Brighton makes list of top Australian locales for Champagne drinkers
One Melbourne locale has toppled elite Sydney suburb Mosman from the list of top Champagne quaffers around Australia. See the top 10 spots where people most enjoy a glass of French fizz — and what brand they prefer.
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Brighton residents have splurged on more Champagne in the past year than any other suburb in Victoria.
And the beachside suburb has recorded the second-highest sales of French fizz in Australia, data shows.
Today is Global Champagne Day and the Leader can also reveal Moet & Chandon was the tipple of choice among Brighton Champagne lovers over the past 12 months.
The Sunshine Coast has claimed the top gong as home of the nation’s greatest number of Champagne sippers — according to data from wine retailer Cellarmasters — bumping the swanky Sydney suburb of Mosman off top spot.
St Ives on Sydney's’s upper north shore nabbed the third spot.
Williamstown, another harbourside Melbourne suburb, came in at number seven and Richmond at number eight.
While not revealing exactly how much champagne Brightonites consumed, Cellarmasters’ head of wine Joe Armstrong said demographics played a part in sales.
“What I noticed when living in the area is that it’s full of young professionals,” the former Brighton resident said.
“They know their wines, including the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine, and opt for the best.”
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Mr Armstrong said being by the water was also a factor.
“Brighton is a beautiful bayside community with trendy shopping and nice restaurants (and) like any coastal metropolitan suburb, it’s very affluent which is why an expensive taste in wine may not be that surprising,” he said.
October to January is prime Champagne swilling season according to the data, with sales soaring during the Spring Racing Carnival, summer holidays and Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Although often enjoyed on its own or with delicate foods like oysters, Cellarmasters cellar director Christine Ricketts said Champagne could easily be enjoyed with other cuisines.
“Most people are surprised to hear that Champagne is the world’s most food-friendly wine
thanks to its high level of acidity and varying levels of richness,” she said.
“You can match the right Champagne with almost anything — from French fries or steak to a scrumptious cheese platter.”
Although prosecco has been stealing the sparkling spotlight from Champagne in the past few years, Ms Ricketts said you couldn’t go past the French stuff for a true celebration.
“Even the cheapest bottle of Champagne has taken at least 15 months in the making, so it requires time, knowledge and finesse to create a bottle of Champagne,” she said.
The Champagne region in France has been producing wine for centuries, and the geographical limits were established in 1927, which means only sparkling wine from this region can be called Champagne.
There are also strict rules and regulations surrounding the process of making Champagne so not just anyone can make it, even if an estate is in the Champagne region.
TOP CHAMPAGNE SALES 2019
1. Sunshine Coast, QLD
2. Brighton, VIC
3. St Ives, NSW
4. Castle Hill, NSW
5. Mosman, NSW
6. Surry Hills, NSW
7. Williamstown, VIC
8. Richmond, VIC
9. Newtown, NSW
10. Baulkham Hills, NSW