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By Sylvia Jansen
I never thought about winemaking as a high-risk activity. But scratch the surface of winemaking history and you will expose both slapstick and horror. Unlucky blokes fainting into open tanks from carbon dioxide rising out of fermenting wine, people falling off the edges of steep slopes trying to bring the crop in, murdering and plundering for the best vineyards— it’ s enough to bring in the workplace safety people.
The scariest workplace hazard had to be in Champagne while they were developing their techniques. Taking a thin, acidic wine and turning it into a sparkling quaff suitable for royal courts in Paris was dangerous work. Bottles exploded on a regular basis. In fact, during the eighteenth century, close to half the bottles never made it to their customers. Before the age of safety goggles and steel-toed boots, we are told that workers would brave the cellars wearing fencing masks to protect head and face. Given what was going on, it’ s a wonder they did not use full body gear or riotcop armour.
The explosions were the result of Champagne’ s unique production method: creating a second fermentation in the bottle. Getting the fizz into the wine happened first by accident, but, with its popularity, the process was perfected over time. Today, each bottle is filled with base wine, and a bit of sugar and yeast added. The bottle is laid to rest while the yeast goes to work on the sugar, producing more alcohol and carbon dioxide. With nowhere to go, the gas is absorbed by the wine, and the pressure builds to around six atmospheres— more than in a bus tire. Even today, the pressure is enough to blow the bottom out of the occasional bottle. When they exploded regularly, I wonder how many fingers flew.
Ironically it was the British who swooped in to save the French bubbly, and liberate the front line workers from their fencing masks. Strong British coal-fired glass, rather than the flimsy wood-fired French glass, was the answer. Today, even though an odd bottle still goes off every now and then, at least it’ s not every other one.
Anyone who has opened a bottle of Champagne— or any sparkling wine, for that matter— knows that too much dancing around with the bottle, or opening it without a good grip on the cork, can take out your window or your neighbour’ s cat. But compared to doing battle in a Champagne cellar with glass exploding all around you, it’ s easy. On the other hand, it might be a good idea to wear your fencing mask anyway, just in case.
So here’ s to you, with sparkles. �
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