Wine drinking is as old as history. Some claim that Adam and Eve's tree of life was a vine. The biblical verses and songs feature grapes and wines and the symbols of Moses two explorers who reported milk and honey are shown carrying huge bunches of grapes.
The Greeks valued wine and had a God of wine, Dionysus.
The Romans recognised the good and bad effects of wine. Pliny the elder said In Vino Veritas -
translated into English as 'in wine there is truth', meaning, after drinking wine people say the truth, or reveal too much!
Grapes stored will ferment into wine. The discovery of bubbles is attributed to a French monk Dom Perignon who supposedly shouted, 'Come quickly, I see stars!' His business was eventually bought up by Moet and Chandon. They feature his statue outside. You can take tours of the cellars in the two major centres in the Champagne region, Rheims and Epernay. These tours have grown with guides in other languages and larger shops, attracting coach parties, so the larger places may have a charge and you may need to book ahead.
By contrast the smaller places may prefer not to interrupt their working day, and only make tours by appointment, usually with big buyers in the business.
Back to the history.
Champagne, sparkling white wine from the Champagne region about 100 miles east of Paris was sent west along the river to Paris and then shipped from the ports in Northern France across the Channel to England.
(Read more in my later posts.)
The Greeks valued wine and had a God of wine, Dionysus.
The Romans recognised the good and bad effects of wine. Pliny the elder said In Vino Veritas -
translated into English as 'in wine there is truth', meaning, after drinking wine people say the truth, or reveal too much!
Grapes stored will ferment into wine. The discovery of bubbles is attributed to a French monk Dom Perignon who supposedly shouted, 'Come quickly, I see stars!' His business was eventually bought up by Moet and Chandon. They feature his statue outside. You can take tours of the cellars in the two major centres in the Champagne region, Rheims and Epernay. These tours have grown with guides in other languages and larger shops, attracting coach parties, so the larger places may have a charge and you may need to book ahead.
By contrast the smaller places may prefer not to interrupt their working day, and only make tours by appointment, usually with big buyers in the business.
Back to the history.
Champagne, sparkling white wine from the Champagne region about 100 miles east of Paris was sent west along the river to Paris and then shipped from the ports in Northern France across the Channel to England.
(Read more in my later posts.)
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