Champagne Part III: History

Stacy Ladenburger — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 22:45:32 GMT

Current Revision posted to Expert Guides by Stacy Ladenburger on 1/6/2026 10:45:32 PM

"We cannot open a railway, launch a vessel, inaugurate a public edifice, start a newspaper, . . . celebrate an anniversary, or specially appeal on behalf of a benevolent institution without a banquet, and hence without the aid of champagne, which, at the present day, is the obligatory adjunct of all such repasts."— Henry Vizetelly, "A History of Champagne," 1882

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

The earliest examples of sparkling wine were due to faults that occurred everywhere wine was produced. They would have been the result of an unwanted refermentation or possibly even malolactic conversion. None of these faulty wines were fully sparkling, and most were probably not even remotely nice. They would have been as welcome then as a fizzy Bordeaux first growth would be today. Occasionally, a pleasurable fizzy wine might be noted, possibly because it was still quite sweet—and so the myths of extraordinarily early sparkling wines would begin.

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Before the Roman conquest of 57 BCE, the region known as Champagne today did not exist. It was merely part of what the Romans called Gallia Belgica, the most northerly segment of a fragmented group of Celtic kingdoms known collectively as Gaul, representing an area roughly equivalent to that of present-day France. To the Romans, Gaul was Gallia Comata, or “Hairy Gaul,” so-called because the Gauls wore their hair long and grew thick, droopy moustaches.

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

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Champagne Part III: History

Jonathan Eichholz — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:25:31 GMT

Revision 11 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 7/7/2025 12:25:31 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

Champagne Part III: History

Jonathan Eichholz — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:17:42 GMT

Revision 10 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 7/7/2025 12:17:42 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

Tags: Preview

Champagne Part III: History

GuildSomm Admin — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:19:19 GMT

Revision 9 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 6/18/2024 3:19:19 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

Tags: Preview

Champagne Part III: History

GuildSomm Admin — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:19:01 GMT

Revision 8 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 6/18/2024 3:19:01 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

Champagne Part III: History

GuildSomm Admin — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:08:00 GMT

Revision 7 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 4/18/2024 3:08:00 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

History of Champagne

Jonathan Eichholz — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 14:06:52 GMT

Revision 6 posted to Expert Guides by Jonathan Eichholz on 4/12/2023 2:06:52 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

History of Champagne

Stacy Ladenburger — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 22:52:08 GMT

Revision 5 posted to Expert Guides by Stacy Ladenburger on 4/6/2023 10:52:08 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

History of Champagne

Stacy Ladenburger — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:21:12 GMT

Revision 4 posted to Expert Guides by Stacy Ladenburger on 3/31/2023 4:21:12 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Selected Resources

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

History of Champagne

Stacy Ladenburger — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:18:53 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Expert Guides by Stacy Ladenburger on 3/31/2023 4:18:53 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Bibliography

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

History of Champagne

GuildSomm Admin — Mon, 03 May 2021 17:51:54 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 5/3/2021 5:51:54 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Bibliography

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French

History of Champagne

GuildSomm Admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 15:06:31 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Expert Guides by GuildSomm Admin on 7/7/2020 3:06:31 PM

Contents

The First Sparkling Wine
Emergence of the Region
17th Century
18th Century
19th Century
20th Century
21st Century
Bibliography

The First Sparkling Wine

But to understand the emergence of Champagne’s sparkling wine, it’s important to first consider the development of the region and its earliest, still wines.

Emergence of the Champagne Region

Prior to Roman invasion, Gaul consisted of a number of small, ill-defined Celtic kingdoms (Credit: Cristiano64, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0)

Gaul and Gallic are not only synonymous with France and French