Do you know your Champagne from your Cava?
If not, then don’t worry, as we bring you a brief history of sparkling wine.
What is sparkling wine
Put in its most basic terms, sparkling wine is a wine that contains a considerable level of carbon dioxide which gives the wine its fizzy temperament. This can either happen as a natural fermentation process, or is artificially added to the wine.
What is sparkling wine
Put in its most basic terms, sparkling wine is a wine that contains a considerable level of carbon dioxide which gives the wine its fizzy temperament. This can either happen as a natural fermentation process, or is artificially added to the wine.
The beginning of sparkling wine.
During the 1600s, Dom Perignon is generally credited with inventing sparkling wine, though ironically the bubbles within the wine were originally considered a wine fault. Dom Perignon and others spent considerable time trying to remove the bubbles, as they would cause some of the bottles to burst while being stored.
With the development of more durable
bottles and corks, it wasn’t until some time later that people began to see the
desirability of sparkling wine. By the 18th century, demand and
production had increased dramatically and sparkling wine had put itself firmly
on the map.
Champagne
It
is nearly impossible to talk about sparkling wine without mentioning the most
famous example, which is, of course, Champagne.
As the years passed, the Champagne region’s reputation experienced a meteoric rise, and it now produces some of the most expensive and sought after wine anywhere in the world. There are many other regions which try to duplicate the conditions of the Champagne area, and although all sparkling wine is often referred to as Champagne, it is only the wine from that particular area that can lay claim to the name.
Sparkling wine within western culture
Sparkling wine consumption has grown within the western world, linked with broad use in western culture.
When you think of a celebration, the cork of a sparkling wine bottle flying off while the foam spills out of the end is usually the first image to be conjured up. Toasting at weddings, or cracking open a bottle to celebrate a job promotion have now become ingrained in our culture and minds.
Even within sporting events, the winners are quite often given a giant sized sparkling wine bottle to shake up and spray on their team,ensuring that when we think of sparkling wine, we remember our greatest achievements and celebrations.
It is hard to see the demand or popularity for sparkling wine falling away any time soon, so let’s raise a toast to Dom Perignon and his accidental bubbles.
As the years passed, the Champagne region’s reputation experienced a meteoric rise, and it now produces some of the most expensive and sought after wine anywhere in the world. There are many other regions which try to duplicate the conditions of the Champagne area, and although all sparkling wine is often referred to as Champagne, it is only the wine from that particular area that can lay claim to the name.
Sparkling wine within western culture
Sparkling wine consumption has grown within the western world, linked with broad use in western culture.
When you think of a celebration, the cork of a sparkling wine bottle flying off while the foam spills out of the end is usually the first image to be conjured up. Toasting at weddings, or cracking open a bottle to celebrate a job promotion have now become ingrained in our culture and minds.
Even within sporting events, the winners are quite often given a giant sized sparkling wine bottle to shake up and spray on their team,ensuring that when we think of sparkling wine, we remember our greatest achievements and celebrations.
It is hard to see the demand or popularity for sparkling wine falling away any time soon, so let’s raise a toast to Dom Perignon and his accidental bubbles.
