Cocktails and Champagnes,
a winning combination.

Cocktail parties are moments of leisurely conviviality, often designed to whet the appetite before lunch and dinner. For that reason, no matter how many snacks you choose to serve, they must always be light. Champagnes are perfect apéritifs but it is important to know which Champagnes and what foods to serve with them.

Fresh, lively, invigorating Champagnes of the Spirit are ideal for the occasion: Blancs de blancs Champagnes, those based on Chardonnay grapes and non- vintage Brut Champagnes. They offer a particular combination of freshness and succulence, vivifying lightness of texture, fruity delicacy and zest of citrus. They tantalise the taste buds without "overloading" the sense of taste.

Ideal appetizers

The best appetisers are fresh-tasting "nibbles" that match the qualities of the Champagnes:
• Lightly smoked fish (salmon, trout, eel) potted or "en rillete", on canapés, steamed or marinated and served on miniature skewers or cocktail sticks (bass, sea bream, salmon), blinis of taramasalata, trout or salmon eggs.
• Shellfish (mussels, cockles, periwinkles) and pan- fried shrimps with just a little salt.
• Crudités (cherry tomatoes, radishes), vegetables in tempura (Japanese fritters) or on sticks (carrots, celery, chicory) served with a dip based on fresh cream cheese or yoghurt flavoured with just a touch of chives, tarragon, parsley, mint.
• Light, traditional gougères (cheese chou-pastry puffs).

Rosé Champagnes are also delicious as an aperitif, particularly rosé Champagnes of the spirit whose soft, silky textures and fresh, discreet aromas express the predominance of the Chardonnay grape.

Ideal appetizers

• Foie gras on canapés of gingerbread, cocktail sticks of ham on the bone and pineapple, prunes with bacon.
• Vegetables marinated oriental style, mini, mildly spicy Caribbean black sausages.
• Crudités and fruit also make ideal appetizers, particularly for anyone watching their weight. Try crudités with a paprika dip, slices of fruit (Cavaillon melon, mango, vine peaches) or whole fruit (strawberries, cherries, raspberries).

Rosé Champagnes of the Heart, mainly based on Pinot, combine gorgeous structure on the palate with a roundness, smoothness and characteristic "mellowness" that are the very quintessence of fruit.

Winning combinations

• Slivers of Serrano ham with melon or figs.
• An assortment of breads: white, black, olive, walnut, five grain or bacon.
• Cheese cubes: comté, parmesan or shavings of aged mimolette, cocktail sticks of gruyère and cherry tomatoes or cantal and grapes.

Combinations to be avoided

Many of the snacks traditionally served with the aperitif - peanuts, roasted almonds and other nuts, olives, crisps and other nibbles with strong flavours - are too salty, smoky or greasy to do justice to the subtle, delicate bouquet of Champagnes.

A suggestion

If the cocktail party is a fairly large occasion, why not open several different Champagnes and allow your guests to discover more winning combinations of Champagne wines and selected foods.