Champagne has a lavish history dating back to the 16th century. Long before we started drinking bubbly to ring in the new year, European aristocrats were popping bottles at their royal parties.
Only the elite drank champagne at the time because it was so expensive, historian Kolleen Guy wrote in her book about the wine's history. It was even the drink of choice for Louis XIV.
Drinking champagne as celebratory tradition has endured for centuries, as New Year's evolved from a religious holiday to a secular one.
"After the French Revolution, it became a part of the secular rituals that replaced formerly religious rituals," Guy told LiveScience. "You could 'christen a ship' without a priest, for example, by using the 'holy water' of champagne."
Eventually, winemakers started developing the technology to bottle carbonated wine. Dom Perignon added two safety features to its wines to avoid bottle explosions: thicker glass bottles to withstand the pressure and a rope snare to keep corks in place. The bottles became perfect for popping on New Year's Eve.
The price of champagne declined, and producers started marketing it to common folk in the 1800s. Since the wine was long associated with nobility, ads triumphed it as an aspirational drink.
Eventually, winemakers started developing the technology to bottle carbonated wine. Dom Perignon added two safety features to its wines to avoid bottle explosions: thicker glass bottles to withstand the pressure and a rope snare to keep corks in place. The bottles became perfect for popping on New Year's Eve.
The price of champagne declined, and producers started marketing it to common folk in the 1800s. Since the wine was long associated with nobility, ads triumphed it as an aspirational drink.
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