What is the history of Champagne?

ORIGINS

The existence of vines growing wild in Champagne dates back to the Tertiary Era.

The first Champagne vineyards were planted by the Romans from the 3^rd century A.D. onwards.

Gallo-Roman door

5^thcentury

From the 5^th century A.D., vines and wines were mainly cultivated by religious orders which produced still red and white wines, seeking to curb the wine’s natural tendency to sparkle.

Champagne wines became known thanks to the coronations of French kings in Reims and the famous Champagne trading fairs.

Cathedral of Reims

17^th century

At the end of the 17^th century, the use of the bottle to transport the wine (previously in casks) LED TO APPEARANCE of bubbles: this was the birth of the Champagne method.

This sparkling “VIN DIABLE” (the devil’s wine) quickly found favour with European monarchs and aristocrats, becoming the symbol of luxury and celebration.

18^th century

The first Champagne house was founded in 1729.

19^th century

The 19^th century was the century of technical progress, (mastery of fermentation, techniques for producing sparkling wine and mechanisation) and commercial expansion, to countries as far afield as Russia and the U.S.A.

From the late 19^th century to 1950: the phylloxera crisis followed by two World Wars bled the Champagne region dry.

20^th century

From 1950 onwards, Champagne resumed its commercial expansion, with production growing from 30 million bottles in 1950 to 300 million in 2000.

21^th century

For more than 3 centuries, Champagne wine has retained its status, both in France and throughout the world, as the wine of luxury, joy, celebration and special occasions.