Next
Monday is New Year’s Eve. It’s a
time to look back fondly over the past year, and anticipate the coming of the
new. And what better way to mark
the celebration than with the pop of the cork and a cascade of bubbles – a
glass of Champagne in hand.
But
why do we choose this bubbly wine for our special moments? It seems that drinking Champagne at
celebrations began in the royal courts of Europe during the late 18th
Century. Champagne has always been
viewed as a drink of the rich, a luxury, a status symbol.
In
987, when Hugh Capet was crowned King of France, he had the local wine
served at the coronation banquets. This wine, made from Pinot Noir, was a pale
pink without bubbles. But it began a local tradition of serving the Champagne
region’s wines for celebrations. 
During
the mid-17th century, Charles de Saint Evremond decreed to serve
only the wines of the Champagne region at his London parties and banquets. His taste influenced some of the most fashionable
men of London. Soon, Champagne was
being ordered from France and shipped throughout England. It was during the shipping, that the
wine could restart the fermentation process. If it did, when the wine was
opened, it was bubbly. The English
loved it, and began seeking out those “sparkling Champagnes.” But the French winemakers were at a
loss on how to control the process of making the wine sparkle.
In
1715, Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, enjoyed a sparkling version of Champagne
nightly. Paris’s fashionable society followed the Duke’s example and sought out
the bubbly version of the wine, making it a favorite among the French
nobility. It was during the 18th
century that Champagne houses began to dominate over the vineyard owners. The houses of Louis Roederer,
Piper-Heidsieck, Taittinger and Moet & Chandon were founded during this
time, creating a new type of business.
But at the end of the 18th century, over 90% of the Champagne
region’s wine production was still the non-sparkling wines.
Although
Dom Perignon is usually credited with the invention of sparkling Champagne, it
wasn’t until the 19th Century that the methode champenoise, the
traditional method of making Champagne, involving riddling, was
used reliably.
Then
during the 1860’s, the Great French Wine Blight occurred. Caused by an aphid
from North America, the phylloxera epidemic ravaged vineyards throughout
France. Over 40% of grape vines were destroyed in a 15-year period, from the
late 1850’s to the mid 1870’s.
Only after grafting the French vines with the aphid-resistant American
grape vines, was the devastation stopped.
With
the Twentieth Century came more misfortune, and could have brought about the
demise of Champagne. Two world wars almost destroyed Champagne production;
vineyards were devastated by war. The Russian Revolution, Prohibition, and the
Great Depression closed two of the most lucrative markets for Champagne sales
in the world. But since 1950,
sales of Champagne have risen steadily.
Today,
over 250 million bottles of Champagne are produced in France each year. The British alone enjoy over 30 million
bottles of Champagne – more than anyone else in the world. 
Champagne
is, indeed, a celebratory wine. It
is used to commemorate everything, from the launch of a ship, to the joining of
two lives in marriage. We use it
to celebrate life events, religious occasions, and joyous celebrations. Champagne not only imparts a feeling of
joyousness and wonder to an occasion, it’s also a symbol of our approval and
admiration for what we are celebrating.
So
this New Year’s Eve, when you raise that glass of dancing bubbles to toast the
New Year, remember the words of the Wine Avenger, Willie Gluckstern;
“In
a perfect world, everyone would have a glass of Champagne every evening.”
Hmmm…..What an enjoyable resolution for 2013!
A
safe and Happy New Year to you and yours!
~
Joy
