WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHERE IT'S HAPPENING AND WHO'S MAKING IT HAPPEN
ON･THE･SCENE
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I can’t remember when I had my first glass of champagne but I am pretty sure that was at a New Year’s celebration …so yes of course I fell in love with bubbles on that eve!
In my humble opinion, it's the perfect drink—light, sophisticated, and steeped in an amazing history...
“Who put the bubbles in the bottle?” you may ask. Many credit Dom Perignon, a blind Benedictine monk with an exceptional sense of taste and smell. He discovered that tightly drawn corks could retain the naturally expanding gas. Before this innovation, bottles were sealed with tow and olive oil to keep out vinegar bacteria. Champagne, a blend of 10 to 30 wines from a specific region, is crafted so each firm's champagne maintains consistent color, bouquet, and aftertaste year after year.
Madame de Pompadour once said; “Champagne is the only wine that leaves a woman as desirable AND beautiful after drinking it.” She was just getting close to the truth.
And then there's Madame Veuve Clicquot, the "Grand Dame of Champagne." She revolutionized the industry after becoming widowed at 27. Taking over her husband's wine business, she pioneered several techniques that refined champagne production. Her innovative riddling table significantly improved the clarity and quality of champagne, transforming it into the luxurious drink we know today. Madame Clicquot's legacy is a testament to the relentless pursuit of perfection and elegance in every bottle.
Curious about the process behind my favorite drink - the elixir of seduction?
It all starts in late September. Grapes must be perfectly pressed before their skins break. The first pressing, done within two hours, makes the best wine. This juice must be quickly transferred to prevent fermentation before it reaches the cellars, where a little cane sugar is added. The temperature is set between 95 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. After three weeks, the young wine is clarified through repeated rackings in colder temperatures to precipitate sediments. Following filtration, a second small dose of sugar is added, and the wine is bottled. Over three months, it ferments into alcohol, producing those delicate bubbles. The maturation process takes three to four years.
Removing naturally occurring sediments is fascinating. 'Remueurs' or stirrers, turn each bottle daily for four months, tilting them downward to collect sediment in the neck. Each remueur handles up to 30,000 bottles a day, using a candle to check clarity. Toward the end, bottles stand almost on their necks with sediment against the cork. Extracting the cork without losing the gas is the most delicate job, performed by a déschargeur, who undergoes a five-year apprenticeship. The cork is swiftly pulled, flying out into a hood, with minimal wine loss. The discharger sniffs the wine to check its condition—all in less than two seconds!
This meticulous process, steeped in tradition and skill, culminates in champagne
—the epitome of luxury, celebration, and sensory delight. From its humble beginnings in the Champagne region to its status as a global symbol of refinement, champagne continues to enchant and seduce. Its effervescence and complexity are a testament to centuries of dedication and artistry.
And let’s never forget the remarkable contributions of Madame Veuve Clicquot, whose innovations forever transformed the champagne industry, making each sip a tribute to her vision and perseverance!
Champagne Facts:
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a wine can be branded as “champagne” if is originally made in the 'Champagne' region of France.
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to be named “champagne,” it must be made just from the Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, or Chardonnay grapes that grow in that area.
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real champagne, as hostile to other sparkling wines need to have gotten its bubbles by going through the fermentation process 2 times: once in barrels and then in bottles. This beverage could be produced somewhere else, as far as credit it was given to the well-known “methode champenoise” on the labels.
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There are about 58 million bubbles in 1 bottle of Champagne.
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The pressure in the bottle is about 90 pounds per square inch, around 3 times that in the automobile tire.
Champagne Trivia
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There are about 58 million bubbles in 1 bottle of Champagne.
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The pressure in the bottle is about 90 pounds per square inch, around 3 times that in the automobile tire.
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In 2000 California produced around 59 million bottles of champagne.
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In 2000 France produced about 328 million bottles of champagne.
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In 2000 California consumed about 31 million bottles of champagne.
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In 2000 Washington D.C. had the uppermost per capita adult consumption of this drink in the U.S.- around 2.3 bottles per adult.
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In 2000 Illinois and Hawaii consumed about 1.8 bottles per adult.
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In 2000 California consumed around 1.5 bottles per adult.
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There are about 58 million bubbles in 1 bottle of Champagne.
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The pressure in the bottle is about 90 pounds per square inch, around 3 times that in the automobile tire.
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World's Oldest Bottle: The oldest known bottle of champagne dates back to 1825 and is still drinkable!
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Champagne Baths: Some people, including famous figures like Marilyn Monroe, have reportedly bathed in champagne. Monroe is said to have used 350 bottles for a single bath!
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1 bottle of Champagne contains about 1.2 kg grapes.
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300 million bottles of Champagne are produced every year
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The most expensive bottle of Champagne costs $2.07 million The 2013 Taste of Diamonds Champagne was made by UK-based company Goût de Diamants. The price tag is due to the fact that the logo is handcrafted from 18-carat gold and embellished with a 19-carat white diamond. The taste? A rich floral, refreshing and full creamy texture with a soft finish.
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A Champagne cork can reach 24.8 miles/hour when popped
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The longest recorded Champagne cork flight is about 177 feet
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Source: https://thechampagnecompany.com/blog/champagne-facts.html