LAUNCH OF FRENCH CHAMPAGNE

At Europe's longest champagne bar, with the UK's largest selection of Grand Marque offerings, Piper Heidsieck staged a tasting of its fine fizz to help educate the British drinker.

The bar is the coolly sophisticated Searcys (as it is on the station concourse, it is indeed cool but does provide heaters) that runs alongside the Eurostar trains at St Pancras station – though it, of course, remains stationary. And the results of a survey recently conducted for them shows that not only were 62 per cent of British champagne drinkers not able to tell the difference between a cheap brand and a premier one, but that 48 per cent did not realise that it came from France!

Above, Piper-Heidsieck's head winemaker Regis Camus, chosen as 'Sparkling Winemaker of the Year' at the International Wine Challenge, hosts the tasting at St Pancras Station. Right, the 2006 Vintage Brut on sale from November.

The survey's finding prompted Searcys to hold tastings at its bars and restaurants around London during National Champagne Week in October, to help bring a little more discernment to British palates. St Pancras, gateway to Paris via Eurostar, was chosen as a suitable venue to point to the country that gives us champagne.

Happily, all the wines for tasting here were top examples of the champagne art, from the non-vintage through to Piper-Heidsieck's Rare Millesime 2002. It was also the occasion to launch the new 2006 Vintage Brut. This goes on sale in November at Harrods, at £49.49.

BRITISH GIRLS NOT SO SWEET

Young women are moving on from prosecco and boosting sales of champagne, especially rosé, according to the exclusive champagne house of Cattier.

This small but prestigious producer came to London recently on a rare promotional trip. It has an impressive personal vintage – the ruling family is now into its 11th generation – and it has been growing grapes in the Champagne region since 1763.

Despite a bad start, 2013 is likely to be declared a vintage year, as conditions after a miserable Spring improved so much that the harvest was exceptionally good. This vintage would then be on sale from around 2020. The last Cattier vintage was in 2005, which went on sale in 2012.

Cattier pride themselves on presentation as well as their wine - "it is what you see first" - as in this Brut Blanc de Blanc Roses, giving roses and champagne for a lady. Price around £43

In pointing to the part women are playing in champagne sales, marketing director Philippe Bienvue credits a demand for less sweet wine among European women, but with a preference for rosé .

“Rosé champagne is slightly sweeter than the dry champagnes they may have tried,” he explained. “This is the case for younger drinkers but not with older women. They are more sophisticated and are used to a dryer champagne.” Worth bearing in mind if buying a lady bubbly this Christmas.

The Cattier Glamour Rosé is semi sweet, a 60/30/10 mix of Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonay, priced at around £28. “We didn't think it would go well in the UK,” he said,”but in the 18 to 30 age group of women, it has gone very well.”

Cattiar's premier champagne is the Armand de Brignac, which sells at Harrods for £285, in its distinctive gold bottle with a pewter Ace of Spades label. The rosé, in a pink bottle, is £475.

More reasonable and with a very pleasing taste is the Brut Icone, a 50/30/20 blend of Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardoney, retailing around £24 to £25 per bottle. And for a richer taste and occasion, the Brut Blanc de Noirs, a 70/30 Pinot Noirs and Pinot Meunier mix is around the £50 mark.

Cattier has also introduced a new version of the old Ratafia de Champagne. With a powerful aroma and taste, this is a seriously impressive drink, sans bubbles, made from the juice of champagne grapes blended with a neutral alcohol, 18% proof. It may be served as an aperitif or maybe with a strong cheese. It is definitely for grown-up drinkers. Price £34/35 per bottle.