Champagne is a sparkling wine served on festive special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, or to ring in a new year), and to christen boats and ships (military or pleasure). Champagne has a legendary history and a certain cachet. However it does not have to be expensive according to sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson, “Wine doesn’t have to be expensive to be good—wine makes food taste better … and it’s fun.” Nor does it have to be alcoholic: Town & Country Magazine June 26, 2018 offers 6 of the Best Non-Alcoholic Champagnes and Sparkling Wines.
Or you may feel the way Mrs. Jessie Stevens did, in the movie To Catch a Thief
"Bourbon's the only drink. You can pour that champagne down the Channel. Why wait years to drink the stuff? Great vineyards, huge barrels aging forever, poor monks running around testing it, so some woman in Oklahoma can say it tickles her nose!"
Champagne has been celebrated in at least two well-known songs:
- Bandleader Lawrence Welk was known for his Champagne Music and theme song of “Bubbles in the Wine”.
- Composer Johann Strauss II created a song about the wine, in Die Fledermaus known as the Champagne song celebrating New Year’s Eve in Austria in the 19th century. Champagne is celebrated and blamed for the zany mix-ups that take place in this light-hearted operetta.
And lastly we offer toasts in 50 different languages. Take your pick, but please drink carefully and wisely before walking, and definitely before driving. We want to see all of you in 2019.
A votre santé! Books About Champagne
