By J. A. Young
Book critics may well toast to Champagne: "How the World's Most Glamorous Wine Triumphed Over War and Hard Times" by Don and Petie Kladstrup. This delightful volume of history begins at 451 A.D., when one of the bloodiest battles in history took place in the fields of Champagne, France, after Romans allied themselves with barbarian tribes to meet the Hunnish scourge. This unlikely area of poor soil soon after proved the ideal spot for growing the black grapes needed to make the world's most popular drink - the wine drunk to bring in the new year and toast to wedded bliss.The authors describe many ironies behind the production of champagne. Even the bubbles for which it is famous were accidentally introduced, and Dom Perignon - known as the father of champagne - spent his whole life trying to get them out!
The course of champagne through history seems to have been glamorous early on - the book introduces us to champagne-loving popes and other famous and infamous personages like Sun King Louis XIV, Napoleon Bonaparte, Madame de Pompadour and Coco Chanel. Less known, but equally compelling figures in this beloved wine's history include the likes of Champagne Charlie who popularized it in America, but later wound up imprisoned as a spy during the Civil War.
In fact, war - many of them - had extensive impact on the history of champagne, and the authors devote significant time to these periods that perhaps had the most influence on the bubbling wine. It depicts the struggles the various champagne houses went through, as well as the competition of Champagne vintners between one another and subsequent regions that tried to grow its grape and produce cheaper varieties of the wine. The book also takes us to the underground cellars of these same Champagne houses where German bombardment sent thousands of French into hiding - "where among the bottles you would find schools, hospitals, shops, municipal offices and troops."
Many old illustrations and photographs from the WWI and WWII era accompany the text. The photographs show the underground desks of schoolchildren as well as the heavily bombarded Moet & Chandon Champagne House. There are several poignant shots; one in particular shows French troops marching to battle through the vineyards of Champagne.
All in all, this is a moving account of a glamorous drink that has a surprisingly formidable backbone. Books like this are wonderful examples placing world events in context with something as seemingly insignificant as a flute of champagne. Indeed, as the book explains, the world has never been the same since champagne came onto the scene.
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