Which wine - Champagne

As the festive season is fast approaching, add a touch of extravagance and choose Champagne to accompany your meal. I know what your thinking, “But what can I possibly pair Champagne with”.

Champagnes are very much more versatile and easier to pair with food than many wines. In fact they beautifully compliment a far wider array of food. This is because Champagne is a blend of robust Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties, and the blend ranges can extend from the almost sickly sweet Demi-Sec's to the more usual, and commonly found drier Brut variants.

If you are starting a meal with mushrooms or a mushroom pate, there are few wines that compliment your food better. Soft creamy cheeses such as brie or chevre which is produced from goats milk, are wonderful with champagne.

There are several sweet champagnes on the market and with certain desserts they can provide a splendid finish to a meal. The classic combination is champagne and strawberries. Try it also with shortbreads and sorbets. Champagne can of course be used to make sorbet! So why not eat it at the end of your meal instead!

But if you are not hungry, then just pop the cork, sit back and enjoy one of France's best known wines.