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In a Shakespeare play there is a famous cry ‘For God and Harry.’ This letter is For England and Malta.
I refer to Simon Grech’s writing in MaltaToday on the 3 October on Cassar de Malte, the Maltese sparkling wine that is made using the Methode Traditionelle. In other words it is ‘Champagne’ in all but name, and would be called champagne if the French did not ban it.
I hesitate (but only momentarily) to correct Simon in his attribution of the credit for the invention of champagne to Dom Perignon, the French monk. This myth has been encouraged and promulgated by the French from about 100 years after Dom Perignon’s death. His actual formidable achievements were meticulously documented by Frere Pierre, his successor, in a 35 chapter book written in 1724. Amongst the many innovations he introduced improving viticulture and wine production, perhaps, the most significant was developing the process of making white wine from black grapes. Ironically for a man credited with inventing champagne, he spent his life trying to stop a second fermentation of wine. This typically happened in the warmer weather of the spring following the harvest and generated undesired bubbles in what was supposed to be still wine.
So who did invent Champagne? Surprisingly, it was the English. In 1662 Christopher Merret presented a paper to the Royal Society describing the method by which bottle fermented (second fermentation) sparkling wine should be produced. As the wine, imported in casks, used in the production of the sparkling wine came from the champagne area it became known by that name. Perhaps it would be more correct to call the method, Merret’s Method or Methode Anglaise (though preferably the English Method) rather than Methode Champenoise.
Credit must also go to Admiral Sir Robert Mansell who convinced King James I to ban charcoal burning furnaces in order to preserve wood supplies needed for the construction of ships for the navy. Coal, the only alternative fuel, burned at a much higher temperature and resulted in much stronger glass. Mansell, on his retirement, became a glass maker and invented reinforced glass, resulting in bottles with sufficient strength to withstand the high pressure of wine fermenting in the bottle. The French did not start production of what they called the ‘verre anglaise’ until 1730, 100 years after English wine merchants and producers began using it.
So, not only did Dom Perignon not invent champagne, he probably never produced a single bottle of it. He neither had glass strong enough nor did he have the necessary cork stoppers. The French only rediscovered these after his death, and at least 130 years after the English started re-using this Roman invention.
Now, a cry for Malta. Malta produces a very good sparkling wine, or ‘Champagne,’ the aforementioned Marsovin’s Cassar de Malte. England does too – Nyetimber – amongst others and the Queen serves it at formal functions. Schramsberg, a Californian wine maker, does too and The White House also serves it. To the best of my knowledge, Maltese ‘champagne’ is not served as a matter of course at Maltese State/Government functions.
The Minister of Tourism has stated and promised his support to establish Malta as a gastronomic centre and destination in the Mediterranean. Perhaps, he should gently encourage his colleagues to set an example by supporting the Maltese wine industry. This would be patriotic, painless - it’s very good - , and save money (it’s less expensive than the French stuff).
It would be nice to hear that my knowledge is faulty and that the Government is already serving their country’s own ‘champagne’.
Colin Best
The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants.
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