France | A Thirst for Firsts

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The extraordinary origin stories of ordinary drinks

A thirst for firsts

Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, Veuve Clicquot

Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, Veuve Clicquot

First vintage champagne

The world’s first vintage champagne was made in 1810, just outside the city of Reims in northeastern France, by a bright, bold, business-savvy trailblazing widow (‘veuve’ in French) called Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, forever immortalised as Veuve Clicquot.

Apr 2111 min read

First calvados

First calvados

First calvados

There is a fabulous legend around how the name calvados first came about...

Apr 24, 20248 min read

First Green Chartreuse recipe

First Green Chartreuse recipe

First Green Chartreuse recipe

The story of Green Chartreuse, the famous French liqueur still hand-crafted in the Chartreuse Mountains, is steeped in myth, monks and a...

Mar 16, 20238 min read

First use of the word liqueur

First use of the word liqueur

First use of the word liqueur

The first known use of the word ‘liqueur’ in its modern sense was in 1755, written by the gloriously named Father Polycarpe Poncelot.

Aug 9, 20213 min read

First description of sparkling wine

First description of sparkling wine

First description of sparkling wine

Think sparkling wine was invented in France? Think again. The first documented description of ‘secondary fermentation’ (or how to make a...

Jul 17, 20213 min read

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