Champagne

From the smash of a bottle on the side of a new ship to the pop of a cork at a party, champagne signals celebration, fun and camaraderie. Bubbly, as we affectionately call sparkling wine, is a symbol of luxury and decadence and the preferred drink for any important toast.

Champagne reveals the history of the world's great sparkling wines, telling the stories of the people who made champagne famous - from Dom Perignon to Veuve Clicquot - and describing the evolution of the sparkling wines of other regions that are now so popular. Starting with the story of the first modern French sparkling wines to be traded, produced by monks in Limoux, Languedoc in 1531, Becky Sue Epstein takes us on a tour of vineyards around the world, from the Champagne region itself through Germany, Spain and the New World, and tells the story of the fiercely guarded right to use the 'champagne' name. Explaining the science behind the characteristic fizz and bubble, she also teaches us the correct techniques for storing and serving champagne and sparkling wine, and the distinctions between them.

Whether you prefer magnums of Cristal or the more affordable thrill of prosecco or cava, Champagne is an invaluable complement to a glass of bubbly as well as an informative, elegant gift for all wine-lovers.