A little reason to celebrate
National Champagne Day
Drink ยท December 31
A day for champagne, the sparkling wine from France's Champagne region, and for the small rituals of opening, pouring and sharing a bottle.
National Champagne Day falls on Thursday, December 31, 2026. That is 65 days away.
Champagne is sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. The name belongs to that place, so bubbly wine made elsewhere goes by other names, even when it is made the same careful way.
The bubbles come from a second fermentation that happens inside the bottle. That traps carbon dioxide in the wine, which is why the cork is held down with a wire cage and why a bottle opened too fast tends to go everywhere except the glass. Most champagne is made from a few grapes, chiefly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Labels like brut tell you how dry it is.
People tend to save it for toasts, but it pairs well with ordinary food too. Salty things suit it especially well: potato chips, popcorn, fried chicken. A quiet way to mark the day is to open a bottle for no particular reason and drink it with dinner.
To open one, hold the cork, tilt the bottle, and turn the bottle rather than the cork. Done right, it makes a soft sigh instead of a pop. Serve it cold, and pour slowly down the side of the glass so the foam does not climb over the rim.
Ways to celebrate
- Open a bottle with a quiet sigh instead of a pop.
- Try champagne alongside potato chips or popcorn.
- Read a label and learn what brut or extra dry means.
- Make a toast to something small that went well this week.
- Try a sparkling wine from another region and compare.
Things for the day
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Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday, December 31 |
| 2027 | Friday, December 31 |
| 2028 | Sunday, December 31 |
| 2029 | Monday, December 31 |
| 2030 | Tuesday, December 31 |
All national days on December 31
Also on December 31
Categories: Drink days