Our Romance with Champagne

Champagne has long been the tipple of choice to accompany our celebrations. Before even popping the cork, the line ‘shall we pop open a bottle of bubbly’ creates a flutter of excitement. James Bond has been seen to drink it 39 times in his movies, Marilyn Monroe was famously said to have bathed in it and even Churchill confessed his own devotion to the bottle "Remember gentlemen, it's not just France we are fighting for, it's Champagne!” Its rarity and expense makes it alluring and promiscuous. Its bubbles makes it fun and the flute glass not only accentuates the drink’s aroma but sits as an elegant accessory in your hand. 

Vivian in Pretty Woman is advised to 'add a strawberry' by Edward, to bring out the flavour. (To which she replies 'groovy'!) 

 

Never mind a glass... Do you have a Straw!?

Wine can only be labelled ‘Champagne’ if made in the Champagne region of north-eastern France. There are 49 million bubbles in a 750ml bottle of champagne and the cork shoots off at an average speed of 40mph! The Brits are so taken by this bubbly, it’s deemed now appropriate to follow in Ms Monroe’s footsteps by drenching oneself in Champagne- The Cadogan hotel in Knightsbridge began offering guests the ‘ultimate indulgence’ of a champagne bath in 2012. I can’t quite see the attraction to this, but perhaps it’s something you shouldn’t knock until you’ve tried. However, with prices reaching £25,000 for a Dom Perignon bubble bath I think I’ll stick to a ‘bog standard’ Jacuzzi!