Champagne – so much more than just a luxury in a glass

RIEDEL Magazine, Issue 02 Summer 2026 | Text: Bernhard Meßmer | Reading time: 6 minutes

Whether it’s for a celebratory toast or as an elegant aperitif, champagne has a charm that no other drink in the world can match. What’s behind this? And why isn’t every sparkling wine automatically a champagne?

It’s all down to the manufacturing process

Gently rolling rows of vines in a wine-growing landscape stretching to the horizon, with leafy vines in the foreground. — This unique region is well worth a visit, and not just to sample the exclusive Champagne wines – the sight of the beautiful vineyards is also unforgettable.

At the heart of champagne production lies the traditional bottle fermentation (méthode traditionnelle): once a small amount of sugar and yeast has been added, the fully fermented base wine undergoes a second fermentation whilst sealed in the bottle. The resulting carbon dioxide dissolves in the wine, forming the characteristic fine bubbles. The pressure inside the bottle averages five to six bar, roughly double that of a typical car tyre.

What sounds like a simple principle requires a great deal of expertise and, above all, patience. Cheaper sparkling wine or Prosecco, on the other hand, is produced using the so-called tank fermentation method: the second fermentation takes place in large pressure tanks, rather than in the retail bottle. The process is more efficient and cost-effective, but results in less depth and complexity of flavour.

A region like no other

Even producers who use the traditional bottle-fermentation method are not permitted to call their sparkling wine ‘Champagne’. The name is protected and applies exclusively to wines from Champagne, a clearly defined region around 150 kilometres east of Paris.

The name is protected and applies exclusively to wines from Champagne.

With an average annual temperature of around 10 °C, Champagne lies on the northernmost boundary where wine-growing is still possible. Cool summers preserve a lively acidity, whilst the often chalk-rich soil lends the wine minerality and freshness. The Comité Champagne ensures quality through strict regulations: planting density, hand-harvesting, yields, juice yield – everything is precisely regulated. Although Franciacorta, Cava and Crémant share the same production method, this combination of soil, climate and regulations in Champagne is unique.

When time becomes flavour

After the second fermentation, the yeast dies off and settles as a fine sediment at the bottom of the bottle. This marks the start of the ageing process: the bottles are stored horizontally in cool cellars, protected from light, and sometimes left to rest for many years. During the process of autolysis, the yeast cells break down, imparting to the champagne its characteristic notes of brioche, nuts and toasted bread, as well as a creamy mouthfeel.

The minimum ageing periods make it clear just how seriously this is taken: a total of 15 months for non-vintage champagne, and three years for vintage champagne. By way of comparison: most other sparkling wines around the world are subject to a statutory minimum of nine months, whilst simple sparkling wine often has no ageing period at all.

Three grape varieties, endless possibilities

In Champagne, the three dominant grape varieties are Pinot Noir (38 per cent of the vineyard area), Meunier (31 per cent) and Chardonnay (31 per cent), which are often blended but are also vinified as single-varietal wines. Pinot Noir is a red grape variety whose juice remains white despite its dark skin. It contributes body and fruitiness. Chardonnay, the only white variety in the trio, brings freshness and elegance. Finally, Meunier makes the cuvée rounder and more approachable.

Two worlds – large estates and small winegrowers

A man and a woman stand smiling in front of stainless steel tanks in a wine cellar. — Marie and Simon Normand, brother and sister, run Domaine La Borderie.

When it comes to champagne, many people’s first thoughts turn to major brands such as Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot or Bollinger. These houses source grapes from hundreds of suppliers across the Champagne region and blend them to create a consistent brand style. Consistency and recognisability are their undisputed strengths.

Alongside this, the world of grower champagnes is growing. Many of these producers are small-scale growers who work with great passion and a strong commitment to craftsmanship. They cultivate their own vineyards, press the grapes themselves and market their wines directly. Every vineyard, every vintage and every decision shapes the character of the finished product. Anyone who tries such a champagne will immediately understand what ‘terroir’ truly means in the glass.

Champagne Domaine La Borderie and Champagne Paul Launois are prime examples of this new and rapidly rising generation of winemakers.

What’s making waves in the scene today

Across all farm sizes, the trend is clear: more and more producers are turning to organic farming and reducing the sugar content in the final dosage – the last adjustment to the flavour before bottling. The Brut Nature and Extra Brut styles showcase the wine in its purest form. Rosé champagne is now the fastest-growing segment, as it has long since ceased to impress merely with its colour, but rather with genuine depth and complexity.

Once you have understood what lies behind those fine bubbles – patience, skill and the unique character of the terroir – you will drink champagne with a new appreciation. And with even greater enjoyment!

1.8 million euros per bottle …

… that’s how much the world’s most expensive champagne costs: the Goût de Diamants (lit. ‘Taste of Diamonds’).

The most expensive champagne available on the open market is the Dom Pérignon P3 Plénitude Brut, with an average price of 4,807 euros per bottle.

Other expensive champagnes include the Dom Pérignon P3 Plénitude Rosé at 4,592 euros and the Krug Clos d’Ambonnay at 3,245 euros.

Champagne Dreams: Recipe for a champagne sorbet

Whether as the grand finale or as a refreshing and exclusive interlude in a first-class menu – a champagne sorbet is sure to impress your guests. And it’ll provide a small but exquisite culinary highlight in between courses that won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Here’s a simple recipe (even without an ice cream maker).

Ingredients (serves approx. 6): 1 bottle of champagne of your choice, 1 lime, 150 g sugar, 150 ml water

Method

First, make the sugar syrup: bring equal parts water and sugar to the boil – stir until the liquid is clear – then leave to cool.

Once the mixture has cooled, pour the champagne (reserving approx. 250 ml), the sugar syrup and the grated lime zest into the ice cream maker (for even more freshness, you can also squeeze the lime into the mixture).

If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can pour the mixture – after mixing it well – into a shallow bowl and then place it in the freezer. Take it out after about 45–60 minutes and stir vigorously with a whisk. This process should be repeated at least four or five times.

Serve the finished sorbet in champagne or cocktail glasses and top up with the remaining champagne. Best garnished with a slice of lime or a mint leaf.

The cellar – something people rarely think about when building a house

Anyone who takes champagne seriously does not need a wine cellar in the sense of a collection – but they do need a place with stable conditions. The requirements are simple, yet are often overlooked: consistently cool, dark, free from vibrations, and sufficiently humid. A storage room fitted with air conditioning as a retrofit rarely meets these criteria.

In existing properties, this is often not a problem, as older houses have precisely such rooms. With new-builds, it is decided at the planning stage whether this will become a real advantage. Where wine cellars, spas and guest areas are factored in from the outset, the result is properties such as the villas and luxury homes we act on behalf of – and the same logic applies to home gyms and home spas, which we describe in this issue.

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