Did you know..?

Everyone’s heard of a Magnum of Champagne. At 1500ml, when a standard bottle is only 750ml, a Magnum definitely makes an impression. Champagne, however, is also served in much larger bottles, with some exotic names to match the larger-than-life sizes.

To help you impress your friends, here’s The Champagne Cellar Rough Guide to Champagne:

Champagne is sold in eleven different bottle sizes:
Huitieme: eighth bottle and barely a glass full.
Quart: as served by airlines.
Demi Bouteille: half bottle (about 3 glasses).
Standard: 750ml bottle (about 5 glasses).
Magnum: double bottle size (about 10 glasses).
Jeroboam: equivalent to four bottles
(as sprayed at end of F1 Grands Prix)
(about 20 glasses).
Rehoboam: equivalent to six bottles
(about 30 glasses).
Mathusalem: eight bottles
(about 40 glasses).
Salmanazar: twelve bottles
(about 60 glasses).
Balthazar: sixteen bottles
(about 80 glasses).
Nebuchodonesor: twenty bottles
(about 100 glasses).

N/V stands for non-vintage.

Vintage means that 80 per cent of the contents came from grapes harvested in a declared Vintage year.

Soil in which grapes are planted is classified into three categories: the best is referred to as Grande Cru, next best is Premier Cru and the rest, including that which has not been submitted for classification, as Autres Cru.

There are some 9000 registered Champagne producers, most of whom supply within the industry only. About 3000 produce Champagne under their own label. The largest producers, 24 of them, call themselves the Grande Marques. Most are well known in this country, others less so.

Every Champagne bottle has a dimple in the bottom. This is to allow bottles to be stacked, and allows the cellarman turn the bottles during fermentation.

There is no Appelation Controlée in Champagne — the industry is considered to be well governed by its own regulatory authority that it is not necessary.

Only three grape varieties can be used in Champagne — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meuniere. The latter has never been grown successfully anywhere in the world outside the Champagne region.

Champagne is ready to drink when it is released from the suppliers and does not improve with age. Non-vintage Champagne has a shelf life of two to three years if stored in a cool dark place and on its side.