VinoLoverThe term champagne is also known in some countries as champagne, champagne or cava. When we want to know the history of champagne, it turns out to be one of the most curious that can exist.
In some cases it is considered a symbol of joy, celebration, luxury, glamour and distinction. And all this is not for less, since the 17th century, when the French court made it fashionable, it became the favourite drink of the nobility and bourgeoisie
Origin of champagne
Its origin, like other sparkling wines, dates back to 1681; wine in the Middle Ages was a monopoly of the church, which obtained the precious element to be consecrated in the masses.
History emphasises that its origin was somewhat fortuitous, all caused in the hands of Dom Perignon when his task was to supervise the extensive wine production of the establishment and fundamentally to solve the problem of bubbles appearing in a few bottles.
Dom Perignon, managed to observe that after adding sugar in a second fermentation, something happened, the effect disappeared after a while, but in the meantime it was a young and fresh wine.
The fermentation process was explained by Louis Pasteur 150 years later. However, it is certain that the bubbles that were observed at the end of the 17th century are the same bubbles that are enjoyed all over the world today.
History of champagne
The making of this sparkling wine became famous in France. The first to make sparkling wine were the Romans, who implemented the technique known as vinum titillum. But that’s not all! Here is a brief summary of the history of champagne in chronological order.
- Year 496. It is considered to celebrate with wine the ceremony of the King of France Clovis I when he converted to Catholicism in Reims, in the Champagne region, dedicating each wine to the royalty.
- Year 898 and 1824. The kings of France were crowned in the heart of the Champagne region. All the events surrounding the event were accompanied by wines appreciated for their aroma and taste.
- The year 1535. The first sparkling wine is produced in the South of France, in Limoux.
- 1693. By accident, Dom Pierre Pérignon gives birth to champagne.
- Year 1695. A better method known as champenoise is proposed and the use of a cork stopper is imposed; from then on it is a sparkling liquid.
- 1735. Champagne is represented for the first time in a work of art by Jean Frangís de Troy.
- 1846. The amount of sugar added to champagne is reduced to make it less unusually sweet.
- 1872. The production of champagne in Spain is started by Joan Reventós.
- The year 1883. A treaty is signed with France whereby only wines produced in that country can be called champagne.
- Year 1891. The use of the word champagne or champagne is forbidden to any product from outside the French region of that name.
- 1994. From that year onwards, the use of the expression champenoise method is forbidden on bottles outside the Champagne region.
Evolution of Champagne
The champenoise method was improved by the monk Dom Pierre Pérignon in 1670, making a blend of grapes. He proposed using a cork stopper held in place with a hemp string in a first bottle in the shape of an apple and a glass thick enough to withstand the pressure of the fermentation that the gas will have.
Champenoise method
This method arose naturally, as it was not very controlled and was therefore considered a defect in the wine. In 1670 it played a major role in the history of sparkling wine.
The wine is sparkling due to the particular climatic conditions of the region where it is produced, characterised by being extremely cold and humid. This means that the harvest is generally much later, as the grapes take much longer to ripen.
The fermentation phases occur due to the temperatures that are present. In times of low temperatures, the fermentation of the wine is stopped in the bottle itself, to be reactivated in the spring.
This whole process generates a carbon dioxide that forms bubbles which, unable to escape, dissolve in the wine, creating the characteristics of a sparkling wine. Every detail is taken care of in its production, from the labelling to the choice of the best grapes.
Champenoise method process
A second fermentation takes place in the bottle. Before starting, a mixture of sugar and yeast is added , which is called triage.
By carrying out a second fermentation, the CO2 produced by the yeasts is not lost in the environment and is integrated with the liquid creating that creamy sensation that wines made with this method have.
Champagne and Dom Pérignon association
The name champagne is associated by its own merit, since once the vinification techniques were introduced to the wine world by the monk Dom Pérignon, he established the basis of the current traditional champenoise system. This method consists of selecting grapes, cork stoppers or thicker bottles to prevent them from breaking under pressure.
Expansion of champagne
International recognition was granted in the 18th century by the Moet and Hedsieck families, which has lasted until the present day. This work continued under the tutelage of the Pommery, Perrier and Clicquot families; it is the case that of the latter three families it was the women who continued champagne production after the death of their husbands.
Champagne is a glamorous drink
For years, champagne has been considered a drink of the rich, intended for glamorous events. It is worth noting that in the 21st century it is now possible to uncork a bottle at a meal or at a normal event.
There are different varieties that allow you to choose one bottle or another, or one brand or another, depending on the menu on the table. If we delve into the history of Dom Pérignon, we will also realise that one of the peculiarities of the Dom Pérignon bottles is their design, which makes them look very elegant
VinoLover
Claudio Comella
