From vinegar to potato chips: 10 foods with a taste of Champagne

Champagne is usually poured into a glass. But it turns out the world of food has found plenty of other ways to put Champagne on the menu.

There is Champagne vinegar in salad dressings, Champagne jelly on a cheese board, Champagne mustard, chocolates, gummies and even potato chips inspired by the flavors of bubbly. Some are made with Champagne or Champagne-derived ingredients. Others simply borrow the name and flavor profile.

Either way, Champagne has travelled quite a long way from the bottle.

Here are 10 foods and ingredients that show just how far that journey can go.

Table of Contents

1. Champagne Vinegar

2. Champagne Vinaigrette
Easy Champagne Vinaigrette Recipe

3. Champagne Mustard

4. Champagne Sauces

5. Champagne Cheese

6. Champagne Potato Chips

7. Champagne Jam

8. Champagne Candy

9. Champagne Chocolate

10. Champagne Ice Cream & Sorbet

1. Champagne Vinegar

Let’s start with the most useful one.

Champagne vinegar is made from wine and has the bright acidity you’d expect from vinegar, but with a lighter, more delicate character than many stronger vinegars. It’s particularly useful in vinaigrettes, sauces and dishes where you want acidity without letting the vinegar completely take over.

It also turns up in plenty of everyday recipes. Food Network recipes use Champagne vinegar in everything from vinaigrettes to tzatziki and homemade mayonnaise.

And here’s an important distinction: Champagne vinegar doesn’t necessarily mean vinegar made from Champagne. The term can refer to vinegar made from wine associated with the Champagne style or region, depending on the product.

For your next salad, though, it’s an easy place to start experimenting.

Many of the Champagne vinegars you’ll find on shop shelves are actually made in California rather than Champagne. But hey, we’re not complaining – as long as the Champagne in your glass is the real thing, coming from the Champagne region of France.

Try it with: leafy salads, seafood, asparagus, roasted vegetables and vinaigrettes.

2. Champagne Vinaigrette

Technically, this one is less about Champagne itself and more about Champagne vinegar – but it’s too good to leave out.

Champagne vinaigrette is an easy way to bring that bright, elegant acidity into an everyday meal. Recipes commonly combine Champagne vinegar with olive oil, mustard, herbs and shallots.

It’s particularly good when you want to keep a salad fresh and light rather than covering everything in a heavy dressing.

And yes, you can make it in about five minutes.

Try it with: leafy greens, citrus, avocado, roasted vegetables or seafood.

Easy Champagne Vinaigrette Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Champagne vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: Whisk together the Champagne vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard and shallot. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Champagne Mustard

Mustard and Champagne might not be the first combination that comes to mind, but the two work surprisingly well together.

Champagne can bring a little acidity and fruitiness to mustard, while mustard’s sharpness keeps the result from becoming overly sweet. Champagne mustard can be used with ham and cheese, in sandwiches, alongside sausages or as part of a vinaigrette.

And if you already have Champagne vinegar in the cupboard, you can use it to bring a similar bright acidity to homemade mustard recipes.

Try it with: ham, cheese, pretzels, roast chicken or a sandwich.

4. Champagne Sauces

Finally, Champagne can go somewhere you might not expect it at all: dinner.

Champagne and Champagne vinegar can be used in sauces and reductions, particularly alongside seafood. The acidity helps cut through rich ingredients such as butter and cream, while the wine contributes additional fruit and depth.

You don’t need a complicated recipe to experiment with the idea. A splash of Champagne in a sauce for fish or seafood can be enough to change the character of the dish.

Try it with: scallops, shrimp, lobster, chicken or fish.

5. Champagne Cheese

Champagne and cheese are already a classic pairing, but you can take the combination one step further with cheeses actually made using Champagne. Champagne-washed cheeses are finished by washing the rind with Champagne or a Champagne-related spirit, giving the cheese a distinctive aroma and a slightly fruity, tangy character. Soft and creamy cheeses work particularly well with this technique, making them a delicious addition to a cheese board – especially when served alongside a glass of Champagne.

Try it with: a cheese board, fresh fruit, crackers and a glass of Brut Champagne.

6. Champagne Potato Chips

This one sounds like someone decided to put a cocktail on a snack aisle shelf.

But there are actually two Champagne-and-potato-chip stories worth knowing.

The first is the classic pairing. In The Seven Year Itch, Marilyn Monroe turns up at a neighbour’s apartment with a bottle of Champagne and a bag of potato chips, then dunks a chip straight into the glass. “Did you ever try dunking a potato chip in champagne?” she asks. “It’s real crazy.” It works better than it should. The salt sharpens the wine, and a slightly sweeter, off-dry Champagne balances the fat of the chip.

The second is even more unexpected: Champagne-flavored potato chips actually exist.

And that’s where the idea goes from pairing to product. Instead of enjoying your chips with Champagne, you can apparently enjoy the taste of bubbly on your chips.

We respect the commitment.

Try it with: a glass of Champagne, obviously.

7. Champagne Jam

Champagne has even made its way into the jam jar. Champagne jam can be made by cooking Champagne with sugar and pectin, or combined with fruit such as strawberries, peaches or cherries. The result is a sweet preserve with a little acidity and the fruity character of Champagne.

It works particularly well as a breakfast spread, but you can also serve it with cheese, scones, pastries or desserts. Strawberry and Champagne is one of the most popular combinations, while peach and Champagne takes the idea in a Bellini-inspired direction.

Try it with: toast, scones, cheese, croissants, strawberries or desserts.

8. Champagne Candy

Champagne has also made its way into the candy aisle.

There are Champagne-flavored jelly beans, gumdrops, hard candies, chocolate truffles, candy-coated popcorn and other sweets inspired by Champagne.

Some are designed around the flavor of Champagne, while others are more about the idea of celebration – tiny bottles, bubbles, gold wrappers and all.

Try it with: a dessert table, party favors or a Champagne-themed gift basket.

9. Champagne Chocolate

Chocolate and Champagne are already a popular pairing, but some confectioners take things one step further and put Champagne directly into the chocolate.

Champagne chocolates and truffles are sold in many forms, from filled chocolates to Champagne-flavored truffles and even miniature chocolate Champagne bottles.

The combination makes sense: the creamy richness of chocolate can work beautifully with the acidity and fruit character of Champagne.

Try it with: truffles, strawberries and a glass of Brut or Rosé Champagne.

For a more traditional pairing, try a lighter Champagne with white chocolate or a fruit-filled chocolate. For darker chocolate, look for a richer Champagne with enough body to stand up to it.

10. Champagne Ice Cream & Sorbet

Champagne has also found its way into the freezer. Champagne ice cream and sorbet are made to capture the fresh, fruity character of Champagne in a cold dessert, with sorbet being particularly well suited to its light and refreshing nature. Some products use Champagne itself, while others use Champagne flavoring, so it is worth checking the ingredients if you’re looking for the real thing. Either way, it’s a rather fun way to enjoy Champagne when you don’t feel like pouring it into a glass.

Try it with: fresh berries, strawberries or a glass of Rosé Champagne.

What have you tried from this list? Come follow us on Instagram and let us know!

And if any of this makes you want the real thing in the glass, our Champagne map shows where to find a good bottle near you, from the region itself to tables around the world.

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