Tasting Stars: The Sparkling History of Champagne

XXX!. Champagne is unquestionably the world's most glamorous drink and has been used for centuries to celebrate everything from weddings and birthdays to royal coronations.  It was the drink of choice for formal gatherings in the Gilded Age, the Belle Epoque and Victorian England.   

But there's so much more to understanding champagne than just enjoying the bubbles and the fizz.  Champagne has a long and often misrepresented history that combines serendipity, ingenuity and sheer marketing brilliance. (Hint: The monk Dom Perignon didn't invent it.)

Join Carl and guest Don Spiro (whom listeners will remember from their recent show on absinthe) as they take a look at the full story. They correct some misconceptions about champagne's history, examine just what exactly it is, and discuss how it's been made and enjoyed over the centuries.