Know the Facts

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Instructions

Know the Facts

1. Having finally chosen the champagne you intend to drink, you can brush up on some important facts about the history of champagne:
   
   Champagne was invented by a monk: One of the most famous and esteemed types of champagne, Dom Perignon, is named after the individual who is often credited with the invention of the bubbles in champagne. The good Benedictine monk presided over the wine cellars at the Abby of Hautvillers in 1688. He wasn't so much the inventor of champagne as one of its chief promoters and perfecters. In fact, the bubbles that appeared in champagne were originally thought to be an imperfection, since the goal of the vineyard was to create an excellent still white wine. Because the grapes in this cold region of France had to be harvested before the winter frost -- and fermentation occurs only when it is sufficiently warm -- champagne underwent one fermentation before the winter, then another in the spring. This dual process of fermentation allowed carbon dioxide to build up in the bottles, creating the bubbles we love so much today. Dom Perignon excelled at combining various wines to create the ultimate blend released by each house.
   
   Champagne was originally a still wine: Long before champagne had bubbles, it was a still wine and was considered one of the best in France.
   
   Even red grapes can make white champagne: One of the primary grapes used in the making of champagne is Pinot Noir, which is a red (or black) variety of grape. The interior of a Pinot Noir grape, however, looks very similar to a green grape. When its juice is extracted, therefore, it will look the same as a white wine; for example, a slightly amber hue. Only when the juice is allowed to sit with the skins and stems of the grapes, during a stage known as maceration, does the finished wine become red. Thus, a counter intuitive factoid is that much of the finest clear champagne in the world comes from red grapes.
   
   Wine glasses were not taken from Marie Antoinette's breast: A common style of champagne glass is the coupe, which is shaped like a shallow bowl. Though no one you know will have heard this rumor, you can show off your knowledge of it and its falsity, by proclaiming that the coupe was not, in fact, modeled on Marie Antoinette's breast. That the two resemble one another is simply a typically French coincidence.

Next: Prepare, Open and Pour the Champagne

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Resources

• Champagne Vintage Chart

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