🍷Imagine No More Foil Wrappers On Champagne!

By Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr

It may seem oxymoronic to call any revolution in France “petite,” yet that’s exactly what Champagne’s latest packaging tweak is being called.

After a two-year battle, Champagne producers have succeeded in ditching the mandatory foil that shrouds their corks. The European Union finally admitted that the foil didn’t enhance consumers’ enjoyment of popping open a bottle, so off with its head.

In truth, it did shape our impressions—those fiddly wrappers, charmingly dubbed by the French as “la coiffe,” are a genuine nuisance. You’ve probably tried to impress dinner guests with your opening prowess, only to be foiled by a wrapper with no discernible tear-tab.

The EU’s stubbornness collapsed once it realized the foil stood in the way of the industry’s goal to cut its carbon footprint by 15 percent—the foil accounts for roughly 0.06 percent of Champagne’s greenhouse gas emissions. The new rule is optional: producers may replace foil with staples, string or paper—none of which sound particularly elegant or reassuring.

Few, if any, French regions boast wine traditions as deep and vibrant as Champagne’s. In the 17th century, glass bottles routinely exploded en route to England. Mortified that their still wine seemed flawed, Benedictine monks were astonished when the British embraced the bubbles—and thus invented sturdier bottles to withstand 90 psi.

Even so, twine proved useless for restraining corks—until Adolphe Jacquesson introduced the wire cage, or muselet, in 1844, a device still in use today. Confident that the cork was secure, the French thought their work done—until an ugly wad of dead yeast sediment collected in the neck after the wine underwent a second fermentation. Who wanted to behold that murky mash? Hence, the tin foil was used to conceal it.

Once riddling and disgorgement eliminated sediment, the foil’s function vanished, yet it remained purely decorative—a package too sacred to tamper with, as sacrilegious as defrocking a monk.

As champagne drinkers, we’re delighted by the change—not just for the carbon savings but for one fewer frustration in getting bubbles into the glass. We’ve lost count of the times we’ve scoured for a tab to peel off that stubborn coiffe, only to resort to a knife or scissors—or faced a cork that refused to budge. Before discovering the Le Creuset Champagne Star Opener, we even used vise grips on those seemingly cemented stoppers. First-world problems, indeed.

France isn’t alone in seeking lower emissions and easier openings. Screw caps simplify life but demand substantial energy; by contrast, cork oaks are renewable. Perhaps more impactful is the push to lighten bottles. Outside Champagne, there’s no practical reason for heavy glass beyond suggesting a high price. Even more vital are sustainable farming, biodiversity, water conservation and other agronomic practices.

Champagne’s decision to make foil optional should encourage winemakers everywhere to consider similar measures. We’ve long wondered why producers elsewhere cling to neck capsules—mere decoration? They claim capsules fend off dust and mold and, apparently, cellar mice.  But we doubt any of that will happen to grocery store wines.

We’ll savour this small victory in measured sips. Au revoir, les coiffes.

A few rosés

This Life Rosé 2024 ($17). Musician Norah Jones is the latest celebrity to get into the rosé business. A blend of syrah and grenache from southern France, this collaboration with Maison Wessman has all the ingredients of a Grammy award winner: melodious fresh, lively red fruit character that is a symphony of flavors.

La Valentina Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC 2024 ($14). Made entirely from montepulciano grapes, this spritely rosé has delicacy but also a body that allows it stand nicely with food. Red fruit character and balanced acidity.

AIX Provence Rosé 2024 ($24).  This is one of our favorite rosés year after year. It costs less than many rosés from southern France and even the U.S. A classic blend of grenache, syrah and cinsault, it has fresh red fruit and grapefruit flavors.

Alexana Estate Vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2024 ($45). A bit pricey for the category, this delicious and lively wine made from pinot noir grapes grown in Dundee Hills is chock full of strawberry flavors. Balanced acidity and long on the palate, it’s a winner.

Masseria LI Veli Susumaniello Salento Rosato 2024 ($25). Heavens, this is a delicious wine that begs for a second pour. Made from a lesser-known, ancient grape variety grown in Puglia, it has bright red fruit flavors and balanced acidity.

Masseria li Veli Torrerose Primitivo Rosado IGT 2024 ($15). This rosé from Puglia is a steal. Made entirely from primitivo (zinfandel) grapes, it has bright and fresh red fruit flavors.

Wine picks

Trapiche Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 ($20). This is a ridiculously good quaff for the money. Like many wines from Argentina, it over-delivers with abundant plum and raisin notes with soft, ripe tannins.

Priest Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2022 ($60). This classic Napa Valley cab has abundant cherry, berry and cassis fruit, hints of licorice and herbs and just a kiss of oak. It’s ready to drink now with a juicy steak.

Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Chardonnay 2024 ($20).  From the Uco Valley in Mendoza, this easy quaff comes with a decent price for a reserve. Pear and white peach flavors with a dash of vanilla and mineral.

Diatom Chardonnay Santa Barbara County 2023 ($27). This is a very different chardonnay with bright citrus notes and crisp acidity to make it a nice match to grilled seafood