The Complete Guide to Champagne Food Pairings

Champagne is often considered an aperitif, then set aside while dinner is served. In our view, that's a missed opportunity. The right Champagne paired with the right dish creates one of gastronomy's most elegant experiences, and understanding which styles work with which foods will elevate your entertaining forever.

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Why Champagne Is the Ultimate Food Wine

High acidity: Champagne's bright acidity cuts through rich, fatty foods and cleanses the palate.

Effervescence: Bubbles scrub away oils and refresh your taste buds, preparing them for the next mouthful.

Complexity: Secondary fermentation and extended lees ageing creates layers of flavour that can stand up to sophisticated dishes.

Versatility: Grower Champagne comes in all manner of styles so there is a bottle to pair with everything from delicate seafood to hearty roasts.

Which Style Suits Which Dish?

Blanc de Blancs: Elegance Meets Delicacy

Champagne made from Chardonnay grapes alone, particularly from its home in the Cote des Blancs, offers a lighter, more refined character with citrus notes, white flowers, and mineral precision.

Perfect Pairings for Blanc de Blancs

Oysters and shellfish: The classic pairing for good reason. Blanc de Blancs' crisp acidity and saline minerality echo the briny freshness of oysters, creating an almost symbiotic relationship. The wine's delicacy won't overpower the subtle sweetness of the oyster.

Sushi and sashimi: The clean, precise flavours of Blanc de Blancs complement fresh fish beautifully. Try it with yellowtail, sea bass, or scallop sashimi.

Lobster and crab: When served in the classic format – steamed with lemon and butter – these sweet shellfish find their ideal match in Chardonnay-based Champagne. The richness of lobster pairs beautifully with the wine’s acidity.

Light seafood pasta: Linguine with clams, spaghetti alle vongole, or a delicate prawn risotto all work well alongside Blanc de Blancs.

Blanquette de veau: This creamy French veal stew is a textbook pairing. The wine’s acidity cuts through the cream while its subtle fruit notes complement the tender veal.

Goat’s cheese: Fresh, tangy chèvre mirrors Blanc de Blancs' citrus notes and acidity. Perfect with a light salad for an elegant starter.

Pro tip: Choose younger, non-vintage Blanc de Blancs for lighter dishes and aged or vintage versions for richer seafood dishes.

Blanc de Noirs: Power and Richness

Champagne made entirely from either Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or a blend of both, creates Champagne with more body, structure, and often richer red fruit notes.

Perfect Pairings for Blanc de Noirs

Steak and red meat: Here's where Blanc de Noirs truly shines. The fuller body and subtle tannin structure can stand up to ribeye, sirloin, or a perfectly cooked filet mignon.

Roasted duck or game birds: Champagne cuts through the richness of duck, whilst the red fruit notes pair wonderfully well. Try it with duck à l'orange or roasted pheasant.

Lamb: Whether it's a herb-crusted rack, slow-roasted shoulder, or grilled chops, lamb and Blanc de Noirs share an affinity as the wine’s structure matches the meat’s intensity.

Truffle dishes: The earthy depth of black truffle finds a worthy partner in robust Blanc de Noirs. Shaved over pasta, risotto, or eggs – it’s a luxurious pairing for special occasions.

Mushroom-based dishes: Wild mushroom risotto, mushrooms on toast, or a hearty mushroom tart all benefit from the earthier character of Blanc de Noirs.

Pro tip: Some vignerons create lighter more finessed styles, whilst others aim for more robust examples. The sun drenched slopes of Bouzy, in the south of the Montagne de Reims, is renowned for the latter.

Rosé Champagne: Versatility in Pink

Champagne with a pink hue, achieved either by short skin contact with red grapes (saignée method) or by blending a small amount of still red wine into white Champagne can impart brighter berry flavours a slightly richer texture and – particularly for saignée rose – some tannin and red wine character.

Perfect Pairings for Rosé Champagne

Salmon and fatty fish: Rosé Champagne is salmon’s soulmate. Whether grilled, smoked, or served as gravlax, the wine’s berry notes and weight match the fish's richness perfectly.

Sushi (especially salmon and tuna): The pink colour isn't just aesthetically pleasing alongside sushi; the flavours genuinely complement each other. Rosé works beautifully with salmon nigiri and fatty tuna.

Charcuterie: A board of prosciutto, salami, and cured ham finds an ideal partner in rosé. The wine’s fruit and acidity balance the salt and fat.

Spicy Asian cuisine: Thai, Vietnamese, or mildly spicy Chinese dishes work surprisingly well with Rosé Champagne. The wine's subtle sweetness tames heat while its acidity refreshes the palate.

Summer salads: Caprese, or a Niçoise salad are great with rosé, and the freshness and fruit make it ideal for warm-weather eating.

Strawberries and red fruit desserts: A slightly sweeter style of rosé will work well with strawberries and cream, raspberry tart, or a simple bowl of fresh berries.

Barbecued foods: Grilled chicken, lamb kofta, or even a quality burger, when cooked on fire is a great pairing as the slight smokiness is balanced by the rosé.

Pro tip: For richer dishes look for deeper coloured rosé made with the ‘saignée method, while paler rosés, made by blending red wine into the cuvée, are a better match for lighter fare.

Vintage Champagne: Complexity Deserves Complexity

Champagne labelled as a ‘vintage’ is made entirely from grapes harvested in a single exceptional year, then must be aged for at least 3 years (more than twice as long as NV) before being released to market. The result is Champagne that develops complexity with secondary notes of brioche, honey and toast and (if it ages even longer) tertiary flavours of forest floor, mushroom and truffle.

Perfect Pairings for Vintage Champagne

Caviar: The ultimate luxury pairing. Vintage Champagne’s complexity and texture complement caviar’s briny richness. Serve with traditional blinis and crème fraîche.

Foie gras: Whether seared or as a terrine, foie gras deserves a wine with enough richness and acidity to match. Aged vintage Champagne delivers both.

Aged hard cheeses: Comté, aged Gruyère, or mature Parmigiano-Reggiano echo vintage Champagne's nutty, savoury notes.

Roasted poultry: A beautifully roasted chicken, or turkey – especially with traditional stuffing – provides a great base for vintage Champagne to shine.

Lobster thermidor: Rich, creamy and indulgent; this classic dish needs a wine with the structure and complexity to match.

Risotto: Whether with saffron, porcini mushrooms, or lobster, the creamy texture of risotto pairs beautifully with aged Champagne’s richness.

Pro tip: Don’t over-chill it! Allowing vintage Champagne to warm slightly (10-12°C rather than ice-cold) allows it to reveal its true complexity.

Quick Reference: Champagne Food Pairing Chart

Frequently Asked Questions About Champagne Food Pairings

What food goes best with Champagne?
The best food pairings depend on the Champagne style. Blanc de Blancs pairs beautifully with oysters and seafood, Blanc de Noirs works with red meat and duck, Rosé complements salmon and Asian cuisine, and Vintage Champagne suits rich dishes like foie gras and aged cheese.

Can you pair Champagne with steak?
Yes, absolutely. Choose a richer Blanc de Noirs Champagne – made from Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier grapes. Its fuller body and structure can stand up to the richness of a quality steak.

What Champagne goes with oysters?
Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay), especially younger styles from the Côte des Blancs, is the classic oyster pairing. Its high acidity, mineral notes, and delicate character complement the briny freshness of raw oysters perfectly.

Is Champagne good with spicy food?
Yes, particularly Rosé Champagne and slightly sweeter styles like Extra Dry. The wine’s fruit and acidity balance heat while refreshing the palate. Avoid very dry Brut Nature with spicy dishes though.

What’s the best Champagne for a dinner party?
For versatility across multiple courses, choose a quality non-vintage Brut. For a more curated experience, serve Blanc de Blancs with starters, Rosé or Blanc de Noirs with mains, and vintage or Demi-Sec with dessert.

Final thoughts...

The beauty of Champagne lies in its versatility. Once you understand which styles complement which dishes, you'll find yourself reaching for Champagne throughout the meal – not just for the toast.

If you want to further expand your knowledge, take a look at our guide to choosing Champagne, or dive in and pick a bottle or two from our extensive collection of grower Champagnes, each with detailed tasting notes to help you find the perfect pairing.