What does Tyson Stelzer think makes Champagne such a great food wine?
According to wine writer and Champagne expert Tyson Stelzer, Champagne works exceptionally well with food because its cool-climate acidity brings freshness, while chalk-derived minerality and extended lees ageing add texture, depth and complexity. From gougères to fish and chips, its versatility makes Champagne far more than an aperitif.
Tyson Stelzer has spent more than 15 years writing about wine and has published 16 books covering everything from home cellaring and regional wine guides to screw caps, food pairing and Champagne.
His Champagne Guide, first published in 2010, won him International Champagne Writer of the Year in 2011. Since then, successive editions have established him as one of the most respected voices on Champagne.
But beyond the awards and accolades, Tyson's approach to wine is refreshingly down to earth. His knowledge is deep, but his enthusiasm is even more obvious.
During his second visit to The Flying Winemaker, where he hosted his annual Champagne Masterclass, we took the opportunity to sit down and quiz him on food pairing, sparkling wine and the evolving Asian wine scene.
Here are some highlights from our conversation.
1. What are your go-to food and wine pairings?
Tyson keeps his favourites classic:
- Champagne with gougères
- Red Burgundy with confit duck
- White Burgundy with chicken
- Margaret River Cabernet with lamb cutlets
For Tyson, Champagne stands out as a particularly good food wine because it combines freshness and elegance from cool-climate fruit with the complexity, depth and texture that comes from ageing on lees.
In other words: Champagne isn't just for celebrations. It belongs at the dinner table.
2. How do you choose Champagne for an aperitif, Christmas dinner or dessert?
For an aperitif
Acidity is key.
A wine with bright acidity refreshes the palate and prepares it for food. Tyson particularly favours Blanc de Blancs Champagne from the Côte des Blancs, where Chardonnay and chalk soils create tension and a salty mineral character that works beautifully with light seafood canapés.
Other options include Tasmanian sparkling or Riesling from Germany, Clare Valley or Eden Valley.
For Christmas turkey and ham
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are classic partners for Christmas fare, whether still or sparkling.
For cold meats, try Champagne or a lighter Chardonnay. For hot meats, move towards fuller-bodied Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.
And if you're feeling adventurous? Australian sparkling Shiraz.
For dessert
The golden rule is simple:
The wine should be sweeter than the dessert.
Otherwise, the wine can taste dry, thin and weak beside the dish.
Germany's sweet wines and Sauternes are versatile choices. Sweet Champagne, meanwhile, is often better suited to a cheese course — particularly hard cheeses such as Gruyère, Parmesan and Comté.
3. What's the most unorthodox Champagne and food pairing people should try?
Krug with fish and chips.
Yes, really.
The combination of Champagne's acidity, texture and richness with crispy, salty fish and chips makes for a surprisingly compelling pairing.
Sometimes the best wine pairing rules are the ones you break.
4. What are your thoughts on sparkling red wine?
Tyson sees sparkling reds as one of Australia's strongest sparkling categories.
A well-made sparkling Shiraz can combine subtle sweetness, creamy effervescence and rich fruit character, making it remarkably versatile at the table.
Its ability to work with everything from cold white meats to hot red meats also makes it particularly useful for big, flavour-packed occasions such as Christmas lunch.
For Australian sparkling Shiraz, Tyson recommends looking towards Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Great Western.
5. When you're not drinking Champagne, what are you drinking?
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir remain Tyson's favourite grapes, still or sparkling — preferably from cool-climate regions.
Burgundy is king.
And when it comes to value, he describes Riesling as a perennial bargain of the wine world.
6. What was your most memorable wine experience of 2017?
For Tyson, it was an extraordinary immersion into Champagne during harvest.
He had the privilege of hosting small groups on intimate tours of top Champagne houses, tasting wines at virtually every stage of production — from grapes and juice to ferments, vins clairs, reserves and vintages dating back to the 1970s.
It was, in his words, the ultimate way to experience the journey of Champagne from vineyard to bottle.
7. How would you describe Hong Kong's wine culture?
Tyson describes Hong Kong as a mature and discerning wine market, with a particular appreciation for fine wine and vintage Champagne.
The market has historically been strong for prestige cuvées, but Tyson believes there is still considerable room for Hong Kong drinkers to explore the broader diversity of Champagne.
Grower Champagnes and cooperative producers remain less prominent, while rosé Champagne is another category he believes deserves more attention, particularly given its natural compatibility with Hong Kong cuisine.
His prediction?
Hong Kong and Australia will increasingly follow markets such as Japan and the UK in embracing a wider range of Champagne producers and styles.
For The Flying Winemaker, this is particularly exciting: helping drinkers discover cuvées beyond the familiar names has always been part of the fun.
8. Do you order Prosecco and Cava in restaurants?
Tyson's answer is blunt:
Never.
He acknowledges that both have become hugely popular globally, particularly because of their affordability.
But for him, wines made using the traditional method from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier offer a level of finesse, complexity and texture that is difficult to replicate.
That's one reason he sees Champagne, Tasmania and increasingly the UK as compelling alternatives in the world of premium sparkling wine.
9. What's the best sparkling wine region outside Champagne?
Tasmania gets Tyson's vote.
The cool Australian island has made remarkable progress in sparkling wine over the past few decades, producing wines that can deliver Champagne-like finesse at a more accessible price point.
But Tasmania isn't trying to be Champagne.
Its geology and growing conditions are different, resulting in wines with their own distinctive structure and character.
Tyson also sees serious potential in southern England, where chalk soils similar to those found in Champagne provide an exciting foundation for sparkling wine.
With more vine age, wine age and accumulated expertise, he believes the UK could eventually rank among the world's sparkling wine greats.
10. What are your Top 5 Champagne houses?
Tyson's five picks:
- Bollinger
- Charles Heidsieck
- Egly-Ouriet
- Krug
- Billecart-Salmon
A formidable list for any Champagne lover.
Tyson Stelzer: Wine Knowledge Without the Lecture
Tyson Stelzer is undoubtedly one of wine's respected writers and Champagne authorities. But what makes his approach particularly enjoyable is how naturally he shares that knowledge.
A Champagne Masterclass with Tyson feels less like a lecture and more like a conversation, full of stories, opinions, discoveries and, naturally, plenty of wine.
We're fortunate to have hosted him at The Flying Winemaker, and even more fortunate to have shared his enthusiasm for Champagne with our guests.
Want to explore more of Tyson Stelzer's work? Visit tysonstelzer.com.
FAQs
What food pairs well with Champagne?
Champagne pairs exceptionally well with foods such as gougères, seafood, fried foods and light canapés. Its acidity, minerality and texture make it one of the most versatile wines for food pairing.
What Champagne does Tyson Stelzer recommend as an aperitif?
Tyson Stelzer particularly recommends Blanc de Blancs Champagne from the Côte des Blancs because its Chardonnay-driven acidity and mineral character work well as an aperitif and with light seafood canapés.
What does Tyson Stelzer think about sparkling Shiraz?
He considers Australian sparkling Shiraz one of Australia's strongest sparkling categories and particularly versatile with both white and red meats.
What sparkling wine region outside Champagne does Tyson Stelzer recommend?
Tyson highlights Tasmania as a leading sparkling wine region outside Champagne and also sees significant future potential in southern England.
What are Tyson Stelzer's top five Champagne houses?
His five picks are Bollinger, Charles Heidsieck, Egly-Ouriet, Krug and Billecart-Salmon.