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The New Year and holidays are coming soon, which means that the business will not do without at least a bottle of champagne. Why is that?
Why, this is almost the main attribute of the New Year’s table of the post-Soviet space. Naturally, after Olivier and tangerines (they cannot be outdone).
Soviet champagne is a brand of sparkling wine that has been produced exclusively in the USSR using a special method since 1937. All distilleries in the USSR produced this champagne.
Naturally, among the common people, the concept of “Soviet champagne” has steadily taken root. To this day, in stores, I personally meet a similar “shampusik”, but what kind of drink is inside?
Is that same sparkling wine in bottles real and why can’t it be called champagne?
What is champagne
Champagne is considered to be sparkling wine made from certain grape varieties and according to a special method in the French province of Champagne.
Hence the champagne, derived from the name of the area where it is made.
Although in Russia the concept of champagne is used in speech in relation to all sparkling wines, this does not cancel the existing rules.
“Soviet champagne” on bottles can only be written in Russian. Why? And here is the paradox.
In 1997, Russia adopted international standards related to champagne. Now champagne can only be consumed if:
- the drink was produced in the province of Champagne (France);
- wine made from grapes – Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir or Chardonnay;
- wine is produced according to the technology of the Champagne region.
Of course, Soviet champagne is not produced in Champagne, and we do not even have a small factory for the production of that very drink.
But what really is the difference to the common man? What are these overseas laws to us, if we are so used to it and Soviet champagne is our symbol of the New Year.
How is champagne made?
Making champagne is a very painstaking process. The grapes from which they plan to make sparkling wine are harvested ahead of schedule.
The fact is that then it contains less sugar. This gives the drink the right taste.
Fermentation takes place in stainless steel barrels or tanks, where the sugar in the grape juice is converted into alcohol.
The resulting drink is called the base wine. It comes out very sour and unpleasant in taste.
Then there is a mixture of wines of different dates of production and different varieties. Then sugar and yeast are added to the mixture, and then bottled for further fermentation.
Real champagne must be aged for at least 15 months. In Champagne, all production is called the champagne method. In other countries, a different terminology is used for it – the traditional method.
In general, the production of champagne can be divided into the following stages:
- harvesting;
- pomace;
- fermentation;
- blending (mixing wines);
- secondary fermentation (bottled for fermentation);
- remuage (the bottle is turned upside down so that the sediment goes to the neck);
- aging (ideally 2 to 6 years, but not less than 15 months);
- disgorging (removing yeast sediment).
Of course, this is the ideal manufacturing technology. But modern producers (especially in Russia) have no time to wait so much time, so they create “bubbles” artificially – they simply carbonate the drink. At the same time, the production time for champagne takes very little time.
How Soviet champagne is made
Soviet champagne, like its analogue Russian champagne, can be made in various ways: classic, tank and continuous flow fermentation.
The entire production process takes less than a month. Bubbles during this time by no means will be able to form. Therefore, what you and I drink is just wine soda, comrades.
By the way, Soviet champagne is exported abroad. Only there, according to all norms of laws and decency, it is known as sparkling wine.
Alas, in stores today, in addition to not very high-quality “champagne”, you can also stumble upon a fake.
Of champagne, it contains only low-quality alcohol (alcohol most often) and dyes with sugar. How to shield yourself from a surrogate?
Buy champagne in trusted stores, well-known supermarket chains. It seems to me that there are less chances to buy low-quality alcohol.
Why Soviet champagne is not real
I often hear from the old-timers of the USSR: “There used to be sausage, here there used to be lemonade, here there used to be ice cream. And champagne used to be, exactly that Soviet, real.
No sparkling wines. Everyone knew that champagne in the USSR was the most delicious and authentic. What’s the champagne. Ugh, what are you doing?
My grandfather constantly says on New Year’s Eve that he needs to buy a bottle of Soviet champagne.
But then he makes a reservation: “This is no longer to be found. Even if they write anything on the bottles, the taste is not the same.” The era is not the same.
Soviet champagne is not hard to find, but it’s just a marketing ploy, a trademark. It is no different from Russian champagne and other sparkling wines. But neither by the method nor by the place of manufacture can it be related to champagne.
Although the era is gone, the memory remains in the form of traditions. Soviet champagne can be replaced with real champagne from France itself, the main thing is to celebrate the holiday with delight in your eyes and hope for a brighter future.
After all, we are creating an era, so let it be no worse than the previous one. And what kind of champagne, real or “Soviet” will be on your New Year’s table?
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health! Take care of yourself!