Have you tried Etienne Dumont Champagne? If you live in the UK and buy your Champagne and sparkling wine at the supermarket, the name probably rings a bell. It’s not exactly Ruinart or Dom Pérignon, but Etienne Dumont Champagne is a decent bottle of bubbly, usually at a pretty acceptable price. It’s not a bad bottle, but you can do better.
Let’s learn a little more about Etienne Dumont, and then look at three ways to step up your Champagne game, shall we?
About Etienne Dumont Champagne
If you’re not familiar with it, here’s the deal: Etienne Dumont Champagne is a non-vintage Brut Champagne. It is produced by Maison Burtin in Epernay, a town in Champagne.
Champagnes like this are not intended for the luxury market like Cristal. No, these are more in the style of “own brands” for supermarkets and wine stores. More important than brand recognition is that they have a consistent (good) taste and can be sold at relatively low prices. Etienne Dumont Champagne ticks both boxes.
Tasting Etienne Dumont Champagne
The plus side of sparkling wines like Etienne Dumont is that you know what you’re getting, and the price is usually right. On the downside, that consistent taste is usually on the blander side. It tastes how Champagne “should” taste, rather than reflecting the particular terroir of a Grand Cru Champagne village or a distinctive house style. It doesn’t taste bad – far from it – but it’s not the most exciting thing you’ll ever drink.
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Sight:
Clean, light gold colour with nice racy bubbles. It looks the part, for sure.
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Smell:
Citrus fruits dominate, with a little bit of yeast too.
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Taste:
In the mouth, this is quite round and creamy. You’ve got citrus again, and some bready notes. A textbook Brut Champagne.
There’s nothing wrong with you wanting to buy Etienne Dumont Champagne or other supermarket wines. If that’s your thing, go for it. Some wine snobs may turn their nose up at the idea, but who cares?
What you can do, however, is step your Champagne game up with our three top tips.
3 top tips for enjoying Champagne
Whether you’ve got a bottle of Etienne Dumont or an old vintage of Krug Clos du Mesnil, there are little ways that you can enhance your Champagne experience. You don’t always need to spend a fortune on your Champagne to enjoy it like a king or queen!
1. Temperature is everything
Serving Champagne at the right temperature makes all the difference. Champagne – and most sparkling wines – are at their best when served well chilled, between 6°C and 10°C. This will take your bottle down to around 10°C within half an hour.
2. Sabre your Champagne (it’s classier)
It may seem a little over the top, particularly for an inexpensive bottle like Etienne Dumont Champagne, but sabrage is undeniably a cool-looking way to open your bottle of bubbly. It’s not easy, and it’s very dangerous, but it looks good. Best not to try this at home, though and leave it to a professional.
3. Champagne and food pairing
Pairing sparkling wine and food can be a lot of fun. Far from being just an appetiser, dry Champagne like Etienne Dumont can pair well with a surprisingly wide range of foods. The acidity in the wine is your friend, opening up a lot of possibilities. Perhaps the classic pairing is Champagne and oysters, though virtually any seafood will work well. For us, Champagne and sushi is a seriously underrated pairing!
Do you have any Champagne tips to share with us? Leave a comment below!
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