CHAMPAGNE .................................TIPS FOR THE BLING

Champagne wines should be kept in a cool, dark place away from heat, light, vibrations and severe temperature variations.
How to chill
Before serving, chill the wine well, but do not freeze it. Champagne is best chilled by placing the bottle in a bucket filled with ice and water for 30 to 40 minutes.
How to open
Slant the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from guests. Put a thumb on the cork, twist the cork and loosen the wire muzzle. Grasp the cork firmly; twist the bottle slowly and let the pressure help push out the cork. Allow a light and merry pop.
How to serve
Champagne is best served in tall flutes or tulip glasses, at a temperature of 42 to 47 degrees Fahrenheit. If serving champagne — especially a vintage or prestige cuvee — with food, the temperature should be closer to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Tiny bubbles will rise in a continuous stream. When serving, pour a small quantity of wine into each glass and allow it to settle. Then fill each glass two-thirds full.
How much
For a champagne aperitif at cocktail hour, allow one bottle for every three to four guests. When serving champagne at a meal, count on one bottle for every two to three people. For the traditional champagne toast at a wedding, one bottle can serve six to 10 people.

Champagne Varieties
Every champagne house or grower offers a range of different wines. Varieties include:
Blanc de Blancs. Wines made primarily from chardonnay, the exclusive white grape variety of the Champagne region. Literally translated, the phrase means "white of whites."

Blanc de Noirs. A white or slightly tinted wine made from black grapes, usually pinot noir. The tint comes from the pigments in the grape skins. Literally translated, the phrase means "white of blacks."

Brut. A champagne style that is very dry, meaning it has little or no residual sugar, usually between 0 percent and 1.5 percent.

Cuvee. A blend of many still (nonsparkling) wines designed to become a well-balanced champagne. Prestige cuvees are the finest champagnes that a producer makes and are made from the most subtle and distinctive wines.

Demi-Sec. A sweet champagne that contains between 3.3 percent and 5 percent residual sugar.

Rose. A champagne with a slightly pink tint that may come from the addition of a small portion of red wine to the cuvee or from contact with grape skins.

Vintage. Champagnes produced exclusively from the wines of a single harvest. Producers "declare a vintage" only in exceptional years.