Champagne : how war & hard times gave rise to the world's most glamorous wine

Throughout history, waves of invaders have coveted the northeast corner of France: Attila the Hun in the fifth century, the English in the Hundred Years War, the Prussians in the nineteenth century. Yet this region -- which historians say has suffered more battles and wars than any other place on earth -- is also the birthplace of one thing the entire world equates with good times, friendship and celebration: champagne. Champagne is the story of the world's favourite wine. It tells how a sparkling beverage that became the toast of society during the Belle Epoque emerged after World War I as a global icon of fine taste and good living. The book celebrates the gutsy, larger--than--life characters whose proud determination nurtured and preserved the land and its grapes throughout centuries of conflict. From The Time Of Attila The Hun To The Germans Of World War Ii, Waves Of Invaders Have Tried To Conquer The Verdant Region Of Champagne In Northern France. Yet This Strife-torn Land Is Also The Birthplace Of The World's Favorite Wine: Champagne. In This Engrossing History, Don And Petie Kladstrup Show How This Sparkling Wine, Born Of Bloodshed, Became A Symbol Of Glamour, Good Times, And Celebration. It's A Story Filled With Larger-than-life Characters:dom Pérignon, The Father Of Champagne, Who, Contrary To Popular Belief, Worked His Entire Life To Keep Bubbles Out Of Champagne; The Sun King, Louis Xiv, Who Rarely Drank Anything But; And Napoleon, Who, In Trying To Conquer The World, Introduced It To Champagne. Then There Were The Generations Of Local Vintners Who Struggled To Keep Their Houses Running. Claude Moët Hauled His Bottles To Versailles And Gave Madame De Pompadour Her First Taste Of Bubbly, Prompting Her Memorable Quote, Champagne Is The Only Wine That Lets A Woman Remain Beautiful After She Has Drunk It. There Was Also Charles-camille Heidsieck, Known As Champagne Charlie, Who Popularized Champagne In America And Ended Up Being Imprisoned As A Spy During The Civil War. World War I Would Be Champagne's Greatest Test Of All, A Four-year Nightmare In Which Nearly Everything The Champenois Had Worked And Fought For Was Destroyed In A Rain Of Iron And Fire. German Bombardment Drove Thousands Of People Underground To Seek Refuge In The Huge Cellars Of The Champagne Houses, Where Among The Bottles You Would Find Schools, Hospitals, Shops, Municipal Offices, And Troops. Amazingly, Grapes Continued To Be Harvested Even As Bombs Fell, And The Wartime Vintages Are Considered To Be Among The Finest Ever Made. An Unforgettable History, Champagne Will Forever Change How You Look At A Glass Of Bubbly. The authors of the international bestseller Wine and War chronicle the untold dramatic history of Champagne from the 13th century through the crucibles of two world wars to the 21st century Throughout history, waves of invaders including Franks, Visigoths, Burgundians, Merovingians, Barbarians, Alamanshave swept across the verdant region of Champagne in southern France. Yet this region, which historians say has suffered more invasions, battles, and wars than any other place on earth, is also the birthplace of the one ingredient that above all others epitomizes joy: champagne. Gallant Harvest tells the fascinating, little-known story of champagne, the world's favorite wine. Don and Petie Kladstrup share how a sparkling beverage that was the toast of Belle Epoque society not only survived the bloodbath of World War I, but grew even more popular in the war's wake. Thorughout they introduce gutsy, larger-than-life characters determined to preserve their land and their grapes; vintners for whom champagne is not only their heritage and livelihood but a part of their souls and the soul of their nation. Journalists Don and Petie Kladstrup show how this sparkling wine, born of bloodshed, became a symbol of glamour, good times, and celebration. It's a story filled with larger-than-life characters: Dom Pérignon, the father of champagne, who, contrary to popular belief, worked his entire life to keep bubbles out of champagne; the Sun King, Louis XIV, who rarely drank anything but; and Charles-Camille Heidsieck, known as "Champagne Charlie," who popularized champagne in America and ended up being imprisoned as a spy during the Civil War. World War I would be Champagne's greatest test of all, a four-year nightmare in which German bombardment drove thousands of people underground to seek refuge in the huge cellars of the champagne houses, where among the bottles you would find schools, hospitals, shops, municipal offices, and troops.--From publisher description