Madame Bollinger was right, of course. Champagne can be so much more than the obligatory celebratory beverage. But its all about perception; Many consumers don’t even think of Champagne as a wine and as wine critics continue to wrongly opine that dense, alcoholic wines are the epitome of wine selection, the public neglects the almost perfect wine for the table.Three factors make Champagne a slam-dunk when considering wine and food pairings:

1. Acidity: We squirt lemon on our fish not just because we like the taste of lemon, but also because the citric acid makes us salivate and wakes up our taste buds. For this same reason the bright acidity in Champagne makes it perfect for oysters and other shellfish, double or triple cream cheese, goat cheese, vegetables, and  rich sauces.

2. Sugar: Most Champagnes are topped off after ‘disgorgement’  with a small amount of still wine (‘liqueur de dosage’) that has some amount of sugar added to it. The sugar, which serves to balance the acidity of the wine also adds texture and viscosity to the wine; it makes the wine feel bigger in your moth. Bigger, more viscous wines pair better with bigger, more heavily flavored foods. Additionally, the dash of sweetness makes Champagne work very well with spicy foods as it tamps down the heat slightly.

3. Bubbles: The delicate bubbles ‘scrub’ your palate, refreshing it and making that next bite just as delicious as the previous. Its also why Champagne and salty foods work so well together (popcorn and potato chips are outstanding matches for Champagne).

If the above is not enough, then consider that, in terms of calories, champagne’s got other wines beat. Four ounces of champagne is roughly 90 calories, while the same amount of red or sweet wine is 100 calories. Serving sizes for champagne are generally smaller than other alcoholic beverages too, keeping the calorie count even lower. The bubbles may make people drink slower or feel more full as well, though there’s no hard-proof science to back that up. Sparkling wine may have some additional health benefits, too. One study found that the polyphenols found in red wine can also be found in champagne. These antioxidants reduce the damage free radicals can do to the body, possibly helping lower blood pressure and prevent heart problems.