Champagne

The sparkling wine’s untold dramatic history, from the thirteenth century to two world wars and the twenty-first century, by the bestselling authors of Wine and War.

“The blood history of Champagne has been told before, but not in such a breezy, easygoing volume. Good froth.” —New York Times

It’s been said that Champagne in northern France has been the site of more bloody battles, fiery incursions, and large-scale wars than any other place on Earth. From the time of Attila the Hun to the Germans in World War II, countless invaders have tried to conquer this strife-torn land. Yet somehow it managed to become the birthplace of the world’s most beloved wine.

In this engrossing and unforgettable history, author Don and Peite 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 else; and Napoleon, who, in trying to conquer the world, introduced it to champagne.

Compelling, dramatic, eye-opening, and utterly fascinating, Champagne will forever change how you look at a glass of bubbly.

“A lovingly written ode to this incomparable, festive wine.” —Newsday (New York)

“[An] outstanding contribution to popular wine history. . . . A delight.” —Wine Enthusiast