Five reasons why Champagne is the pinnacle of sparkling wine

The Champagne Bureau UK* have rounded up five reasons why Champagne is the long-standing pinnacle of sparkling wine.

Firstly, Champagne only comes from Champagne. Champagne is a 100% French product - the Champagne region is located in France, approximately 90 miles east of Paris. It is a protected appellation (AOC).

From 816 to 1825, France's royalty was crowned in Champagne's Reims Cathedral, where Champagne was said to flow freely at all the coronation banquets. Soon, highly prized for their taste and finesse, it became customary to gift these wines to any royalty visiting the region. This is how the Champagne came to be known as the wine of coronation and known in France as "the wine of Kings and the King of wines".

The first reference to "Champagne Wines" appeared in 1690 - the years from 1670 to 1720 marked a turning point in the history of Champagne winemaking as this was when the production of sparkling wines became a deliberate choice in the region. Until this point - the effervescence (i.e., the bubbles) depended on external conditions. This marked the first time that a wine had been produced within a specific region and was identified by its name.

More recently, in July 2015 the Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list – having been recognised as symbolic places where Champagne wines were born and are still produced.

The Méthode Champenoise
In Champagne, the Méthode Champenoise is used - this method calls for two rounds of fermentation, one in a tank or barrel, the second in the bottle itself. Yeast is added and the bottles are left tipped, neck down, so when the second fermentation has finished - the dead yeast cells collect in the neck and disgorgement occurs. The Champagne is then resealed and left to age. For a non-vintage this is for a minimum of 15 months and a vintage must be aged for at least three years. This process is known as maturation on lees - the lees consist of yeasts that have multiplied in the bottle.

A wine rich in history
Up until the end of the 19th century - the Champagne wine-growing area was vast. Extending over more than 60,000 hectares however, in 1863, grape phylloxera reached Europe's shores. An insect which feeds on the roots of grapevines, drying them out and destroying them. Virtually the whole of the area under vine was decimate. In 1898, Growers along with the main Houses, worked together to protect their common heritage and founded the Champagne Viticultural Association (AVC). This set about replanting vineyards by grafting the Champagne vine shoot onto an American rootstock, which was resistant to the insect.

From 1814 – 1817, the First World War turned Champagne into a battlefield and many of its people suffered physical and financial hardship. The war threatened the continued existence of Champagne by endangering not only its sources, but also its markets. It is estimated that around 40% of Champagne's vineyards were destroyed during WW1. Champagne cellars were used as shelter - and to this day, graffiti can still be seen on some of the cellar walls.

During the Second World War, unlike during the First, the wine production area of Champagne stayed outside of the battle zone. The CIVC (Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne) was established in 1941. Winston Churchill famously said to motivate his troops, "Remember gentlemen, it's not just France we are fighting for, it's Champagne."