London, GB | Formerly of New York, Buenos Aires, Fife, and the Western Cape. | Saoránach d’Éirinn.

Champagne and the World

Champagne can provoke a great deal of philosophy. I’ve often said that champagne and the Catholic faith are the only two universally applicable things in the universe – appropriate for births, deaths, good times and bad, early, late, or a mundane afternoon.

Iain Martin has a brief but excellent piece ‘On Wine’ discussing Churchill’s drinking habits, and wondering whether he really was permanently pissed during the war (unlike the teetotal vegetarian Mr Hitler).

Interesting in itself, but Mr Martin relates a trip to Épernay where he blind tastes a Margaux from 1873. By that time it should have tasted like vinegar but instead it was “beautifully balances and perfectly drinkable”.

Looked after carefully, not shaken about or disturbed unnecessarily, it evolved and endured. It retained its essential characteristics, giving pleasure to later generations. If only we nurtured political institutions and good government according to the same principle.

Nothing could better show the essence of a sound worldview.

Published at 11:30 am on Thursday 13 April 2017. Categories: Errant Thoughts History Tags: , .
Comments

Well done, Andrew. Superb post.

— Scott Belliveau 13 Apr 2017 2:18 pm

I plan to drink lots of champagne after Mass on Easter Sunday, but really old boy, steady on.
Champagne cannot fill the place you wish to make for it; it is superficial, even vulgar, or at lest it attracts both.
The best French grand crus are incomparably more subtle, more layered, more earthy. They speak of tradition and craft and, yes, even, and perhaps most profoundly, of religion (ever tried saying Mass with champagne?).
It is wine which is Catholic; champagne has always struck me as Anglican: all show and no substance.

— L G Clark 14 Apr 2017 9:41 pm

Champagne is French, it cannot be Anglican.

— Valeria Kondratiev 6 Oct 2017 10:17 pm
Leave a comment

NAME (required)

EMAIL (required)

WEBSITE (not required)

COMMENT

Home | About | Contact | Paginated Index | Twitter | Facebook | RSS/Atom Feed
andrewcusack.com | © Andrew Cusack 2004-present (Unless otherwise stated)