From the smash of a bottle on the side of a new ship to the pop of the cork at a New Year’s Eve party champagne signals celebration, fun, and camaraderie all over the world. Bubbly, as we affectionately call it, is a symbol of luxury and decadence and the go-to drink whenever there is an important toast. This history from Becky Sue Epstein is a celebration of the world’s most celebratory drink.
Here, Epstein chronicles champagne’s story, from the world’s first sparkling wine, produced in Limoux, Languedoc, in 1531 by monks at an abbey in Saint-Hilaire to the celebrities who made champagnes famous and continue to do so today— from Dom Perignon to the widow Veuve Cliquot. Most important, Epstein fully explains the distinction between champagne and sparkling wine. In this informative chronicle, she answers whether French champagne is really better than other sparkling wines and elucidates the science behind that characteristic fizz and bubble. She takes the reader on a tour of vineyards in wine regions around the world and teaches the correct techniques for storing and serving champagne and sparkling wines.
Whether you prefer magnums of Cristal or the affordable thrill of Cold Duck, Champagne is an invaluable complement to any bubbly glass and an informative, elegant gift for connoisseurs, beginners, and wine lovers of all kinds.
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Table of Contents
Bubbling Up to the Top: Champagne and Other Great Sparkling Wines
1. The Origins of Champagne
2. The Cult and Culture of Champagne
3. Champagne is Established
4. Sparkling Wine Producers Around the World
5. Wars, Society and Taste: Stresses on Champagne in the Twentieth Century
6. Style, Styles and Stylishness
7. Scandale! Expanding Champagne Around the World
8. Drinking Today: What, Where and How
Champagne Rules: Buying, Storing, Serving
What to Have with your Champagne and Sparkling Wine
Classic Cocktail Recipes for Champagne and Sparkling Wine
Select Bibliography
Websites and Associations
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index
1. The Origins of Champagne
2. The Cult and Culture of Champagne
3. Champagne is Established
4. Sparkling Wine Producers Around the World
5. Wars, Society and Taste: Stresses on Champagne in the Twentieth Century
6. Style, Styles and Stylishness
7. Scandale! Expanding Champagne Around the World
8. Drinking Today: What, Where and How
Champagne Rules: Buying, Storing, Serving
What to Have with your Champagne and Sparkling Wine
Classic Cocktail Recipes for Champagne and Sparkling Wine
Select Bibliography
Websites and Associations
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index