Champagne… A color ?
Gold, beige, sand, straw yellow, intense yellow… every shade of Champagne is visible. However, the Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne is strict, the « Champagne » color doesn’t exist: « Wines of Champagne have indeed too many different shades to be able to create a word which identify a precise color ». The french dictionary Le Larousse, the world of Fashion & Decoration don’t seem to agree with this, as the elegant « Champagne » color is between ivory and cream.
Definition from the Larousse dictionary
« A golden yellow color recalling champagne »
The Larousse dictionary clarifies that it is prohibited to use the word Champagne for commercial purposes.
Pantone
According to the Pantone universal color chart, there is not champagne color, however close specific color codes exist and are mixed with bright colors bringing out these soft nuances. Above all, positive expressions to define them : «Clarity, elegance, joy, refinement, rich, clean, bright »
ISCC-NBS-System
Between 1955 and 1976, a color system for art and science was created in the USA by « Inter Society Color Council » (ISCC) and the « National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in order to establish a sort of linguistic classification in giving names to colors. 13 basic words were selected, constituting the level 1 categories, then other increasingly precise subcategories up to level 3 followed with adjectives and their coordinates in order to define them.
Painting and dyeing
According to Benjamin Moore, the dye and paint expert, the Champagne color exists : code HC-93. An elegant and refined color, compatible with warmer colors like red brick.
According to many colourists, the Champagne color takes on very different shades, sometimes more pink, sometimes more beige or yellow.
Champagne
The grape variety is the main parameter which determines the color of the wine. Winemaking, raising and aging will also play a role in the color of Champagne (the real one!).
To conclude, Champagne « color » shades are almost infinite, alike the beautiful color variations that are discovered every time we open a bottle of our favorite drink.