparkling wine doesn’t have the same ring to it that champagne or Prosecco has, we need to find a name people, any suggestions? What about South Downs sparkling? Or Albany?

[@pallasathena1555]

I think Albany sparkling could be it, you heard it here first

[@BGTuyau]

The aside in re Corpinnat from Spain is interesting. And méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine from England? Sacré Bleu!

[@richardgoeltz3769]

Thank you very much. We do enjoy sparkling wines but have not yet tried any from England. On a related note, what type of glass is best?

[@fiddleronthebike]

well, I tried some of these highly praised Englisch sparkling wines, and in my opinion they are among the most overrated in the entire wine world! They are easily as expensive as very good Champagne but qualitywise they cannot compete with the best German sekts or Spanish cavas or cremants from Loire or Burgundy - which all cost not even nearly as much money! My tip: avoid them, they are not worth the hype!!!

[@itsmederek1]

The sort of tapered V/Tulip shaped glasses are considered the best right now, though this is a development of the last 10 years. Look up the Riedel Veloce Champagne glass, that general shape is what you are looking for(The brand isn't that just important pick one you like, there are many great options at different price points). Small white wine glasses are better for tasting sparkling wine while flutes preserve the bubbles a lot longer and are better for cocktail party style drinking where you want it to stay refreshing for a longer time. The V-tulip shape is a sort of middle-ground that lets you get your nose in the glass properly but also preserves bubbles which is why it is popular in the best restaurants and such.

[@fabianmckenna8197]

Just to clarify, all champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is champagne. Doesn't matter what Champagne regards itself as or what the "team of lawyers" say, it's still a sparkling wine! However as you pointed out, sparkling wine can only be called Champagne if it comes from the Champagne region in northern France.

[@justintoop947]

really didnt need clarifying

[@fabianmckenna8197]

Actually it did need clarifying.......... "I'm now going to talk about sparkling wine and Champagne." "Champagne does not regard itself as sparkling wine, it regards itself as Champagne and has a team of lawyers dedicated to protecting the name of Champagne and restricting it to wine made in the Champagne region by the traditional method." The above statement would suggest that we are not allowed to categorise champagne as a sparkling wine due to it being lawyered up. It would have made more sense to mention that while Champagne is indeed a sparkling wine, it is protected by law as only coming from the Champagne wine region of France. Interestingly enough, there are Canadian sparkling wines which call themselves Champagne but are labelled as Canadian Champagne.

[@justintoop947]

@@fabianmckenna8197 think carefully about how the french dont equate champagne as sparkling, irrespective of your opinion

[@spoffspoffington]

A director of Moët told me that the machine which wires the corks nicks the wire, so you inly have to waggle the twist briefly instead of unwinding it. However he did have a pair if silver pliers about his if it broke off. In Louis Malle's film Lacombe Lucien the protagonist doesn't bother first removing the foil and just pulls the cork, wire, foil and all. Cheap and nasty but effective if you're opening lots of bottles for a reception.

[@DileepB]

Moet Chandon makes Domaine Chandon sparkling wines in many countries including India and Australia.

[@peternixon1460]

And Brazil

When you're about to open a bottle of sparkling/Champagne, first thing is not shaking the bottle violentlly (like racing drivers tend to do on podium). 😉 Remowe the foil and muzzle, than open as Jancis showed...you need only a hiss of CO2 exiting and no "explosion" of a bottle.

[@vvjuly]

So nice the video was algorithm suggested to me!

[@BBCMaestro]

We love spotting Jancis on our feeds too 😍

[@KokkiePiet]

As part of parties and team building events I organized a lot of double blind tastings of Sparkling Wines (including Champagne). People taste it without anyone knowing what they are tasting (not even me the organizer). I did this more than a hundred times, with al kinds of people. Using German Sekt, Really expensive champagnes, Cava, Cremants, etc ec. and then ranking them. the thing is, NEVER the real champagne got the highest marks. It alway comes last, or second to last. Cava and Riesling Sekt almost always win first place. So you can tell me whatever you like, I know objectively what I really like. The rest is marketing. Years ago the champagne region was much smaller, in regions around it they made sparkling wine that got about a a third to half the price of champagne, it just wasn't the real thing. People looked down on it. Then the French changed some legislations and now the champagne region is much bigger, and now the cheap plonk is real champagne, and makes a lot better price. Its is still the same though.

[@ThreeFiddy1701]

Anecdotal nonsense. Alas like all finer things in life, it is not about instant gratification to appreciate value ... The finer wines develop flavour, taste and smell better through the course of time after opening the bottle. The cheaper sparkling stuff appeals to mass market audience who just want things sweet, easy to swallow and intoxicating for the least financial outlay ... Most people (in places like the USA) prefer thick doughy salty cheese laden Pizza over Neapolitan ... it's all about development of palate and attitude towards food & drink ...

[@KokkiePiet]

@@ThreeFiddy1701 How many double blind tastings did you organize? What I did is an scientific and objective way of measuring appreciation. You could in theory criticise the selection of the people participating, but the methodology used is randomised double blind, which is the gold standard. So tell me, why are my findings anecdotal and your opinion free of observers bias?

[@ThreeFiddy1701]

@@KokkiePiet I do not organise double blind tests, reason being is I enjoy wines (with and without company) in a natural setting and consumed at my own pace and leisure. All you did was just bandied together a collective of unsuspecting individuals who have no interest or experience in finer wines and subjecting them to a quick back to back series of samples. Your own execution of science and your reasoning is flawed. Imagine asking 10 children to blind sample sugar-loaded soda drinks vs freshly squeezed lemonade ... chances are they will prefer soda. Fresh fruit juice is all marketing by your own logic correct? ... Americans of the gen x, millennial and gen z demographic generally like sweet, salty, easy to consume produce. Carbs, sugars and processed fats rule. Balance of natural flavours and aromas are utterly lost among the masses, and the food & hospitality industry know this and will continue to exploit it ... The cheaper processed product will always sell more and win out in these blind test & controlled situations as they are designed to get consumers hooked ... I realise as I am typing this, it is in response to one of those who seem perverse in 'bias experiments' and is more interested in pretending to be clever with spurious data gathering rather than enjoying the simple pleasure of drinking good wine ... TLDR; if you are incapable of liking quality French Champagne ... just don't drink it.

[@KokkiePiet]

@@ThreeFiddy1701 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance

[@ThreeFiddy1701]

@@KokkiePiet Hmm, trolls you like yourself have hit your intellectual ceiling when you resort to wikipedia links (or google) ... That is the equivalent to throwing everything at a wall and see what sticks. Amatuer ...

[@kuongsam2314]

There is a window that the mushroom cork is not hindered, lets look for some videos of master sommeliers to see how they do it.

[@Jack42Frost]

We always think of fizzy white wine as a bit of a joke, easy to make and easy to grow.

[@adamg.manning6088]

The only joke is that opinion.

[@Jack42Frost]

@@adamg.manning6088 imagine that pizza is the easy way to make money in the catering industry, pizza is your fizzy wine. That's why they all make it, what's more it is served cold and wet, often with little to no flavor. Easy money.

[@adamg.manning6088]

@@Jack42Frost What you’re referring to is the lowest possible, most mass-produced, mass marketed product that doesn’t represent the heights of either category. If that’s all you’ve been exposed to, I’m sorry to hear that because you’re missing out on a world of delicious things. Nobody in the wine industry would ever say Pinot Noir is easy to grow, except perhaps a few producers in the very south of France that have very stable climates and don’t need to worry about frost or hail (and even they would worry about very hot years) and no pizza maker, making what is essentially an artisan bread product would say that mastering hydration and fermentation time is easy or a quick buck. It would be equally ridiculous to say that “all sparkling wine is perfect and infallible”, so we can see how your ignorant statements are patently false.

[@Jack42Frost]

@@adamg.manning6088 I wouldn't want to upset anyone, I was only making a suggestion. I do sometimes pull out an old bottle of fizzy wine, and I enjoy it like one does. I would point out that one does not have to plant Pinot N. That is a choice, and I am glad people do. I would pose this question to you, would it be easier to make a fizzy or a flat red?

[@LaomedonIlliaris]

No Sekt? Jancis, I am wounded.

[@BBCMaestro]

She touches on Sekt a little in her course with us!

[@LaomedonIlliaris]

@@BBCMaestro Excellent to hear!

[@niccolosantilli8117]

One of the worst opening of a bottle of champagne that i ever witness in my life. But one of the best comunicator in wine industry. Guess you can't have it all.

[@daveroberts1]

You haven't lived! For an older lady with limited strength, I thought that perfectly good, albeit a little awkward. Maybe a mench of Franciacorta in the future?

[@nemanjadj1493]

Nyetimber classic cuvee - English sparkling wine is overpriced, not too much to offer, much bitter taste despite the food fruit smell. For 50% less money you can buy Italian Franciacorta Monogram, great sparkling wine!

[@craigmetcalfe1749]

I always thought that the sound of a champagne cork popping should sound like that of a contented woman!

[@janetmackinnon3411]

Which one?

[@loopwithers]

Don't worry. Not everyone can pleasure a woman. Have you thought of taking up a hobby...?

[@potdog1000]

i can easily tell the difference between good Champagne & the rest, the rest gives me terriblr heartburn whereas Champagne doesn't

[@pter7531]

You don't let the cork pop. Fail.

[@loopwithers]

You do not explain why you believe your comment to be based on facts nor do you include any evidence to support it

[@fv1291]

You forgot California champagne like Korbel.

[@ThreeFiddy1701]

Korbel is not Champagne ... it is not produced in the Champagne region and not made in the traditional method. It is just commercial liquor store sparking wine for the US market.

[@kevinmoor6408]

Once you slug down the first bottle, it all tastes like sparkling water and methanol.

[@geotropa1043]

Soarkling wine and even Champagne are rather inferior beverages to me. The starting product regularly is a tart wine often made from unripe grapes. Only after adding a lot of sugar with the fermentations , the result becomes palatable.

[@yogiebere]

Have you had real and quality champagne (a grand cru) it may greatly change your mind

[@KEENY475]

Pure bull about whether to twist bottle not cork - exactly the same mechanical process suggest both twisted in opposite direction at same time so wrist movements equal more efficient and comfortable and less likely to have to reposition hands on bottle or cork

[@johnshields3658]

Champagne - wine so awful they have to disguise it with bubbles

[@carlosgravil3325]

she may be an expert on drinking wine, but she has no clue as to how to open a bottle of champers. you always leave the metal bit with the cork because it gives you more grip. I'm amazed that an expert like this doesn't know something this basic.

[@tatts1901]

You are talking rubbish mate.

[@ThreeFiddy1701]

Oh dear another youtube expert on his soapbox with false information ...