Winemakers Share Why You Should Be Drinking Champagne All Summer Long
Lighter, brighter, citrus-tinged: these well-chilled bottles are the thirst-quenching, food-pairing bubblies you’ll crave this summer.
“I drink Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it―unless I’m thirsty.”
― Lily Bollinger, (1899-1977), Bollinger Champagne
Madame Bollinger got it right,: there is never not a good time to drink Champagne. But there might be a better time to drink certain styles. The same way that your favorite full-bodied cab or syrah seems to taste better when there’s a chill in the air and crisp sauvignon blanc and vermentino are infinitely more crushable when the mercury rises, Champagne categories might have their seasons. So what’s most pop-worthy during these longer (and lazier) days?
Styles of Champagne for Summer
Brut Rosé
“The lighter style of our Brut Rosé [made with 40% chardonnay grapes] and Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru are easier to pair in [warm] weather as you will get a good expression of the wine even by drinking them quite cold,” says Mathieu Roland-Billecart, CEO and seventh generation family member of Champagne Billecart-Salmon. Admittedly, he drinks Champagne nearly every day of the year; however, he does believe these cuvées may be better suited to warm sunshine, outdoor pursuits and the ingredients and cuisine we’re craving right now.
The house’s signature cold fermentation technique, he says, lends freshness to all expressions and is especially fitting when you want something ultra refreshing in your glass. “Enjoy a Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru cuvée by the ocean eating seafood, since it has great freshness and salinity,” he says. Keep in mind if you are selecting a vintage bottle that wines from some years show more acidity than others, he says.
Blanc de Blancs
Blanc de Blancs can indeed be the perfect accompaniment to flip flops and floppy hats, says Cristian Rimoldi, export director for Champagne Delamotte. This style is among the freshest, subtlest and most elegant, offering aromas of green apple, citrus and white flowers, a crisp and elegant palate, lively acidity and a precise, saline-flecked finish. Rimoldi especially cites expressions from Côte des Blancs, where “the chalky soil and the vineyard’s environment give the grapes an exceptional mineral character.” He recommends sipping Blanc de Blancs as a summer aperitif alongside spicy ceviche or crunchy pink radishes dipped in fleur de sel.
The Blanc de Blancs from Champagne Henriot offers “freshness, citrus aromas with a touch of minerality and great complexity and velvety texture on the palate,” according to cellarmaster Alice Tétienne, and goes perfectly with sea scallops carpaccio or freshly-shucked oysters squirted with lemon. She credits the sourcing and location of the house’s crus as having a more meaningful impact than grapes or production technique.
Piscine Champagne
Designed to be served over ice, some Champagne houses have actually created expressions designed with warmer temps in mind. Pommery Spring Rosé is made with 100% chardonnay, has fine bubbles, a pale pink hue and notes of raspberry and strawberry. “A rosé is always a magnificent choice as an aperitif or with dessert,” says winemaker Clement Pierlot.
Pommery has also gotten into the game of a trendier style of Champagne that’s definitely at home at pool parties, beach outings and backyard barbecues. Newer, sweeter and less cerebral, “la piscine” Champagne hit the scene a few years ago, with bottles including Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial and Veuve Clicquot Champagne Rich showing up on shelves and swim-up bar menus. (The name is the French word for pool, which should give you inspiration to grab that insulated tumbler and give #roseallday the day off.) Pommery’s version of la piscine is called Royal Blue Sky. “It is demi-sec and served with ice cubes in a large glass--really refreshing and the way to get the party started,” touts Pierlot.
Bottles to Try:
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé $85
A blend of all three permitted grapes and vinified as a red wine, this Champagne is pale pink in the glass with aromas of red berries and citrus fruits and a light, elegant palate of raspberry.
Champagne Delamotte Blanc de Blancs $90.99
Made from Grand Cru Chardonnay and vinified in stainless steel, this expression has four years of maturation on the lees, resulting in a mineral-driven and elegant Champagne with lively acidity balanced with just enough body and structure.
Champagne Henriot Blanc de Blancs $68
Delicate citrus and white peach on the nose is followed by lemon and buttery brioche on the palate and a minerally, fresh finish.
Pommery Royal Blue Sky $62.99
A demi-sec style meant to be served in a large glass over ice, with notes of dried figs and dried almonds and flavor of ripe mangoes, bitter orange jam and hints of vermouth