“This book is not a reference work or compendium. Or at least not primarily. It aims to show what champagne is today. In fact, even though everyone (or every woman) seems to have a fairly clear opinion about it, French sparkling wine is the most misunderstood drink. Hardly any other great wine is consumed so thoughtlessly. Those who remember it usually think of labels, brands, and design, rarely of the contents of the bottles. At best, the term still stands for the production method named after it. The fact that “le Champagne” comes from “la Champagne,” that the sparkling wine of this name also has a place of origin, has been almost forgotten.
Champagne means one thing above all else: diversity. Hardly any other wine appellation in France has such a variety of regions, soils, and traditions. Nowhere else are the differences in vinification more significant, the history more complex, and the present more exciting. It is not without reason that every champagne house is proud of its “style de la maison,” its very own way of producing champagne. This book aims to describe this diversity in all its many voices: in 100 portraits of the most important maisons, winemakers, and cooperatives.
Paths to diversity
Readers have two ways to immerse themselves in this diversity. The first is to not always open the same favorite champagne, but to start by trying two bottles from different producers side by side. Nothing teaches you more than comparative tasting. Because the question that then arises, why does one champagne taste like this and the other like that, is the beginning of understanding.
The second way is to take a trip to Champagne. Not just to Reims to see the impressive chalk cellars of the large trading houses on the Butte Saint-Nicaise or the magnificent Avenue de Champagne in Épernay. It should also take you to the steep slopes of the Clos des Goisses in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, to the “Gothic hill” of Montgueux near Troyes, or to the rosé champagne in Les Riceys on the border with Burgundy. Here you can experience how much the respective champagnes are influenced by both their terroir and their history, and how much they differ from what we commonly associate with champagne.
However, diversity in Champagne is not just a question of relaxed coexistence, but also of emotional debate. Around 1985, a movement began that was called the winemaker champagne revolution. According to its diagnosis, champagne had degenerated into a brand product that was always the same, and it was therefore high time to consider it a serious wine again. This was accompanied by vineyard management that was often ecologically or biodynamically inspired, an emphasis on origin and individuality through single-vineyard and vintage champagnes, and a return to more traditional (especially Burgundian) vinification methods. However, this was fundamentally opposed to the classic blending philosophy of the large trading houses, which regarded the artful blending of different grape varieties, origins, and vintages as the ideal way to produce great sparkling wines.
The new confusion
Today, the boundaries between the two factions have become blurred in many ways, with both sides integrating influences from the other into their production. In some cases, however, as with many controversial issues today, they have become even more entrenched. This book aims to present the positions without taking sides. The author’s experience shows that, in recent years, even the basic cuvées of most of the major houses have improved – while, conversely, individuality in itself is no guarantee of quality.
Currently, even cellar masters at trading houses are saying that their product is first and foremost a wine and only then a champagne. As appealing as the basic impulse behind this idea may sound, it is nevertheless a misunderstanding. The tiny bubbles are not simply a necessary accessory; in fact, they are what make champagne unique. Even great wines are ultimately just wine, whatever that may mean. Champagne, on the other hand, breaks out of everyday life and creates unique moments. Like no other drink, it has the power to open our existence to joie de vivre. In the words of Winston Churchill: “I couldn’t live without champagne. In victory I deserve it, in defeat I need it.”
Before presenting the actual portraits of the producers, this book provides a brief introduction to the factors that shape the style of champagne—these may stem from history (Chapter I), depend on the status of the producer (Chapter II), relate to the region (Chapter III), or be linked to vineyard locations and cultivation (Chapter IV) and the actual production process (Chapter V). Each producer portrait is preceded by a brief profile that provides a basic overview of the distinctive characteristics of the respective houses.
In fall 2021, the book received the German Cookbook Award in Gold as the best German wine book. Here is the jury’s reasoning. In Benjamin Cordes’ review for kaisergranat. com, he writes: “Ladies and gentlemen: This is the best book on champagne currently on the market. Tchin Tchin!”
Stefan Pegatzky
Champagne. The 100 most important houses, winemakers, and cooperatives
240 pages, format: 29 x 30 cm, numerous illustrations
published by Tre Torri Verlag (in German)
