Only 48% of people know that champagne can only come from France! This shocks and horrifies me! Searcys Champagne Bar invited us to an evening of champagne tasting for National Champagne Week, an event that Searcys launched earlier this month. Although the week has been and gone, I would like to join Searcys in the campaign to raise the reputation of one of my favourite little glasses of fizz.
What do the British know about champagne?
It appears that we know very little about this little luxury. Searcys conducted a survey of 2000 Brits to determine their champagne knowledge and some of the results were rather surprising!
- Only 48% of people know that champagne can only come from France, and in the 18-24 year old group, only 38% know
- 17% drink champange on a weekly basis
- 10.8% of men drink champagne, which is surprisngly almost a third more than women
- 68% of us rate our champagne knowledge as below average
- 62% admitted they would’t be able to tell the difference between premium champagne and a low-cost brand
- 60% of 18-34 year olds are ost likely to drinnk champagne at a wedding
- 22% of men are likely to raise a glass to a new baby but only 13%
The drinks review
The first on our list was the Henri-Giraud Hommage Brut. I’m usually not the biggest fan of brut champagnes, I prefer something a little sweeter. However, this was pleasantly surprising and a good start to the tasting session. This tipple is perfect for those who usually find champagne a little to fizzy, this is light and refreshing and easy to drink.
Next in line was the Balfour Searcys Cuvee. This is actually isn’t a champagne as it’s made in the UK, which fits it into the sparkling wine category. This drink is perfect for a summer’s day or a Sunday treat. It’s fruity and tasty and an easy introduction to non-bubbly drinkers.
Finally, we tackled the Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut. This champagne is made with absolutely no sugar, so is not only ultra brut in taste but also ultra low in calories. So why not indulge a little more?
The food review
We were treated to an amazing plates of Searcys oysters, complete with a shallot vinaigrette and serve on a bed of crushed ice. I can’t say that I’ve tried oysters before and my friend that came with me doesn’t like them, but we both decided to give them a go in the name of an all-round review. We were pleasantly surprised! We both enjoyed the oysters, me with the vinaigrette and my friend just with lemon. Although I don’t have much to compare to, the oysters tasted like someone had just this minute scooped them out of the sea; salty, fresh and tangy.
5 champagne facts that you might not know
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According to the French, the whooshing sound when the cork is correctly removed is known as Le soupir amoureux or “lover’s sigh” - Crystal glasses are best for champagne as they have a rougher interior surface which causes more bubbles
- There are approximately 49 million bubbles in one bottle of champagne
- The pressure in a bottle of champagne is more than three times the pressure in a car tyre
- According to experts, if you can remove the wire in five and a half twists, you are about to open a top quality bottle of fizz
Contact details:
Searcys Champagne Bars
http://searcys.co.uk/
020 7101 0220