Champagne: WineChap's guide to buying and tasting the bubbly stuff

Roll up, roll up, it's nearly National Champagne Week (Oct 1-7) which means we can all spend seven days taking baths in the stuff and generally hosting mass fizz celebrations. Well, we could if we all knew what was what. Here to help is a man named Tom Harrow who, as the founder of the blog WineChap and the wine director of Honest Grapes wine club, has a steadily growing fan base. Commentator, consultant and vineyard host, here he explains what we should be looking to get from our bubbles – and how to really pimp up a Pimm's.

What exactly is champagne?

A sparkling wine from the Champagne region, usually a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and quite often Pinot Meunier. Its origin is attributed to a monk, Dom Perignon, who unwittingly bottled wines that had not fully fermented and the resultant gas, trapped as bubbles, caused the corks to pop out and an exciting new style of wine to come in to being.

What do you look for in quality champagne?

Like all wines, balance and depth of flavours are key and, with champagne, a good integration between the mousse (bubbles) and the liquid. I avoid champagnes which are too acidic, hollow, or metallic.

Is it easy to spot proper champagne?

Yes, it’s very tightly regulated, with a number of producers using forms of ID codes to keep track of bottles. The Champenois jealously guard their brand identity. Anyone trying to cash in and make a cheap knock-off anywhere in the world is likely to get an early visit from the CIVC to deter them.

How easy is it to buy quality champagne in London?

It’s never been better. The UK has always been an important market for champagne and the capital is now awash with fabulous ones from all levels of producers to suit all tastes and budgets.

What is the best way the stuff?

With abandon! Stemware is very important with a number of producers creating their own glasses to best show off their champagne. The old-style “coupe” has fallen from favour (the bubbles and aromas escape too quickly) but also standard flutes are increasingly unpopular as they restrict the wine’s full character. Maggie Henriques, CEO of Krug, said the other day: “drinking from flutes is like listening to a concert in ear muffs”. A wider tulip-shaped wine glass is a safe bet or ideally Zalto’s specialist glass (£30 each) - and serve it at 7-8˚C after three hours in the fridge or 30 minutes in an ice bucket.

If I don't know anything about champagne, is there a good one to start with? And how much should I expect to pay?

Increasingly the supermarkets have good own labels around £20, whilst London’s independent merchants support some great smaller growers. Of the bigger names I’d recommend Taittinger for a well-priced versatile all-purpose champagne. Expect to pay £30 for a great entry level one and over £60 for the most memorable examples.