Why?

The acidity and bubbles of dry Champagne cut through the richness of the fried potatoes, cleansing the palate. Here’s where to start:

Pair Dry: Dry, crisp sparkling wines work better than sweeter styles; although of the latter is your preference, go for it!

Don’t Stress: Champagne is pricey, so substitute a different dry, crisp, sparkling wine. You’ll enjoy it just as much (and maybe even more, if the toasty quality of Champagne is not your thing):

 
 
TYPES OF FRIES

If you’d like something different than standard julienne fries, try:

 
The history of Champagne follows. Elsewhere on The Nibble, you’ll find related content:
 
> The different styles of Champagne.

> The different types of fries: a photo glossary.

> The history of Champagne is below.

> The different types of Champagne.

> The history of the Champagne resealer/recorker.

> The year’s 9+ Champagne and other bubbly holidays.

> The year’s 30 potato holidays.

> The history of toasting to your health.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF CHAMPAGNE

Vineyards have existed in the Champagne region since Roman times, sometime between the 1st to 5th centuries C.E. The name of the region actually derives from the Latin Campania, a region in southern Italy (Naples is its capital).

In Roman times it was called Campania felix. They bestowed the name on the French region because of its physical resemblance to Campania in Italia (which remains the country’s name today).

So the Romans had vineyards and made wine, but it was still (i.e. not sparkling) wine. Bubbly didn’t appear for another 1,600 years,

Just about every story of the history of Champagne cites Dom Pérignon as its “inventor” (although based on chemistry, it likely invented itself). The truth may lie elsewhere.

Dom Pérignon (1638-1715) was a Benedictine monk and cellar master at the Abbey of Hautvillers in Champagne. He actually spent much of his career trying to prevent bubbles in wine, as they were seen as a flaw at the time.

However, on August 4, 1693, his is credited with having tasted a bottle and called to his brothers, “Come quickly, I am drinking the stars.”

This much is true: Dom Pérignon made an huge contribution by developing the technique that finally produced a successful white wine from red wine grapes—something vintners had been trying to accomplish for years.

For this a major step toward the development of the modern Champagne technique, credit is due. He also improved blending techniques, and took a cue from the English by using stronger bottles (so they wouldn’t explode under the pressure of the wine inside) and cork stoppers (to stop leakage and keep the bubbles in).

Sparkling wine certainly existed before Dom Pérignon accidentally came aross it, although its earliest forms would be not bear a resemblance to Champagne.
 
 
The English Were First!

The English were actually producing sparkling wine from Champagne grapes before the French were intentionally making it bubbly. The English market preferred sweeter, sparkling wines and were deliberately creating them decades before the French.

How did the English make sparkling wine?

They imported still wine in barrels from Champagne. The wine would be bottled, often while fermentation was still incomplete or dormant due to cold weather during transport.

Then, the necessary secondary fermentation took place. The English would sometimes add sugar (see third bullet below) and the wine would re-ferment in the bottle, creating carbonation.

 
The history continues below.

[2] The most elegant fries are pommes paille (straw potatoes), the thinnest cut. Here’s the recipe (photo © Recipe Tin Eats).

[3] If you prefer rosé Champagne, by all means use it in your pairing (photo © Bureau du Champagne USA | Facebook).

By the early 1700s, winemakers in Champagne realized that bubbles in wine were desirable, not a defect.

 
 
The 20th Century

 
 
The 21st Century

The Champagne region produces roughly 300 million bottles annually, and maintains its position as the world’s most prestigious sparkling wine.

While France remains the largest consumer, export markets continue to grow. The U.S. is a major market, and emerging markets in Asia are increasingly important.

There’s increased consumer interest in small-producer Champagnes (noted as Récoltant-Manipulant or RM on labels), similar to the artisan/craft movement in other industries.

Many houses are pursuing organic and biodynamic viticulture, with some aiming for carbon neutrality.

The main challenge faced by the industry is climate change. While it has benefited Champagne from the standpoint of more consistent ripening, though warmer temperatures may cause the wines to lose their signature acidity and elegance in future decades.

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*The holiday was created by wine blogger Anna Maria Kambourakis of Unravelling Wine, and friend Kleopatra Bright. It’s one of her favorite pairings, and the date is her birthday. (What holiday would you like to create for yours? See if it already exists.)

†Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti: the difference. Both wines hail from the area around the town of Asti in Piedmont, in northwest Italy. Both wines have the DOCG classification. Both have an alcohol by volume (A.B.V.) of 5.5% (11 proof). To put that into perspective, the average bottle of wine has 12% A.B.V. (24 proof). For this reason, both are good choices for light drinkers.

Asti Spumante has lower, residual sugar but often seems sweeter than the Moscato d’Asti because great care is taken in the harvest and production so the sweet, sugary taste dominates the pronounced fruity Muscat character of the grape. Asti Spumante is made with the Charmat method: After the first fermentation, the wine undergoes a second fermentation in a sealed tank where the bubbles are created. The fermentation therefore takes longer than the fermentation of the Moscato d’Asti, which results in the lower residual sugar content [source].

With Moscato d’Asti, the grapes are immediately pressed when harvested. The juice is then filtered and stored in a cool place, and fermentation is only done when there is a wholesale demand for the wine (this way best preserves the fresh and fruity flavors and aromas). Fermentation takes place in a closed tank so that the carbon dioxide cannot escape and the wine gets its bubbles. When the wine has reached 5.5% alcohol, the fermentation is stopped by cooling, but part of the sugars in the grapes have not yet fermented. This is how Moscato gets its natural sweetness.

‡MCC, or Méthode Cap Classique, is South Africa’s premium sparkling wine, made using the traditional French Champagne method.