In the world of food and drink, champagne enjoys special status-an accompaniment to life's momentous occasions, a sign of joy, a drink originally and jealously French. A student of French history but also of business and consumption, Kolleen M. Guy examines how this bubbly wine achieved its elevated position. The answer takes us into regional rivalries, marketing strategies, and the rise of "gourmet" as a sensibility before leading, naturally, to government regulation. "The first comprehensive scholarly study of the production, consumption, and representation of champagne. . . a highly attractive and appealing book. " --W. Scott Haine, author of World of the Paris Cafe