1955 The U K B G Guide to Drinks (2nd edition revised)

WINES OF FRANCE

CHAMPAGNE

This is considered without doubt the"King of Wines and comes from a small delimited area to the north-east of Paris, about 90-100 miles from that city. The district lies around the centres of Reims, Epemay and Ay, which towns are the commercial centres of the Champagne area. The district itself is roughly divided into the (1) River Marne Area—those vineyards which lie on either side of the River Mame, a tributary of the River Seine. (2) The Montagne de Reims Area—The area that lies to the north of the river, being the hillsides between the river and the town of Reims. The vineyards actually are on the slopes of the hillsides and not on the flat plateau on the top of these hillsides. Both red and white wines have been produced in this area from the 3rd Century A.D., but it was not until about 1700 that the first sparkling wine was made. Many famous people are associated with Champagne, but none more so than a Benedictine monk by the name of Dom Ferignon (1639-1715), who was appointed as Head Cellarer to the Abbey at Hautvillers. He did a great deal to improve the quality of Champagne, and is erroneously thought to have discovered how to put the bubbles in this famous wine. In the year 1911 the area became delimited, and now this means that only wines that actually are produced there from grapes grown in that district are entitled to use the name of"Champagne". The grapes that produce this wonderful wine are of the large family of Pinot's varieties, mostly the Pinot Noir, 167