Champagne – “The Perfect Drink for Life”

by | May 6, 2024 | Guest Service, Wine | 0 comments

Champagne: The Premier Celebration Drink and Its Role in Luxury Yachting

“Champagne is one of the elegant extras in life.” – Charles Dickens.

Charles Dickens sure knew how to paint a vivid picture of life’s finer things, didn’t he? Champagne, oh, it’s like a bubbly embodiment of celebration and elegance!

Now, as someone who navigates the high seas as a superyacht stewardess, you’re practically a connoisseur of champagne, right? But have you ever wondered about its origins and the magic behind its fabulous qualities? Let’s dive in and explore the fascinating world of champagne together!

Champagne – “The Perfect Drink for Life”

Champagne, affectionately known as bubbly, champers, fizz, or sparkling wine, originates from the storied Champagne region in France, situated about 160 kilometres northeast of Paris. This effervescent wine has been a staple of celebrations since the 17th century, crafted by monks who pioneered many of its signature production techniques.

Champagne Region France. the Stewardess Bible

Today, Champagne reigns as the drink of choice for myriad celebratory events. Whether you’re welcoming charter guests aboard a superyacht, celebrating a significant achievement, or ringing in the New Year, it’s likely that Champagne will feature prominently. Often considered France’s societal lubricant, Champagne serves as a delightful icebreaker that enhances the social atmosphere.

Understanding Champagne’s Unique Qualities

It’s important to note that while all Champagne is sparkling wine, not all sparkling wines are Champagne.

Other sparkling wines like Prosecco, Lambrusco, Cava, and Sekt are produced using different methods. This article focuses on the traditional Champagne-making process, known as Methode Champenoise, exclusive to the Champagne region. In 2015, UNESCO recognized the area’s winemaking techniques by listing it as a prestigious heritage site.

Humble Beginnings

Champagne production begins with the meticulous hand-harvesting of grapes—primarily Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier—ensuring optimal ripeness and sugar-to-acidity balance. The blending of these grapes, a skill finely honed by Champagne makers, results in the beverage’s signature effervescence and elegance.

Post-harvest, the grapes undergo careful sorting and pressing in pneumatic basket presses, allowing for juice extraction without crushing the skins. This method adheres strictly to the appellation’s production quotas.

The Champagne Production Process

The juice is then transferred to large vats, where the best portions are separated for the premium Champagne range. This initial stage is followed by fermentation, akin to traditional white wine processes, utilizing natural yeast and sugar. The second fermentation, which distinguishes Champagne from other sparkling wines, occurs in the bottle. This method is labour-intensive but essential for developing the wine’s complex flavours and carbonated texture.

Champagne must age for at least 15 months before it can be sold; vintage varieties require at least 36 months. These ageing requirements help develop the depth and flavours that make Champagne so unique.

Selecting the right Champagne

The process of selecting the appropriate Champagne can often be a formidable task, given the highly subjective nature of taste. However, for superyacht stewardesses, it is of paramount importance to maintain a stock of versatile Champagne selections.

A thorough understanding of the nuances of Champagne is essential in this regard, as it enables stewardesses to offer a diverse array of options that cater to different preferences. Moreover, it is imperative to ensure that the Champagne selection meets the highest quality standards, and that it is stored and served under optimal conditions.

Recommended brands include:

  • The Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label is an excellent choice for those seeking a popular and affordable champagne
  • Taittinger Brut Champagne is the perfect pairing for oysters, providing an exquisite taste that is sure to impress
  • And don’t forget to get some Cristal Brut Champagne to impress your most distinguished guests.

Proper Storage and Serving

Champagne, like other wines, is sensitive to movement, light, and temperature. It should be stored away from direct sunlight and in a dark, stable environment. Though refrigeration is not ideal for long-term storage, chilling Champagne in the fridge for three hours or in an ice bucket for thirty minutes before serving can bring it to the perfect temperature of 10-12°C (50-53.6°F).

Conclusion

As a superyacht stewardess, understanding and appreciating the intricacies of Champagne not only enhances the guest experience but also enriches your knowledge of one of the world’s most celebrated beverages. Whether for a special occasion or just-in-case moments, having the right Champagne on board is sure to elevate any celebration.

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Toast to life’s unforgettable moments in style with champagne, the perfect drink that adds an elegant and sophisticated touch to any celebration, especially on a luxurious yacht…

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Wine Basics for The Superyacht Stewardess

by | Aug 1, 2019 | Wine | 0 comments

Wine Basics for The Superyacht Stewardess. This is one of those subjects that is very involved and requires a lot of training to master. In fact, it takes years to become a master sommelier.

As a superyacht stewardess, you do not need to go to such lengths, however, you are required to have a good foundation on this topic. Furthermore,  learning the basics of wine cannot only help you select the best wines for your guests to enjoy, but it will also help you improve your taste preferences.

With many types of wines to purchase and serve, it can become quite confusing to understand the best wines to choose and how to read a wine label properly.  The following article just scratches the surface of this vast subject.

Please comment below if you would like to see more content like this.

How is Wine Made

Wine-making begins with grapes on the vine. Grapes must be properly ripe before they are picked for wine. Overly-ripe grapes or grapes that are not ripe enough will cause the taste of the wine to suffer.

The quality of the grapes is essential for the best-tasting wine because they are the foundation for the beverage.

  • Grapes can be hand-picked off the vine or machine harvested
  • Once the grapes arrive at the winery, the grapes are sorted through
  • Any rotten grapes are removed
  • Stems are then removed from the grapes, and then the grapes are crushed slightly.

White and red wines differ in how they are made. White wines are pressed, which separates the juice from the skins. The process is performed before the grapes are fermented.

Red wines get fermented in their skins. During the fermentation period, grapes are hand mixed to extract the juices and to prevent bacteria from growing. After the grapes have finished fermenting, the red wines are moved to barrels where they will complete maturation.

Wine Basics for The Superyacht Stewardess

Wine Grape Variations

There are numerous types of grapes that can be used to make wine. The different varieties of grapes used will alter the flavour of the wine. The thousands of grape varieties make it possible to experiment with flavours to create a wide range of wines with distinct flavours.

It’s important to understand the characteristics of many of the popular grapes used to wine to get a better idea of how they will affect the overall taste of the wine. Learning about what types of grapes yield the best white or red wine is crucial when it comes to wine-making.

Popular White Wine Grapes

  • Chardonnay is a classic variety of grape used to create white Burgundies. It’s one of the most popular types of grapes used to make Champagne.
  • Muscadine is another white wine grape variety, and it’s grown primarily in the southeastern United States and Mexico. It produces grapey-tasting flavour and is commonly known for its use in the Tokay.
  • Chenin Blanc is another popular white wine grape variety. It features good acid levels, thin skin, and natural sugar content that is high. It’s used in Pinot Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Muscadet wines.
  • Malvasia is a grape variety that produces wines that can have numerous tastes. Wines made from these grapes can have sweet flavours to flavours that are exceptionally dry.

Popular Red Wine Grapes

  • Merlot is a grape variety that ripens early. It produces red wines that feature flavours of cherry, toffee, and plum. Nebbiolo is another popular red wine grape variety and is a grape that ripens late. It features prune, chocolaty, and tannic characteristics.
  • The Nebbiolo grape variety is known to be difficult to grow.
  • Pinot Noir is an important grape variety used to make Burgundy wine. Wines made from these grapes feature strawberry, raspberry, and cherry aromas.
  • Gamay is the only red grape featured in Beaujolais wines. Flavours of wine made from this grape variety have been described as bubble gum and banana flavoured that eventually evolve into walnut, hazelnuts, and spice.

Bottle Variations

Bottle variations are a term used in wine to describe bottles of the same wine that feature different smells and tastes. The factors that could affect the taste and smell of the wine include the variation of the contents prior to packaging and any variation used in storage and distribution.

It could also have an impact on bottle variations in any differences in the packaging components and the product and packaging process. One of the most prominent factors that have an influence on wine bottle variation is the variable levels of oxygen exposure.

How Many Glasses of Wine are in a Bottle

When you buy a bottle of wine, it’s important to know how many glasses of wine you’ll be able to pour from one bottle. The size of the wine glass used determines the number of services you’ll get out of the bottle.

Most bottles of wine contain 25.4 fluid ounces. If you pour four-ounce servings of wine, you’ll get six servings per bottle of wine. If you pour five-ounce servings, you’ll get five servings of wine.

Wine Basics for The Superyacht Stewardess

The General Basics of Reading a Wine Label

Reading a wine label can be quite confusing. There’s a lot of information to take in before you can make a purchase. Learning how to read a wine label properly is important.

A wine label will feature:

  • The producer of the wine
  • Vintage or non-vintage
  • Region
  • Variety and ABV.

Note: The variety of appellation refers to the grape varieties used in the wine-making process. Vintage or non-vintage is the year the grapes were harvested. ABV stands for alcohol by volume.

Wine Basics – For The Superyacht Stewardess. For more like this buy your copy of The Stewardess Bible today