Tasting & Conservation

You start tasting Champagne with your eyes. Pause to look at its colour, its reflections, its bubbles. Next, let your nose in on the act. Floral or plant? Read theories or white flowers? Your nose may be invaded by a multitude of aromas. Finally, take a little sip of wine in your mouth. Suck in a little air so that the wine turns around the whole mouth. This will give you access to all the flavours.

Tips
- Avoid eating food that is too strong before tasting (spices, mature cheeses, etc.). Their flavours may mask those of the champagne.
- Choose tulip shaped glasses. Because they are smaller at the top than the bottom, the flavours are concentrated.
- Wash your glasses with hot water only as detergents leave a thin layer in the glass, thus limiting the formation of bubbles. If you have to use such products, rinse the glasses several times with hot water.

Conservation
To keep the champagne properly, the bottles must lie in a cool, well ventilated area away from light and moisture. The laying down time varies from one champagne to the next. To ensure you do not make a mistake, ask the winemaker or wine merchant when you buy the champagne.