The Champagne Region With some Dom Perignon *Gabby* Ms. Andrya Fitzgerald
Where in the world is the Champagne Region?
Its strategic location has made it a battleground whenever France has been invaded from the east.
The Falaise de l'Ile-de-France, a limestone ridge, borders Champagne on the west, separating it from the Ile-de-France, core of the Paris Basin
The departments of Champagne are: Marne, Haute-Marne, Aube, and Ardennes and parts of Yonne, Aisne, Seine-et- Marne, and Meuse
The name derives from the Latin word, campania, meaning "plain." Champagne
Champagne Is a historic wine region located 90 miles northeast of Paris, It consists of 86,000 acres of land and is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name
There are 250 Villages divided into 5 main areas: Montagne de Reims Vallée de la Marne Le Côte des Blancs Aube District Le Côte de Sézanne
Earliest Vineyards The first vineyards were established around 50 A.D. but were destroyed in 92 A.D. by order of Emperor Domitian. The vineyards were replaced in 202 A.D. by edict of the Emperor Probus who was the son of a gardener.
GGGGrapes grown on the lower slopes of the Falaise are made into the famous sparkling wine in the miles of cellars carved out of the chalk under REIMS and Epernay Because of the cold winters, the grapes are harvested before they are fully ripened.
Most of the Champagne vineyards are between Reims and Epernay. Only Champagne produced in this region has the right to call itself "Champagne". Other versions are often called "sparkling wines" which contributes to why the true Champagne is so expensive.
In the early Middle Age period, Champagne France was a duchy under Merovingian rulers. By the 10th century, the duchy of Champagne became a hereditary estate known as the county of Champagne. Then, in the 12th and 13th century, the county became well-known for commercial fairs where merchants from all Europe were present. At that period, the Capital was the city of Troyes. Finally, in 1314, Champagne became a province of the royal domain of France when the count of Champagne, who had inherited the area, succeeded as Louis X, king of France. The successive wars of the Revolution, the Empire and the beginnings of the Republic left, until the signing of the Reims Armistice in 1945, painful scars of history on the soil of Champagne.
Most of the exported French champagne comes from the area around the cities of Reims and Epernay
The Champagne-Ardennes region is rich in events that made history of France and has preserved several vestiges such as the Cathedral of Reims. For a thousand years, the cathedral was one of the privileged places in French history, providing the setting for the coronation of kings. Mostly built during the 13th century and completed in the 15th century, this monument is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, remarkable not only for its architecture but also for its dimension.
Cathedral of Reims
The Champagne region is also known for the raising of sheep and the manufacture of wool being part of the economy.
What’s good to eat?
Yummy!!! The boudin blanc de Rethel (white pudding The andouillette de Troyes ( small pork tripe sausages) The jambon des Ardennes ( dried ham) Cheese: the creamy Chaource and the Langres (matured with marc de Champagne alcohol) Biscuits Roses de Reims (cookies): great with Champagne!
What’s good to drink?
CHAMPAGNE!!!
Some Favorites are… Mumm Mercier Moet & Chandon Joseph Perrier Perrier-Jouet Taittinger Veuve Cliquot and more….
More, including, Dom Perignon Dom Perignon, a Benedictine Monk, produced a well known champagne named after himself. References to his “blind tasting of wine” have led to misconceptions that Dom Perignon was blind.
“Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!” A tagline from a 1980’s Dom Perignon Ad.
Rich heritage of Champagne is displayed in museums such as: The Basilica and…. The Museum Saint Remi in Reims.
Where’d I get this stuff from? gne_(region).html gne_(region).html gne_(region).html ne.html ne.html ne.html