Ep 610: A History of Champagne (How Champagne Became Champagne) Part 2
Champagne's modern history is a story of relentless innovation amid catastrophe. From the 1800s' chaotic experimentation with sugar and flavorings to the revolutionary riddling technique pioneered by Veuve Clicquot, the region transformed from a volatile, bottle-bursting craft into a precision-engineered industry. The Belle Époque brought global luxury and celebration, but the 20th century delivered relentless blows: phylloxera, two world wars, economic collapse, and even Nazi occupation. Yet through it all, Champagne adapted—replanting with American rootstock, mobilizing women during wartime, and creating the grower Champagne movement during the Depression. The 1960s and 70s saw automation and globalization, culminating in the gyro palette—a machine invented in France but adopted first by Spain—proving that tradition and progress can coexist. Today, Champagne faces climate change, but it’s responding with carbon footprint tracking, new grape hybrids like Voltus, and a renewed focus on terroir. Despite centuries of upheaval, the region’s resilience isn’t just about survival—it’s about reinvention, proving that even in chaos, human passion can keep a legacy alive. The episode reveals a radical truth: Champagne’s greatest strength isn’t its bubbles, but its capacity to evolve. From the French government deploying 40,000 troops to quell grape riots in 1911 to the underground hiding of millions of bottles during WWII, the story is one of defiance.
Veuve Clicquot invented riddling in the 1800s by using a kitchen table with angled holes to move yeast sediment into the bottleneck—still used today.
The 1911 grower revolt in Champagne was so violent that the French government sent 40,000 troops to quell it over grape pricing and foreign wine use.
Champagne’s modern production was solidified by 1884 with cold disgorging—plunging bottles into brine to freeze sediment and pop it out with minimal loss.
The gyro palette, invented in France in the 1960s, was rejected by Champagne houses but adopted by Spanish Cava producers, who saw massive cost savings.
Champagne became the first wine region to measure its carbon footprint in 2003 and aims to cut emissions by 75–80% by 2030.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The 1800s: From Guesswork to Precision
“She took her kitchen table and she instructed her guys to cut holes at an angle in the table. And they were going to move the bottles slowly from horizontal and then keep moving them and moving them until all that sludge was in the bottleneck, and then they could just take that out.”
The Belle Époque: Champagne as Global Luxury
Between 1871 and 1914, Champagne became the symbol of opulence, art, and celebration. The champagne cocktail emerged, flutes and coupes were popular, and the drink was consumed at weddings, theaters, and political events across Europe and the U.S.
Phylloxera and the 1911 Grower Revolt
“The growers stopped transport of foreign wines. They drained the tanks at night. They burned the warehouses of producers that were making the fake champagne. They pillaged and ransacked owners' personal homes.”
World War I and the Rise of Women in Winemaking
Champagne was a war zone, with vineyards destroyed and production cut in half. Women stepped in to manage cellars and blends, including Madame Jacques Krug, who assembled Krug’s blends during the war.
World War II and the Nazi Occupation
“The Champenois did not want the Germans to have their wines. So they walled up a ton of wine or hid it in cellars or in deep caves that the Germans did not know about since 1940.”
“So she took her kitchen table and she instructed her guys to cut holes at an angle in the table. And they were going to move the bottles slowly from horizontal and then keep moving them and moving them until all that sludge was in the bottleneck, and then they could just take that out.”
“The growers stopped transport of foreign wines. They drained the tanks at night. They burned the warehouses of producers that were making the fake champagne. They pillaged and ransacked owners' personal homes.”
“The Champenois did not want the Germans to have their wines. So they walled up a ton of wine or hid it in cellars or in deep caves that the Germans did not know about since 1940.”
Host
Elizabeth Schneider
person
Veuve Clicquot
brand
CIVC
organization
Dom Perignon
person
Louis Pasteur
person
Champagne Viticultural Association
organization
Winston Churchill
person
Voltus
other
Cava
brand
Claude Casal
person
Ep 609: A History of Champagne (How Champagne Became Champagne) - Part 1
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