Champagne wine region
Reims is famous for its cathedral, the venue of the coronation of the French kings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
[1] Located at the northern edges of France, the history of the Champagne wine region has had a significant role in the development of this unique terroir.
The area's proximity to Paris promoted the region's economic success in its wine trade but also put the villages and vineyards in the path of marching armies on their way to the French capital.
The high latitude and mean annual temperature of 10 °C (50 °F) creates a difficult environment for wine grapes to fully ripen.
The cool temperatures serve to produce high levels of acidity in the resulting grape which is ideal for sparkling wine.
The belemnite in the soil allows it to absorb heat from the sun and gradually release it during the night as well as providing good drainage.
[5] The Carolingian reign saw periods of prosperity for the Champagne region beginning with Charlemagne's encouragement for the area to start planting vines and continuing with the coronation of his son Louis the Pious at Reims.
In 1314, the last Count of Champagne assumed the throne as King Louis X of France and the region became part of the Crown territories.
The location of Champagne played a large role in its historical prominence as it served as a "crossroads" for both military and trade routes.
It was not until the 1660s, during the reign of Louis XIV, that the region saw enough peace to allow advances in sparkling wine production to take place.
[9] The poet Henry d'Andeli's work La Bataille des Vins rated wines from the towns of Épernay, Hautvillers and Reims as some of the best in Europe.
From the key market of Paris to the palace of Louis XIV of France at Versailles, proponents of Champagne and Burgundy would compete for dominance.
Fagon quickly attributed the King's continuing ailments to Champagne and ordered that only Burgundy wine must be served at the royal table.
The Faculty of Medicine in Reims published several papers to refute Fagon's claim that Burgundy wine was healthier than Champagne.
In response, Burgundian winemakers hired physician Jean-Baptiste de Salins, dean of the medical school in Beaune, to speak to a packed auditorium at the Paris Faculty of Medicine.
[15] The war of words would continue for another 130 years with endless commentary from doctors, poets, playwrights and authors all arguing for their favorite region and their polemics being reproduced in advertisements for Burgundy and Champagne.
As more Champenois winemakers embarked on this new and completely different wine style, the rivalry with Burgundy mellowed and eventually waned.
The Pinots of the Montagne de Reims that are planted on northern facing slopes are known for their high levels of acid and the delicacy they add to the blend.
The abundance of southern facing slopes in the Vallée de la Marne produces the ripest wines with full aroma.
[19] Since the entire vineyard area authorized by the 1927 AOC regulations is now under cultivation, various ways of expanding the production have been considered.
The allowed yield was increased (to a maximum of 15,500 kg per hectare during an experimental period from 2007 to 2011[20]) and the possibility of revising the production region was examined.
The proposal was prepared by a group of five experts in the subjects of history, geography, geology, phytosociology and agronomy, working from 2005.
However, the price of land that are allowed to be used for Champagne production is expected to immediately rise from 5,000 to one million euro per hectare.
