From the moment when Dom Pérignon and the other monks in the 17th century knew how they could make the wines from the Marne sparkling and had the idea to mix the harvest from different plots in an district, the Champagne was ready the concur the world.

However, the wine houses had the courage and persistency to perfect the well know Méthode Champenoise and convince other parts of France and later the world, that their wines were unique and thus, irreplaceable.

De different cru's from the Marne and the Aube are made of 3 classical grape species: the chardonnay, de pinot noir and the pino meurnier, of which a classical wine is made first. After that the assemblage (the mixing) takes place, a specific feature of champagne. Even if there is only a small production of a single vineyard or even one plot, the maîtres de chai know how to combine the specific characteristics of the selective grapes, de vineyards and the vintages to create quality champagnes. The 'assemblage' is bottled en will undergo a second fermentation (in chalk cellars), that lasts several years.

Indications of Champagne is rather diverse, because every wine trader (there are well over 120 of them) has it's own style, bases an a long tradition. Brut without a year marking, champagnes with a year mark, prestige wines (mixtures of different harvests) and Rosé (colored pink by adding a tiny bit of red wine) champagnes are the main kinds of champagne.

For cocktails, a classical brand brut without a year will do quite well. Barkeepers use champagne for classics like the champagne cocktail, but are starting to use this festive drink in other cocktails as well, because it makes the cocktails more refined.

You can also use other sparkling wines like those from Loire, Alsace and Limoux in cocktails.