Champagne: tasting the stars while onboard of your yacht

The King of France, Hugh Capet, started serving sparkling wine during official dinners at the Royal Palace in the 10th century. In the years after 1715, the Duke of Orléans introduced the sparkling version of champagne wine to the rich and famous.

One of the many different stories about the history of champagne is that the monk Dom Pérignon has invented champagne. Dom Pérignon started with the production of wines in the Champagne region in 1668. He is the inventor of the second fermentation in the bottle what makes him for sure the founder of champagne as we know it. Dom Pérignon at first tried to eliminate the bubbles in the wine, because the bottles would break under the pressure of the second fermentation. Besides this, he is also the founder of various techniques for producing sparkling wine as is still known by people. “Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!” is what Pérignon said when tasting the first sparkling champagne.

The tradition of drinking champagne to mark celebrations originated in the royal courts of Europe, where the exquisite drink was viewed as a status symbol. Champagne was said to have positive effects on women’s beauty and man’s intelligence. Throughout the world, it is perceived as the wine of happiness and celebration.  

For as long as mankind has sailed the oceans, there has been some form of ceremony to mark the launch of a new boat. The Babylonians chose to sacrifice oxen, while the Vikings offered slaves to their sea god. Both believed these acts would bring them good luck and safe travel. The much less savage practice of christening boats with sparkling wine dates back to 1891, when Britain’s Queen Victoria launched the HMS Royal Arthur by smashing a bottle of champagne against it. Nowadays, tossing a bottle over the bow is also practiced as a rite of passage to ensure good luck. How fortunate that you only have to enjoy drinking champagne, as your yacht has already been christened and named! 

The pop of a champagne bottle is music to everyone’s ears and you will be hearing it often during your charter. But did you know that more people are injured each year by flying champagne corks than bites from poisonous spiders? Better anticipate where that cork is going, or just make sure the bottle is aimed at the sea, it is fun to predict where the cork will land! You can also ask for the cork of the champagne bottle that has just been opened to be handed to you and arrange to cut a slit into it.

By slotting a coin into the slit, you turn the cork into a talisman. It might sound like a strange superstition, but it is often done to capture the magic of the moment. This little charm is then given to the person in whose honor the bottle had been opened, to bring them lasting luck and prosperity. A belief inspired by the sailors who used to slip a gold louis into the float of their nets to ensure a good catch. This lovely tradition lives on and makes for a special keepsake because the cork is stamped with the year of the event as a special reminder. With time, the cork will tighten around the coin and it will eventually become impossible to remove the coin. At that point, the spell can never be broken! During your stay onboard there will be enough moments to celebrate, so all your loved ones will have a lucky token to bring back home!

Your chef will of course make sure to prepare several dishes that pair well with champagne. Among them will be various local cheeses like parmesan, gouda and cheddar, desserts that are not very sweet, a variety of nuts, pasta with cream or mushroom sauces, and, of course, seafood! Did you know that champagne is ideal for breakfast as it pairs well with fluffy omelets, creamy scrambled eggs, Eggs Benedict or Florentine and smoked salmon? What a festive way to start your day on deck watching the world wake up. Champagne can be an excellent alternative to white wine or rosé and is light enough to be enjoyed for celebrations at any time of day. Your chief stewardess will make sure your favorite bottles will be chilled at all time and ready to be served. How about watching the sunset during a romantic beach picnic while tasting the stars! 

Champagne is also the perfect drink for blowing off steam, so have a glass after a workout or some intense time using the water toys. Champagne knows what it feels like to be under pressure. The secondary fermentation of champagne takes place in cellars and happens very slowly due to the cool temperatures. Carbon dioxide given off during the fermentation is dissolved into liquid, creating the signature fizz.  The pressure builds to between five and six atmospheres, or seventy-five to ninety pounds per square inch. That is at least two times the pressure in your car tires!

A spectacular achievement, the start of your charter, an important birthday, or even a wedding proposal, everybody has at some point dreamed of stopping time in its tracks, just at the moment when the popping of a champagne cork highlights the intensity of your special day. Your crew will make sure there are plenty of chilled bottles to celebrate all of yours!