I learned my first lesson in style this spring in Reims, France, from a Prince whose royal lineage dates from the 13th century. Prince Alain de Polignac (with degrees in engineering, chemistry and oenology) is the great, great grandson of Mme. Pommery who was widowed in 1858 and, of necessity, took over as head of the House of Pommery. She not only lead the house to greatness but, in 1875, created the world's first brut (dry) Champagne. As Pommery's oenologist, Prince Alain, for the past 25 years, has been blending the 40 selected crus of the three Champagne grape varieties that make Pommery Brut Royal. He describes the style as "Fresh, vivacious. A supple, fruity finish. A full-bodied but light structure," and adds, "No style, no Champagne." And, lest there be any doubt as to the importance he places on style, he says, "Different houses have different styles. But no style, no house." And he took me through a tasting of some of the still wines that will go into the next Brut Royal.

Only three grapes are allowed in Champagne: One white grape, Chardonnay, and two red grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. But the still wines (some very austere) that I was tasting made from those grapes were a far cry from the bubbly, lively, elegant Champagne that would emerge after its second fermentation in the Champagne bottle. So Prince Alain described the contribution that the different wines make to the final product: "Pinot Meunier is very important, even though it is a small percentage. It adds something very fruity, supple, smooth and charming -- easy to understand. The Pinot Noir, in general, can give body and longevity. And Chardonnay, depending on the vineyard, gives freshness, purity, elegance." The first blend is always, he says, on paper, based on tasting and memory of the house style. Wines are added, subtracted. Next comes the big tasting in January of the year, and it can take a full month to finalize the blend. "We need all of February for bottling," he says. For him, the Brut Royal is the most important in the Pommery line of eight Champagnes. "The heart of the House of Pommery is the Brut Royal. For many people it's their first contact with Pommery," he says.

Back in Chicago, I was exploring my discovery of style with Steven Lande, general manager and sommelier of the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, a lover of and expert in Champagne. He confirmed that the great houses all had their styles, all different, all unique. And, he says, "The non-vintage Champagnes are the heart of style and of the house. It is their calling card -- and their bread and butter because more of these Champagnes are sold." "But is it worth it to spend a minimum of $30 and up to $90 a bottle for style?" I asked. "Oh yes!," he replied. "Champagne is very expensive to make. More labor goes into it. There is pressing, fermenting, blending, a second fermentation, aging for two to 30 years, riddling, disgorgement, and dosage -- all necessary steps to produce Champagne."

"So how," I asked, "can one discover the different styles?" "Not only by tasting, but by accompanying with food. Champagnes are great food wines, and often underused. Every one has a different connection, sometimes with food and sometimes before food as an aperitif," says Lande.