Episode 11 - Champagne
Oct 5, 2026 · 41 min · 11 segments
A history of Champagne and the varieties that are grown in Champagne. Send Us Topics
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Oct 5, 2026 · 41 min · 11 segments
A history of Champagne and the varieties that are grown in Champagne. Send Us Topics
So that's what the Romans ever done for us.
Well, they planted vines in the Champagne region, and they gave Champagne its name.
It reminded them of Campania, ironically, which comes from the Latin word meaning... um like unforested land so they established viticulture there and then as we all know they overextended their empire and they had a series of of poor rulers and empire started to crumble and then you have this guy named clovis who is the leader of the franks which the term france comes from he was leader of the frankish tribes and he was successful in kicking the romans out of this region And just as he kicked him out of the region, the Alemanis, which are a Germanic pagan tribe, were knocking at the proverbial door.
And for the Franks, this meant essentially threatening to swap one overlord for another, which is a bit like corporate restructuring when you think about it.
Anyway, so Clovis's wife, who's a devout Christian and probably sick and tired of hearing her husband piss and moan about the Germans... said, you know what, why don't you ask for God's help? And so Clovis thought that was a pretty good idea.
He went to the Bishop Remy, which the town of Rams is named after.
And I like to think that Remy probably sensed the potential for a big promotion and made a deal with Clovis and said, hey, if you convert to Christianity, I'm going to bless this cask of wine.
And so long as it doesn't run dry, you will have victory in battle.
Clovis agreed.
He was victorious in battle.
They had a huge party at the cathedral in what is now Rams, and Bishop Remy got promoted to St. Remy, which I always kind of thought if you had achieved sainthood through martyrdom, you'd be a bit niggled about that.
I mean, if you were St. Edmund and you got used as arrow fodder by the Vikings, I think that would sting a bit, pun intended.
Yeah.
That went
really well for this guy.
That could have gone any other way.
I know, right? Yeah.
All he had to do was cross his fingers and be sober curious for a few days and look how it worked out.
Anyway, so then like, you know, dark ages begin.
You have various monastic orders that established vineyards and made wine.
And then you had the Crusades, which actually was a relatively peaceful time in Northern Europe.
And Champagne was the center of these trade fairs.
And the area actually really became known for textile and woolen goods.
And they would gift the local wine.
So that's what the Romans ever done for us.
Well, they planted vines in the Champagne region, and they gave Champagne its name.
It reminded them of Campania, ironically, which comes from the Latin word meaning... um like unforested land so they established viticulture there and then as we all know they overextended their empire and they had a series of of poor rulers and empire started to crumble and then you have this guy named clovis who is the leader of the franks which the term france comes from he was leader of the frankish tribes and he was successful in kicking the romans out of this region And just as he kicked him out of the region, the Alemanis, which are a Germanic pagan tribe, were knocking at the proverbial door.
And for the Franks, this meant essentially threatening to swap one overlord for another, which is a bit like corporate restructuring when you think about it.
Anyway, so Clovis's wife, who's a devout Christian and probably sick and tired of hearing her husband piss and moan about the Germans... said, you know what, why don't you ask for God's help? And so Clovis thought that was a pretty good idea.
He went to the Bishop Remy, which the town of Rams is named after.
And I like to think that Remy probably sensed the potential for a big promotion and made a deal with Clovis and said, hey, if you convert to Christianity, I'm going to bless this cask of wine.
And so long as it doesn't run dry, you will have victory in battle.
Clovis agreed.
He was victorious in battle.
They had a huge party at the cathedral in what is now Rams, and Bishop Remy got promoted to St. Remy, which I always kind of thought if you had achieved sainthood through martyrdom, you'd be a bit niggled about that.
I mean, if you were St. Edmund and you got used as arrow fodder by the Vikings, I think that would sting a bit, pun intended.
Yeah.
That went
really well for this guy.
That could have gone any other way.
I know, right? Yeah.
All he had to do was cross his fingers and be sober curious for a few days and look how it worked out.
Anyway, so then like, you know, dark ages begin.
You have various monastic orders that established vineyards and made wine.
And then you had the Crusades, which actually was a relatively peaceful time in Northern Europe.
And Champagne was the center of these trade fairs.
And the area actually really became known for textile and woolen goods.
And they would gift the local wine.
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