Are you a trivia junkie? If so, this post is perfect for you. These fun facts about champagne and sparkling wine will come in handy as you’re popping the bubbly at all of your holiday celebrations.
As you well know if you have been a part of this community for a while, I love all things bubbly. And we do share a whole lot of fun recipes and bottle recommendations, but we also love to educate on bubbly as well.
As a former teacher, I love to teach (you can take me out of the classroom, but….). And I find the whole process so very interesting. So naturally, I felt the need to share what I think are the most interesting and fun facts about champagne and sparkling wine.
Interesting Facts About Champagne & Sparkling Wine 101
How about a little champagne 101 or sparkling wine 101 here to make you the expert the next time you pop a bottle with your besties.
The most popular grapes for are: Pinot noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.
A question I get all the time is can other grapes be used? For sparkling wine, of course, The sky is the limit. Take your pick of any red grapes or white grapes and turn that into bubbly. As for champagne, it’s a little stricter. There are regulations around the types of grapes they can use and where they come from.
Blanc de Blanc or Blanc de Blancs….what does that mean?
Well, quite literally translated white of white(s) or white from white(s). So this is 100% white wine bubbly…usually chardonnay. Now if it says blanc de blanc (no ‘s’) that means it’s 100% single varietal. And most of the time, that’s chardonnay. If it says blanc de blancs, that’s a blend of white grape varietals.
What is Blanc de Noir?
Literally translated, this means white from black. Blanc de noir are some of my personal favorite sparkling wines. This basically means a grape like pinot noir or pinot meunier were used to create this bubbly and there was no skin contact whatsoever, so the color is white.
What is méthode champenoise or the traditional method?
Well, the easiest way to define this is the same method they use in Champagne, France to create champagne. This means the second fermentation takes place inside the champagne bottles themselves. I always say this is where the bubbly magic happens because carbon dioxide is trapped in the bottle after the yeast consumes the sugar.
I explain the wine production process in other blog posts (it’s fascinating) especially if you ever get to take part in the final stages of that process from disgorgement to corking.
Isn’t all sparkling wine from France french champagne?
No, it’s not. The only sparkling wine that can actually be called champagne comes from the region of Champagne, France. There are very strict regulations about what makes a French champagne a french champagne, but the bottom line is if it doesn’t come from this region in France, it’s just a sparkling wine or a crémant.
What’s the tank method referring to?
This is one of the other production methods that refers to the second fermentation happening in a big tank prior to being bottled. You usually hear this when people are talking about how Italian Sparkling Wine, prosecco is made. Fun fact, prosecco is made with the glera grape primarily found in the northeast, Veneto region of Italy.
Is there a proper wine glass to use for a sparkling wine tasting?
This is a great question and one I like to do a tasting with because it’s so fun. There are 3 main types of champagne glasses and none are the “right” or “wrong” glass to use. It does come down to a matter of preferences. If you want to read more about glassware, check out this blog, but I’ll give you a little spoiler, the champagne tulip is the best way to enjoy your glass of bubbly.
Do they make a sweet wine version of sparkling wine or champagne?
Of course, you can find champagne and sparkling wines from very dry (no added sugar at all) to very sweet. I definitely talk about sweetness levels in sparkling wine especially because the labels can be a bit confusing.
Do you feel a little bit smarter about sparkling wine and champagne or a bit more lost? I get it…it’s a lot to learn.
But some of my favorite things to share when I am leading a bubbly tasting are the fun facts. So let’s dig into those.
Fun Facts
- There are approximately 1 million bubbles in your glass of champagne.
- The pressure inside a bottle is like being 40m under water. Or if you’re not a scuba diver, it’s almost twice the amount of pressure as your car tire. That is a lot of pressure!
- In the early years it was referred to as the “Devil’s Wine” because wine makers would go to their cellars to see the corks had blown off and they believed it was the spirits.
- Marilyn Monroe took a bath in champagne and it took 350 bottles.
- Each second champagne emits 30 champagne bubbles. This is why your glass makes such a big difference when enjoying that glass of bubbly.
- The tradition of toasting with Champagne dates back to the 18th century and is seen as a way to celebrate and bring good luck.
- The longest distance traveled by a cork is approximately 59 yards. You know we had to try this, don’t you? Of course, I had my nephews try this a few different ways. With the bottles chilled, after they have been sitting on the deck in the sun for hours, shaken, you name it. Unfortunately the furthest distance was about 20 yards. We definitely have some work to do.
- The famous Benedictine Monk, Dom Perignon is often credited with “inventing” Champagne, although he didn’t really invent it; he did make improvements to the process.
- Celebrating a special occasion? Well you can join the 28,000 other people opening bottles of Champagne every hour.
- Corks fly out of a bottle at speeds up to 65mph. Can you imagine getting hit by a cork at that speed? This is why my first lesson is always never to point a bottle at someone. Once that cage is loosened, that cork can blow at any moment.
- According to research, 1-3 glasses of champagne weekly has health benefits and can help prevent memory loss. Sadly this research has not been done on humans yet. I was working with the Alzheimer’s Association last year and asked them about this study and they verified it was only done on rats and there’s no real evidence that it works on humans. But I say, it’s worth a shot to give it a try!
- You’re more likely to be killed by a stray champagne cork than by being bitten by a poisonous spider.
- 49 people die each year from popping a bottle of bubbly incorrectly and shooting the cork directly at their head. This is why it makes me crazy when people don’t know how to open a bottle of bubbly the proper way. Repeat after me: Twist the bottle, not the cork! And always hold it at a 45 degree angle pointed away from everyone with one hand on the neck of the bottle protecting the cork and the other at the base.
- Madame Clicquot, known as the “Grand Dame of Champagne,” was a pioneering businesswoman who developed the riddling process to clarify Champagne. You’ve had Veuve Clicquot, right? Well, of course, it took a woman to help perfect that champagne making process.
Fun Champagne Quotes
“Come quick, I’m tasting the stars.” Dom Perignon Now, of course, there are rumors that he never said this, but I like to believe he did.
“Only the unimaginative can fail to find a reason for drinking Champagne.” Oscar Wilde He truly believed in the philosophy of Bubbly Side of Life, didn’t he?
“I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not.” Coco Chanel
Bubbly Side of Life Communities
I have always said that I am not a champagne expert so if you want the inside scoop on the best champagnes particularly the best grower champagnes in the champagne industry, give @wedrinkbubbles a follow. She’s a great resource.
If you’re looking for quick, easy and reliable bottles of champagne and sparkling wine available today in your local United States grocery store, check out this blog post.
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