Advent Day 15
Champagne Glasses
A lot goes into a fine glass of bubbly. In fact, it takes years to craft a fine bottle of Champagne. The three grape varieties used for Champagne can only be grown in a certain region in France—and if they’re not grown there the beverage legally can’t be called Champagne. In the 17th century, Champagne started to be associated with royalty, and today it’s used by celebrities, rappers, and for every kind of celebration imaginable. But you already knew that. Here are a few fun facts you may not have known about Champagne:
1. Champagne is just sparkling wine
Yeast and sugar is added to wine for a second fermentation, which then creates the bubbles that makes Champagne.
2. The most expensive bottle of Champagne costs $2.07 million dollars
This bottle literally has a diamond ingrained in the design on the outside.
3. The chalky remains of ancient sea-creatures are the “soil” for Champagne’s grapes
The Champagne region of France was actually once the floor of an ancient pre-historic sea. Now it’s the perfect foundation to grow grapes.
4. “Sabrage” is a term for opening a Champagne bottle with an actual sword
It’s only done in certain ceremonial occasions and the wielder uses the blunt side of the sword. It was made famous by Napoleon and his army when they celebrated victories in battle.
5. It can help prevent memory loss
According to new research, one to three glasses of Champagne each week could counteract memory loss associated with aging.
6. Marilyn Monroe took a bath in Champagne
It took 350 bottles to fill up the tub.
7. The pressure in the bottle led it to be called the “Devil’s Wine”
Early Champagne manufacturers came down to their cellars to find some corks had blown out of their bottles prematurely. They attributed this to spiritual beings. This caused many Champagne-makers to wear iron helmets to prevent injury.
8. The pressure in a Champagne bottle is 90 pounds per square inch
This is three times the amount of pressure than the tyres on a car.
9. The longest recorded flight of a Champagne cork was 177 feet
This translates to roughly 54 meters, more than half of a football field!
10. Dropping a raisin into Champagne causes it to travel from the top of the glass to the bottom continuously
You can use this trick at parties to impress your friends!
11. Christening ships with Champagne started in Babylonia
They would pour liquid over the hull to check for holes, and this gradually turned into a ceremony using many different kinds of liquids and beverages. Champagne became the favorite in the late 1900’s. Some go to great lengths to make sure the bottle does in fact break every time.
12. There’s currently 1 billion bottles of Champagne in storage worldwide
13. Champagne corks fly out at speeds near 25 mph
It can get this high when it’s “vigorously shaken”
14. Queen Victoria and Edward VII especially loved Champagne
They drank Joseph Perrier.
15. Workers called “Riddlers” twist champagne bottles 1/8 of a turn every day to push the “lees” into the neck of the bottle
It’s a bizarre process that makes the Champagne journey that much more complex for manufacturers.
Champagne isn’t just for the rich these days, but it sure gives you that glitz and glamorous feel.
