10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Champagne

Whether you’re attending a fancy soiree and want to impress your host or simply love talking about bubbly, knowing a surprising fact or two about champagne will always come in handy. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled some pretty interesting champagne trivia so you can dazzle everyone at your next party.

1. Just how many bubbles are there in a bottle of champagne? There’s no exact answer, of course, but experts agree that there should be around 49 million.

2. Champagne wasn’t always a fancy drink. Back in the early 19th century, high-society folks actually used it to polish their boots and achieve that all-important shine.

3. Just because the bottle says ‘vintage’ doesn’t mean it’s better. Always keep this in mind when you order champagne online. Vintage champagnes can use grapes from any part of the Champagne region for as long as they’ve been aged for at least 3 years. Non-vintage bottles were only aged for 15 months. While vintages can be superior and more complex because of the long aging process, non-vintages in most champagne houses are in the same class.

4. Wondering what grapes went into your glass of bubbly? It’s probably a combination of chardonnay, pinot Meunier, and pinot noir—the three most-grown varieties in the Champagne region.

5. James Bond certainly loves his champagne—in fact, the character has been seen drinking it more than 60 times (and counting). He drank a Taittinger in From Russia With Love. Bollinger and Dom Pérignon also make regular appearances in his films.

6. Yes—the Champagne region produces wines other than champagne. It is also known for its Coteaux Champenois (mostly for local consumption) and Rosé des Riceys.

7. Beware the popping bottle, as stray corks can be extremely dangerous. Experts say that there’s a higher chance of getting killed by a flying champagne cork than by a poisonous spider. Yikes.

8. Champagne is serious business. Some wines are still made by smaller artisanal winemakers, but this is not the case for champagne. In fact, multinational conglomerates virtually monopolize the champagne market in the UK. Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy owns Dom Pérignon, Krug, Moët & Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, and many more.

9. Smaller bubbles equal better champagne, according to experts. So the next time you have a glass of bubbly in your hand, check how fine the fizzes are.

10. It’s the drink of French royalty. Champagne remains widely used in royal ceremonies—from coronation galas to religious affairs—mostly because champagne maisons tend to promote their products through aristocratic associations.

365drinks.co.uk has a wide range of bubblies in stock—from the astronomical Armand de Brignac Brut Rose to the more reasonably priced Moët & Chandon Impérial to the budget-friendly Lanson Black Label. Sort through our selection by name or by price and order champagne online. Our online alcohol store delivers to all parts of the UK and Europe.