Champagne is a wine-producing region in the far north of France, near Paris, where the signature sparkling white wine is produced. Though the term champagne is sometimes used as a generic description of sparkling white wines in the style of the wines of Champagne, this is an incorrect usage, and the term sparkling white should be used instead. To produce the bubbles in Champagne, a technique referred to as the methode traditionnelle or traditional method is used. In this method, the base wine which will become Champagne is bottled with a small amount of yeast and sugar to trigger a second stage of fermentation in the wine. This fermentation gives off some gas within the bottle, which acts as carbonation.

Since this process leaves a bit of sediment in the bottle, and Champagne is traditionally a clear wine, the sediment is shaken into the neck of the bottle, frozen, and removed in a lump. This extra bit is then replaced with a bit of wine, and often some sugar – collectively known as the dosage. Champagne is made drier by not adding sugar during this process, in which case it is labeled extra Brut.

Champagne is produced as a blend between the Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. The amount of each of these grapes differs from shipper to shipper, and some Champagne – such as blanc de blancs or blanc de noir – uses only Chardonnay grapes or only Pinot Noir grapes. There are three primary levels of quality within any given Champagne shipper. Non-vintage Champagne uses grapes blended from a number of years, vintage Champagne uses all grapes from one specific year, and prestige cuvée Champagne uses all grapes from one specific year, from the first pressing, and has aged for a longer period of time. Not every year produces either vintage or prestige varieties, though recently about one-in-three years have done so.

Champagne is designed be drunk upon purchase, and in nearly all cases is not meant to be collectible. A non-vintage Champagne will begin losing quality within only three or four years, while prestige Champagnes may last up to fifteen years without degrading. Champagne is normally drunk from either a flute or tulip glass, both of which are skinny and tall. This shape allows the scents of the Champagne to reach their full potential, and helps the bubbles last for longer than in flatter, larger-bowled glasses.

The bubbles in Champagne offer a wonderful opportunity to evaluate the wine by sight. A good Champagne should have the tiniest bubbles possible, and they should last for longer than seems possible. Sparkling wines from other parts of the world – especially those which artificially add carbonation or use tank methods to create bubbling – have much larger bubbles, and the wine will go flat much more quickly than true Champagne.

Champagne can range in texture and style greatly, depending on the mix of grapes used, the dosage of the Champagne, and the shipper who produced it. There are extremely light Champagnes, such as those produced by Lanson, and Champagnes which are as full as one could wish for, most notably those of Krug and Bollinger. There are over a hundred different producers of Champagne in France, and each produces its own unique style of wine, ensuring that for nearly any occasion or dish, there is an ideal match.