Where Joy Takes Form

Every bubble in a glass of Champagne carries history. These tiny spheres of carbon dioxide—about 49 million in each bottle—weren't always welcome. Early Champagne makers considered bubbles a flaw, bottles exploded in cellars, and the wine was called "le vin du diable" (the devil's wine). Today, those same bubbles command prices that would astonish the monks who first made wine in this northernmost region of France.

Champagne is paradox in a flute. It's simultaneously the most celebratory and most serious wine. It marks our happiest moments yet demands years of patient craftsmanship. It projects luxury while being made in some of France's most challenging agricultural conditions. Most paradoxically, this wine synonymous with spontaneity follows one of the most controlled production processes in the wine world.