If the honor of your presence is requested at a wedding or other formal event, you can count on a Champagne toast. Synonymous with class, elegance, and la vie en rose, the right Champagne is the perfect accompaniment to a special celebration. Choosing one, however, can be an exercise in frustration. The key is knowing what you like--and knowing how to read the label. Take our handy guide along on your next Champagne shopping expedition, and the next toast you'll hear will be one in honor of your good taste.

Champagne: A region of France about 90 miles east of Paris. By French law, only methode champenoise wines made from Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir grapes within this region are allowed to carry the Champagne designation.

Brut: Champagnes are categorized by their levels of sweetness, and brut is on the dry end of the scale. (Brut natur is driest.) Dessert Champagnes are labeled demi-sec or doux.

NM: This indicates the type of producer. The designation nm (negociant manipulant), which is the most common, means that the Champagne house buys, rather than grows, some of the grapes it uses to make the wine.

Deutz: The house, or producer, of this particular bottle of Champagne, which retails for around 35 dollars. Every house has a distinct flavor profile; Deutz's is light-bodied, crisp, and refined.