The Champagne Journal
Welcome to the Journal of Champagne Paul Laurent, a family champagne house founded in 1952 in Bethon, in the Côte de Sézanne. Here we share practical guides to help you choose, serve, store and enjoy champagne: how it is made, what the words on the label mean, which dishes to pair with each style and how to get the best from every bottle.
Whether you are discovering champagne or already know your Blanc de Blancs from your Brut Nature, these articles are written to be useful at the table. Each guide links to the cuvées of our range when they illustrate a point, so you can taste what you read. Start with the basics, how champagne is made and the grapes of Champagne, or jump straight to serving tips and food pairings.
Understanding champagne
How Champagne Is Made: The Traditional Method Step by Step
From hand harvest to disgorging: each step of the traditional method used to make champagne, including blending, second fermentation, riddling and dosage.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier: The Grapes of Champagne
The three champagne grapes explained: what Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier bring to a blend, the rare varieties and how to read a cuvée’s blend.
What Is Blanc de Blancs Champagne? A Guide to 100% Chardonnay Champagne
Blanc de Blancs champagne is made only from white grapes, usually Chardonnay. Learn how it tastes, how it is made, what to pair it with and how to serve it.
Rosé Champagne Explained: How It Is Made and When to Serve It
How is rosé champagne made, what does it taste like and what should you eat with it? Discover the blending and saignée methods and our tips for serving rosé.
Organic Champagne: What “Bio” Means From Vineyard to Glass
What makes a champagne organic? What certification means in the vineyard and cellar, how it differs from sustainable viticulture and how it tastes.
Non-Vintage vs Vintage Champagne: What Is the Difference?
What does non-vintage (NV) mean on a champagne label and how is vintage champagne different? Ageing rules, reserve wines, style and when to drink each.
Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature? Champagne Sweetness Levels Explained
What do Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Demi-Sec and Doux mean? A clear guide to champagne dosage, sugar levels per litre and how each style tastes.
The Côte de Sézanne: Discovering Champagne’s Southern Terroir
Discover the Côte de Sézanne, the southern Champagne area around Sézanne and Bethon: its soils, its Chardonnay, the style of its wines and what to see nearby.
Serving and enjoying champagne
How to Serve Champagne: Temperature, Glasses and Pouring Tips
The ideal champagne serving temperature, how long to chill a bottle, which glass to use and how to pour without losing the bubbles. A practical guide.
How to Open a Bottle of Champagne Safely and Elegantly
Open champagne the right way: chill the bottle, remove the foil and cage, twist the bottle, not the cork, and release it with a quiet sigh. Plus safety tips.
Champagne Food Pairing: Which Cuvée Goes With Which Dish?
Which food goes with champagne? Pairing ideas for Brut, Blanc de Blancs, rosé, Brut Nature and aged champagnes, from aperitif and seafood to cheese and dessert.
How to Store Champagne at Home and How Long It Keeps
Should champagne be stored lying down or standing up? Ideal temperature, light and humidity, how long unopened and opened champagne keeps, and common mistakes.
Champagne Bottle Sizes Explained: Half Bottle, Magnum and Beyond
From the 37.5 cl half bottle to the 1.5 L magnum and the Jeroboam: champagne bottle sizes, their names, how many glasses each serves and how to choose.
En français : l’histoire et le savoir-faire de la maison
Our historic French pages tell the story of the Gruet family and of champagne-making in the Côte de Sézanne.
- Histoire d’une maison familiale – L’histoire de la famille Gruet, de la fondation de la maison à Bethon en 1952 à la troisième génération.
- La Champagne – La région, ses paysages et son vignoble, au cœur des Coteaux du Sézannais.
- De la vigne au vin – Le travail de la vigne, les vendanges et l’élaboration du champagne, étape par étape.
- Trucs et astuces – Conseils pratiques pour conserver, servir et déguster le champagne.
From reading to tasting. Discover the seven cuvées crafted by the Gruet family on Our Champagnes, learn about our house or contact us to order.