Champagne and French Fries Day Date in the current year: January 10, 2024

Champagne is the world’s oldest and most famous sparkling wine. Originally created by mistake and looked down upon by winemakers because bubbles in the wine were considered a fault, it became popular among nobility in the 18th century. The modern Champagne wine industry emerged in the 19th century due to the invention of the so-called traditional method (méthode champenoise) of Champagne production.

Sparkling wines are made in many wine-producing regions around the globe, but only sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of France from permitted grape varieties using the Champagne method can be called Champagne. It comes in several styles depending on sweetness: Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Sec (extra dry), Sec (dry), Demi-Sec (semi-sweet), and Doux (sweet). Extra Brut is the most acidic style of champagne, whereas Doux is the sweetest.

Brut is the most popular style of Champagne. It is a dry wine (0–12 grams of sugar per liter) with high acidity. The sweetness in Brut is barely noticeable, but it is still able to balance the high acidity of the wine. Unlike Extra Brut, Champagne Brut does not taste bone dry.

Some people think that Champagne pairs well with desserts, but this is actually true only for sweet Champagne. Sweet foods will make Brut taste even more acidic and overwhelm its delicate flavor. It may surprise you, but Champagne Brut actually pairs well with deep-fried dishes because the acidity in the wine and the fat in the food balance each other out. Try pairing Champagne Brut with deep-fried chicken, tempura shrimp, crab cakes, crispy spring rolls, or French fries. The pairing of Champagne and fries even has a holiday dedicated to it!

Champagne and French Fries Day was created by Anna Maria Kambourakis, a certified sommelier, owner of Chania Wine Tours, and author of the wine blog Unraveling Wine. A big fan of this combination, she started the holiday with her friend Kleopatra Bright. Champagne and French Fries Day is celebrated on January 10 because it is Anna Maria’s birthday.

The best way to celebrate this amazing holiday is, of course, to pop open a bottle of Champagne, make or order some French fries, and enjoy their delicious combination. You can substitute Prosecco, Cava, Sekt, or any other dry sparkling wine for Champagne, and potato chips for French fries. The acidity and effervescence in the wine will cut through the salt and fat in the fries or chips, making the combination taste delicious.

Don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #ChampagneAndFrenchFriesDay and #ChampagneAndFriesDay to let others know about this amazing holiday and encourage them to try the delicious combination of sparkling wine and fries.