The History of Champagne and Its Future
All of life’s celebratory moments have been traditionally accompanied by the sound of a popping cork and an overflowing glass of fizz. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, new years and good news are all a great excuse to open a bottle of something special. Whilst prosecco and cava have gained in popularity in the past few years, Champagne always makes things feel extra luxurious, and seems to be a drink that is here to stay.
Starting off as an accident during the bottling stage of still wine making, it has since become a firm favourite for wine lovers. Originating and named after the French region of Champagne, this tipple is made using grapes grown in the same region. An ideal cooler growing temperature coupled with porous, chalky, soil makes for an ideal acidity in the grapes grown there and gives this classic drink its beautiful straw like colour and tartness.
Sales have quadrupled since the 1950s as it has been adopted by royalty, celebrities and socialites alike. You will be hard pressed to find an event or even a music video without a bottle in the background somewhere! Whilst still pricier than its other sparkling wine counterparts, Champagne comes in a variety of different price ranges and so now is accessible for everyone and anyone- putting a bottle in with your weekly food shop doesn’t seem overly decedent anymore.
So what is the future of this well-loved drink? As classic and sophisticated as it is, Champagne has always also been quite playful and tongue in cheek. This has led to fun pairings such as artisanal Champagne paired with street food which have recently popped up around big cities and the craft beer movement has also paved the way for more independent growers to create their own niche in the Champagne market.
This means that there is likely to be a bigger rise in ‘grower Champagnes’ which are from much smaller businesses who only produce a small batch of bottles at a time. These family producers, who often only have a single vineyard, are also able to work in a more organic way, meaning that they are able to hand harvest and get back in touch with nature. This hands-on approach means that the final product often has a great depth of character and stands out amongst the bottles already on the market. There has been a big shift in the market for artisanal cheese, beers and breads in the last few years and it seems that the Champagne market is not getting left behind.
Here at TheDrinksBasket, we have a number of different champagnes for our customers to choose from, in a variety of price ranges. Whether you are on a budget but still want something special or feel like splashing out, we are sure to have the right bottle for you. Have a browse through our Champagne and sparkling wine section to find out more about the great brands that we stock and celebrate with style
