Champagne Facts

When Lord John Maynard Keynes took his last breath, his last words were "I wish I had drunk more Champagne" before he consigned his soul to the almighty. In a nutshell his last words can describe the sentimentality of any champagne drinker. Even Napoleon Bonaparte is reported to have a weakness for this drink. Nowadays no celebration is complete without popping the bubbly froth of champagne. From F1 winners spraying each other with champagne to people marking any occasion like a promotion by opening a bottle of champagne, this drink is a flawless match and adds grace to a gathering in any celebration because of its vivaciousness and elegance. However, not many people realize that champagne is in fact a sparkling wine with the main difference between the two being that, unlike wine, champagne undergoes double fermentation, once in the barrel and then in the bottle. This allows the carbon dioxide to get trapped in the wine giving those distinctive bubbles. The bubbles in the champagne are also responsible for carrying the alcohol into the blood stream faster. Also, since, classic champagne is only produced in a particular region of France, it is produced in a far more limited quantity. That is why champagne is one of the most expensive drinks. So, raise a toast with champagne as often as you can, in celebration or not, so that you don’t end up expressing the sentiment of Lord Keynes. Read below for some interesting and amazing information about champagne.

Interesting And Fun Facts About Champagne

Champagne is only produced from the French region of Champagne. It is believed that this wine was invented by the Benedictine monk, Dom Perignon. He allowed the carbon dioxide to form inside the bottle, giving rise to bubbles.
It is a type of sparkling wine and is distinguished due to the formation of bubbles. A bottle of champagne can have as many as 49 million bubbles. Because of the distinctive bubbles in champagne, it is also affectionately known as ‘bubbly’.
The size of the bubbles is one of the factors that determine the quality of the champagne. High quality champagne is denoted by tiny bubbles. Large bubbles are a mark of inferior quality.
Champagne should always be drunk in a tall and narrow glass called the flute to confine the bubbles and concentrate the aroma. To enhance the taste and aroma the champagne should be allowed to sit for a few minutes after pouring into a glass.
Unlike other wines, champagne does not get better with age.
The label champagne can be used only if it is produced in the Champagne region of France. Since the label is copyrighted, similar wine produced elsewhere, using the same technique should be marked as ‘methode champenoise’ to give credit to the procedure.
A champagne bottle bears a pressure that is equivalent to the tyre pressure of a double decker bus. This pressure can be reduced to a significant extent by chilling.
The grapes that are traditionally used to make champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.
The champagne ‘coupe’ or goblet is said to have been modeled in the shape of Marie Antoinette’s breast.
The cork of the champagne bottle can pop at a velocity of 40 miles per hour and it can even reach to a speed of 100 miles per hour.
At a festival in Italy, the world’s largest champagne glass was unveiled. The glass stands at 7 feet tall and can hold about 22 bottles of champagne.
A biography of Marilyn Monroe states that the famous actress once took a bath in champagne. Up to 350 bottles of champagne were used to fill the tub.
Ian Fleming’s most enduring creation, James Bond, was also known for his love for champagne.
On board the titanic, the champagne that was served was Heidsieck & Co Monopole Blue Top Champagne Brut. There is a rumor that some of the bottles that washed ashore several years later had champagne that tasted great.
A raisin kept in a glass of champagne will keep rising to the top and sinking to the bottom.

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