Champagne and Popular Culture
Champagne has become woven into the very fabric of popular culture through its association with luxury and exclusivity. Champagne, of course, is a staple at special occasions, such as graduations and birthday parties, and it is rare to find a celebration going down without a serving of champagne in the contemporary world. The marketing strategies employed by champagne houses and wine merchants have further fortified the integration of champagne into popular culture.
Wine in Ancient Civilization
Ancient civilizations used winemaking for different purposes, including artistic and religious purposes. For instance, in the Egyptian kingdom, wine was used to celebrate the gods. It also served as a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Ancient Egypt considered wine an important part of their culture. In the recent past, wine has followed the same path, with most people incorporating it into their daily lives. Champagne, in particular, has become a common phenomenon in popular culture.
Figure 1: Dom Perignon by Gary Elsasser
Champagne Origins
Effervescence has been observed since winemaking first started. The phenomenon was not understood and was considered the result of faulty winemaking. Before sparkling wine was invented, winemakers were keen on making still wines only. The rise of champagne is tied to Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk charged by his superiors to get rid of bubbles in still wine.1 It is said that when Perignon tasted the bubbly wine, he was surprised, exclaiming that he could taste stars. It was from this point that sparkling wine production grew exponentially. What was initially considered a serious defect later turned into a great discovery.
Champagne is a sparkling wine produced in the Champagne wine region of France. While there are many other types of sparkling wines, only sparkling wine produced in Champagne, France can be labeled ‘champagne.’ Champagne from this region is also special because it has to be made from either Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or Chardonnay and must undergo double fermentation.
Champagne and Sports
Sports are one of the facets of popular culture that has become synonymous with champagne. The sound made by popping a champagne cork has become popular in luxurious sporting celebrations. And the feeling that follows when the cork pops out, splashing the sparkles, adds to the feeling of triumph for winners of sports tournaments and competitions.
The French formula I Grand Prix was the first sport where champagne was used to celebrate wins. During the 1930s, Count Frederic Chandon, a wine merchant, started giving out champagne wine bottles to race winners. The practice was later adopted by other sporting events.
Champagne spraying in sports was introduced by Dan Gurney at a victory stage at Le Mans, France, after the 2 July 1967 French Grand Prix race.2 Gurney placed his thumb on the mouth of the champagne bottle and sprayed the bubbles around the crowd, a practice that has since been adopted in many other sports. Champagne has become widely accepted as a means of celebrating victory across sports, including in football, tennis, basketball, cricket, and golf.
Champagne Lanson is closely associated with tennis and has been supplying champagne for all Wimbledon championships. The close relationship is set to continue in the foreseeable future as the champagne house has signed a contract to continue supplying this wine. In European football, champagne has also become common in victory celebrations.
For instance, on 24 May 2014, the Real Madrid CF football team sprayed champagne on their coach, Carlo Ancelloti, in celebration following their victory over Athletico Madrid. Besides, Leicester City football club sprayed champagne on their coach, Claudio Ranieri, after the Premier League triumph on 2 May 2016.
Figure 2: Cool Champagne by Caroline
Champagne and Music
Champagne’s popularity in music increased at the end of the 20th century, with several artists embracing the bubbly drink. It was like every artist wanted to mention champagne and be associated with elitism and luxury. Champagne and hip-hop music, in particular, has a deep connection.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Louis Roederer’s Crystal was the champagne of choice for most hip-hop rappers until the vineyard’s president implied he was not a fan of the attention it received from the music industry. Consequently, most hip-hop music rappers shifted to other champagne brands.
An example is Shawn Carter, popularly known by his stage name Jay Z, who boycotted Crystal following those remarks. Jay Z is a renowned rapper and businessman. He is married to Beyoncé, a champagne lover, and owns his own champagne brand, ‘Armand de Brignac.’3 Armand de Brignac is known for being one of the world’s best champagne wines. Therefore, champagne is also rooted in the music industry, and its prominence continues to grow.
Other Facets
Admittedly, champagne’s popularity continues to grow due to effective marketing strategies utilized by champagne houses. Rising demand demonstrates the ever-growing popularity of champagne around the world. Champagne houses such as Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon are expanding into new markets in Asia and America.4
The rising demand is also putting pressure on winemakers to produce more champagne. However, love for the drink also has its downsides. In France alone, hospitalizations increase during celebratory periods as a result of champagne corks being popped.
Champagne production and consumption have shaped France’s tourism as people visit the region to discover how champagne wine is made. Luxurious hotels have sprouted in Reims, among other parts of Champagne, which host these visitors, offering great wine-related experiences.5 Winemakers and vignerons have also commercialized the fame of their region
Read also: The Influence of Wine on the Pop Culture
This Day in Wine History
19 July 1887- On this day, the Appeals Court of Angers ruled that only sparkling wines manufactured in Champagne will be designated ‘champagne’ according to the 1824 law of trademarks. The ruling came after the Tours Court of Justice sentenced three local wine merchants for selling Vouvray sparkling wine as champagne, misleading buyers. Ten wine merchants had sued Touraine winemakers for name. The Appeals Court of Angers cemented that the name ‘champagne’ only be used for Champagne’s sparkling wines. The name ‘champagne’ has been protected and used for sparkling wines from the Champagne region ever since.
22 July 1927 – On this day, legal delimitation of the official champagne-producing area took place. The delimitation defined the area under which sparkling wine would be produced under the ‘champagne’ trademark. The 1927 delimitation included Aube and several other villages excluded during the 17 December 1908 delimitation. The delimitation set strict rules concerning champagne production, which were revised on 30 September 1935 following over-production coinciding with a slump in sales. The new guidelines set the minimum alcohol content, press yields, aging, and yield measures. The 1927 delimitation is still in force today and controls the production champagne wines in Champagne, covering over 35,280 hectares of production.
29 June 1936 – On this day, Champagne was recognized as an official appellation by Appellation D’Origine Controlee (AOC). The official recognition included ratifying rules and guidelines adopted in 1919, 1927, and 1935 in favor of Champagne winegrowers. The strict AOC laws governing wine production in Champagne ensure that the region produces high-quality wine. The name ‘Champagne’ is protected in 120 countries, and winemakers who want to employ similar measures must credit the region by noting the term method traditionelle on their labels.
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References
1 Michelle Locke, “POP CULTURE, a Review of Champagne: A Global History,” Palate Press, November 10, 2011, https://www.palatepress.com/2011/11/pop-culture-a-review-of-champagne-a-global-history/.
2 A.C Shilton, “A Brief History of the Podium Champagne Spray,” Triathlete, November 18, 2017, https://www.triathlete.com/culture/brief-history-podium-champagne-spray/.
3 Christine Campbell, “‘Drop It like It’s Hot’ – Champagne and Pop-Culture,” Girls Go Grape, March 18, 2015, https://girlsgogrape.com/2015/03/18/drop-it-like-its-hot-champagne-and-pop-culture/.
4 Tiger Webb, “From Cork Pop to Hip Hop: A Cultural History of Champagne,” Radio National, November 6, 2015, https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/thelist/a-cultural-history-of-champagne/6918116.
5 Bill Knott, “Champagne, the Home of Pop Culture,” Discovery, March 1, 2019, https://discovery.cathaypacific.com/champagne-home-pop-culture/.
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