Basics
Champagne is a sparkling wine, a unique sparkling wine. Through legal definition enforced by regulations, to be a true champagne, the sparkling wine must come exclusively from the porous, chalky soil of the Champagne region of northeastern France. There are some American producers who are allowed to generically keep the use of the word "champagne" on their labels if they were using the term before early 2006. Bubbly wines from other regions may be sold under such names as Cava (Spain's sparkling wine) or Spumante (Italy's sparkling wine).
Champagne starts with grapes (white Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier) harvested, pressed, and allowed to undergo a primary fermentation. The acidic results of this process are then blended and bottled with yeast and sugar to undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle. This secondary fermentation gives champagne its bubbles. The bottles are then stored horizontally for 15 months or more.
After this aging, the bottles are turned upside down to settle. Then producers open the bottles to remove the yeast, add a bit of sugar to determine the sweetness of the champagne, and slip a cork onto the bottle. Brut describes how much sugar went into the bottle. Extra brut has less than six grams of sugar per liter added, while brut contains less than 15 grams of additional sugar per liter.
Most of the champagne produced today is non-vintage, called non-vintage because it is blended from several different grape vintages rather than from a single harvest. A vintage champagne is one in which all grapes used have been harvested from a single year.
The primary types of Champagne include Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and Rosé.
Blanc de blanc is white champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes to give a light, dry taste often used as an apértif or as part of a first course to dinner with seafood and soup.
Blanc de noirs are white champagnes that are full-bodied to go well with meats and cheeses. They are from the black grape varieties of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meurier which give the blanc de noir its rich yellow golden color.
Pink or rosé champagnes are produced by one of two methods. The traditional method involves the addition of a small amount of Pinot Noir
still wine to the base wine prior to the second fermentation. The other method, not as common, is to press the grape skins and allow them to soak with the juice of the grapes prior to fermentation.
The pink champagne's color has earned it the most romantic of reputations, loved by the Victorians and the Edwardians. It pairs well with lobster, salmon, shrimp, and chocolate. With strawberries, it makes a wonderful breakfast champagne.
How Much Champagne Should One Drink?
Although a glass of sparkling wine now and then may be good for one's health, the whole bottle is not. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that drinking one drink or less per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men can be helpful in promoting health.
See: http://www.examiner.com/x-32993-Yakima-Healthy-Foods-Examiner~y2009m12d25-A-Toast-to-Champagne
Health Possibilities
Champagne starts with grapes (white Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier) harvested, pressed, and allowed to undergo a primary fermentation. The acidic results of this process are then blended and bottled with yeast and sugar to undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle. This secondary fermentation gives champagne its bubbles. The bottles are then stored horizontally for 15 months or more.
After this aging, the bottles are turned upside down to settle. Then producers open the bottles to remove the yeast, add a bit of sugar to determine the sweetness of the champagne, and slip a cork onto the bottle. Brut describes how much sugar went into the bottle. Extra brut has less than six grams of sugar per liter added, while brut contains less than 15 grams of additional sugar per liter.
Most of the champagne produced today is non-vintage, called non-vintage because it is blended from several different grape vintages rather than from a single harvest. A vintage champagne is one in which all grapes used have been harvested from a single year.
The primary types of Champagne include Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and Rosé.
Blanc de blanc is white champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes to give a light, dry taste often used as an apértif or as part of a first course to dinner with seafood and soup.
Blanc de noirs are white champagnes that are full-bodied to go well with meats and cheeses. They are from the black grape varieties of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meurier which give the blanc de noir its rich yellow golden color.
Pink or rosé champagnes are produced by one of two methods. The traditional method involves the addition of a small amount of Pinot Noir
still wine to the base wine prior to the second fermentation. The other method, not as common, is to press the grape skins and allow them to soak with the juice of the grapes prior to fermentation.
The pink champagne's color has earned it the most romantic of reputations, loved by the Victorians and the Edwardians. It pairs well with lobster, salmon, shrimp, and chocolate. With strawberries, it makes a wonderful breakfast champagne.
How Much Champagne Should One Drink?
Although a glass of sparkling wine now and then may be good for one's health, the whole bottle is not. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that drinking one drink or less per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men can be helpful in promoting health.
See: http://www.examiner.com/x-32993-Yakima-Healthy-Foods-Examiner~y2009m12d25-A-Toast-to-Champagne
Health Possibilities
In addition to containing trace minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, and lithium, sparkling wines contain polyphenol antioxidants, which are believed to reduce the effects of cell-damaging free radicals in the body by slowing down the removal of nitric oxide from the blood. Nitric acid is a compound that relaxes blood vessels which in turn lowers blood pressure. Champagne may also be capable of reducing levels of substances in the body known to cause the buildup of arterial plaque which then may reduce the risk of arterial disease.
Aside from the beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels to possibly help in the reduction of strokes and heart disease, champagne appears to offer a protective benefit to the brain. According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, April 2007, champagne protects against brain injuries that occur during a stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other ailments.
Scientists did studies on how the brain cells reacted to the presence of peroxynitrite, which is a reactive compound found in the brain during inflammatory conditions. It was found that the pretreatment with champagne wine extracts resulted in significant protection against neurotoxicity.
It is believed that the high amount of the antioxidant polyphenols in sparkling wine helps prevent deterioration and death of brain cells due to oxidative stress. Previous research found champagne to contain high amounts of other types of beneficial phenolic compounds such as tyrosol and caffeic acid. These anti-inflammatory substances may help to normalize the cells’ response to injury while helping to clean up and remove hazardous chemicals from the body.
Champagne extracts seem to protect neuron cells in numerous ways, noting that in a research sample with the highest concentration of sparkling wine, brain-cell function was completely restored over time. The polyphenols in sparkling wine are also able to cross the blood-brain barrier and may therefore give benefits to the human central nervous system; but more study in this area is still needed before a definite conclusion can be made. It bodes well for the future that scientists are showing an interest in doing more research.
Perhaps this coming year will show a definite breakthrough in scientific knowledge. In any event, Enjoy! and Happy New Year!
See: http://www.examiner.com/x-32993-Yakima-Healthy-Foods-Examiner~y2009m12d25-A-Toast-to-Champagne
Aside from the beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels to possibly help in the reduction of strokes and heart disease, champagne appears to offer a protective benefit to the brain. According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, April 2007, champagne protects against brain injuries that occur during a stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other ailments.
Scientists did studies on how the brain cells reacted to the presence of peroxynitrite, which is a reactive compound found in the brain during inflammatory conditions. It was found that the pretreatment with champagne wine extracts resulted in significant protection against neurotoxicity.
It is believed that the high amount of the antioxidant polyphenols in sparkling wine helps prevent deterioration and death of brain cells due to oxidative stress. Previous research found champagne to contain high amounts of other types of beneficial phenolic compounds such as tyrosol and caffeic acid. These anti-inflammatory substances may help to normalize the cells’ response to injury while helping to clean up and remove hazardous chemicals from the body.
Champagne extracts seem to protect neuron cells in numerous ways, noting that in a research sample with the highest concentration of sparkling wine, brain-cell function was completely restored over time. The polyphenols in sparkling wine are also able to cross the blood-brain barrier and may therefore give benefits to the human central nervous system; but more study in this area is still needed before a definite conclusion can be made. It bodes well for the future that scientists are showing an interest in doing more research.
Perhaps this coming year will show a definite breakthrough in scientific knowledge. In any event, Enjoy! and Happy New Year!
See: http://www.examiner.com/x-32993-Yakima-Healthy-Foods-Examiner~y2009m12d25-A-Toast-to-Champagne
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