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Horses expressing the Champagne gene have the following features:

 Specific age-dependent change of body color: The majority of foals of other colors is born light and darkens with age. In contrast, champagne foals are born with a dark hair and become lighter with age.

 Color of eyes: Champagne horses are born with light blue eyes that gradually become greenish, then golden, and finally amber or hazel (Photos ssss1–ssss1). However, the process of pigment accumulation in the iris can stop at any of these stages, and certain animals can have blue, green, or goldish eye color all their lives.

 Speckled skin: Champagne foals are born with pink skin that darkens unevenly over time, developing specks. The skin of champagne horses differs from the skin of double cream diluted horses. It is dark pink, rather than light or bright pink in color. In adult champagne horses the dark, lilac specks are especially noticeable around the eyes, on the muzzle, under the tail, and on the genitals. Occasionally specks can be so dense they can merge together.