香槟和白兰地 – 比你想象的要“亲密”

译者： LauraTNG 原作者：blog.cognac-expert

发表时间：2015-09-24

翻译编辑：Laura TENG ([e-mail])

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当你结束一天的工作惬意地坐着品味你最爱的白兰地的时候，你有没有想过它与香槟是有着怎样的一种“闺蜜关系”？

一个很重要的一个概念需要区分：“香槟”。这个名词既可以指起泡酒也可以指生产白兰地的“大香槟”区和“小香槟”区。“香槟”这个词其实最早来自古老的拉丁语， 意为土地，之后才被法语所吸收。本篇就让我们来简明扼要地看一下这两种名酒之间的关联吧。

• 本是同根生

白兰地和香槟都以葡萄作原料。但是通常用来酿造白兰地的，只采用白葡萄，像Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc和Colombard, 而香槟酿造也可使用红葡萄品种，包括Pinot Noir，Pinot Meunier, 和Chardonnay. 但是不要因此觉得香槟的酒体呈近白色是不可思议的事，这只是同酿造工艺有关。

• 种植区的法定控制

白兰地和香槟产区都有着极其严格的制度规定。只有在法定白兰地产区生产的白兰地才能被称为Cognac; 同样，只有在五个法定香槟产区酿造的香槟才能被冠以Champagne的头衔。

香槟的五个法定产区分别为：The Aube, Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne, Cote des Blancs 和 Cote de Sezanne. 白兰地也有五个法定产区：Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Borderies 和 Bons Bois.

此外，白兰地和香槟也都面临着巨大的“盗版”风险，如同世界上其他品牌的抄袭现象，白兰地和香槟的生产厂商也都一直在为维护自身品牌的正统性而战斗着。

• 世界范围的遐迩闻名

白兰地和香槟不仅仅是名酒的类别，同时代表着奢侈和品位。几乎没有哪个国家的国民会不知晓。但也许有点令人惊讶的是，同为法国品牌形象的代言，白兰地多销往国外，而香槟则多为法国本土居民喜爱和消费。这一现象从近两年的经济危机里就可见一斑。期间，白兰地的销量基本稳定且呈上升势头，而香槟的销售却大幅受危机的影响。

• 品牌引领旅游业

香槟和白兰地在全球的知名度很自然的刺激了生产地的旅游业的繁荣。每年从世界各地都会赶来许多“闻酒识君子”的游客和旅行团。

不过，我们还是要带着这么一种偏爱地说，没有任何一款酒可以抵过一款优质的白兰地，不管是作为开胃酒，还是作为一天下来的“轻松剂”。

另外，随着白兰地调配鸡尾酒的兴起，现在一款鸡尾酒里同时品味到白兰地和香槟的机遇还是很多的，所以，笔者认为能连接它们共性的最核心的纽带还是几十年如一日对酿造工 艺的严格控制和传承以及一如既往对葡萄园的精心维护吧。这种核心的价值文化已经深深植入了这两种酒的每一滴酒液里。也正因此才使得我们在举杯时便有一种自然而生的喜悦和骄傲。

As you relax in a comfortable chair after a day’s work, sipping a glass of your favourite cognac, you’re probably not thinking too much about what it might have in common with the bubbling delight that is champagne.

But scratch between the surface ？of two of France’s most famous products, and it’s rather interesting to compare the two.

Firstly, it’s important not to confuse the word ‘champagne,’ when it’s referring to the sparkling wine, with the phrases ‘Grande Champagne’ and ‘Petite Champagne’ when talking about the regions of Cognac vineyards. In fact, the word champagne actually derives from an old Latin word describing terrain and the soil that became absorbed into the French language.

So, let’s take a look at some of the similarities between the two tipples.

• The same at heart

Both cognac and champagne are produced from the same product – grapes. However, whilst the grapes used to produce cognac are the white grapes, Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc and Colombard, champagne production also uses red/black grapes. These include the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier as well as the white grape, Chardonnay. Of course, most champagne is white in colour, and this is created during the manufacturing process.

In similarity with cognac, the region in which the grapes are grown have a strong bearing on the flavours and bouquet of the final drink produced. Many people have their favourites – both in cognacs and in champagnes.

• Strict growing areas

The areas in which cognac and champagne are produced are a legal requirement. Only grapes grown in the AOC defined cognac area have the privilege of being called cognac. In the same way, only grapes from the five delimited ‘champagne’ regions are allowed to be sold as champagne.

Cognac has five defined areas – Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Borderies and Bons Bois. Champagne also has five regions – The Aube, Montagne de Reims, Vallee de la Marne, Cote des Blancs and Cote de Sezanne.

Both cognac and champagne have the same battle on their hands that comes with success – in that there are always those who want to imitate and cash in on their names. Both have to exert constant vigilance on those who would attempt to use the exact words (cognac/champagne) or close derivatives to describe products that are most definitely not produced in these areas. There have been many legal battles over the years to prevent misinterpretation of this kind.

• Famous throughout the world

There’s probably not a country in the world that isn’t aware of the names of both cognac and champagne. Both are luxury products, and are viewed as such throughout the globe. However, it might surprise you to know that whilst the majority of cognac is exported to other countries, the majority of champagne produced is consumed in France. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that during the recent (and continuing) economic crisis, sales of cognac remained stable and then began to rise, whereas sales of champagne went down.

• Tourism grown around a brand

Both cognac and champagne are perhaps France’s most famous products. Because of this, a strong tourist trade has grown around both products. Visitors love to come to the region of Cognac to visit both the small and the large cognac houses, as well as to enjoy the beauty of the Charente countryside. And the same applies for the region of Champagne, with its great cities of Reims and Epernay.

We’re sure you’ll agree – and perhaps we’re just a little biased – that nothing can beat a good cognac, either as a digestif, or just a treat to unwind at the end of a hard day. However, with the fashion of now using cognac as an ingredient in many cocktails, it’s even possible to enjoy both cognac and champagne in the same glass.

And that probably comes down to the crux of both cognac and champagne, in that they’re both created by traditional methods and through knowledge that has been handed down across the decades to end up as a wonderful product produced purely for our enjoyment. And that’s something that we’ll happily raise a glass to.