Editing Champagne wine region (section)

=== History of wine production ===
[[File:French champagne nm.jpg|left|thumb|Champagne wine]]
The region's reputation for wine production dates back to the [[Middle Ages]] when Pope [[Urban II]] ( ruled 1088-1099 AD/CE ), a native Champenois, declared that the wine of [[Aÿ, Marne|Aÿ]] in the Marne département was the best wine produced in the world. For a time ''Aÿ'' was used as a [[shorthand]] designation for wines from the entire Champagne region, similar to the use of [[Beaune]] for the wines of [[Burgundy (region)|Burgundy]].<ref name="Johnson pg 211">H. Johnson ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 211 Simon & Schuster 1989 {{ISBN|0-671-68702-6}}</ref>  The poet [[Henry d'Andeli]]'s work ''[[Battle of the Wines|La Bataille des Vins]]'' rated wines from the towns of Épernay, [[Hautvillers]] and Reims as some of the best in Europe. As the region's reputation grew, popes and royalty sought to own pieces of the land with Pope [[Leo X]], [[Francis I of France]], [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V of Spain]], and [[Henry VIII of England]] all owning vineyard land in the region. A batch of wine from Aÿ received in 1518 by Henry VIII's chancellor, [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|Cardinal]] [[Thomas Wolsey]], is the first recorded export of wine from the Champagne region to England.<ref name="Fallis pg 162">K. Gargett, P. Forrestal, & C. Fallis ''The Encyclopedic Atlas of Wine'' pg 162 Global Book Publishing 2004 {{ISBN|1-74048-050-3}}</ref>

The still wines of the area were highly prized in Paris under the designation of ''vins de la rivière'' and ''vins de la montagne''- wines of the river and wines of the mountain in reference to the wooded terrain and the river [[Marne (river)|Marne]] which carried the wines down to the [[Seine]] and into Paris.<ref name="Johnson pg 80">H. Johnson & J. Robinson ''The World Atlas of Wine'' pg 80 Octopus Publishing Group 2005 {{ISBN|1-84000-332-4}}</ref> The region was in competition with Burgundy for the [[Flanders (county)|Flemish]] wine trade and tried to capitalize on Reims' location along the trade route from Beaune. In the 15th century, [[Pinot noir]] became heavily planted in the area. The resulting red wine had difficulty comparing well to the richness and coloring of [[Burgundy wine]]s, despite the addition of [[elderberries]] to deepen the color. This led to a greater focus on white wines.<ref name="Johnson pg 212">H. Johnson ''Vintage: The Story of Wine'' pg 212 Simon & Schuster 1989 {{ISBN|0-671-68702-6}}</ref>

The Champagne house of [[Champagne Gosset|Gosset]] was founded as a still wine producer in 1584 and is the oldest [[List of champagne producers|Champagne house]] still in operation today. [[Ruinart (champagne)|Ruinart]] was founded in 1729 and was soon followed by [[Chanoine Frères]] (1730), [[Taittinger family|Taittinger]] (1734), [[Moët et Chandon]] (1743) and [[Veuve Clicquot]] (1772).<ref name="Fallis pg 162" />

The nineteenth century saw an explosive growth in Champagne production going from a regional production of 300,000 bottles a year in 1800 to 20 million bottles in 1850.<ref name="Phillips pg 241">R. Phillips ''A Short History of Wine'' pg 241 HarperCollins 2000 {{ISBN|0-06-621282-0}}</ref>

====Rivalry with Burgundy====
A strong influence on Champagne wine production was the centuries-old rivalry between the region and [[Burgundy (region)|Burgundy]]. From the key market of Paris to the palace of [[Louis XIV of France]] at [[Palace of Versailles|Versailles]], proponents of Champagne and Burgundy would compete for dominance. For most of his life, Louis XIV would drink only Champagne wine with the support of his doctor [[Antoine d'Aquin]] who advocated the King drink Champagne with every meal for the benefit of his health. As the King aged and his ailments increased, competing doctors would propose alternative treatments with alternative wines, to soothe the King's ills. One of these doctors, [[Guy-Crescent Fagon]] conspired with the King's mistress to oust d'Aquin and have himself appointed as Royal Doctor. Fagon quickly attributed the King's continuing ailments to Champagne and ordered that only [[Burgundy wine]] must be served at the royal table.<ref name="Kladstrup pg 32">D. & P. Kladstrup ''Champagne'' pg 32 HarperCollins Publishers {{ISBN|0-06-073792-1}}</ref>

This development had a ripple effect throughout both regions and in the Paris markets. Both Champagne and Burgundy were deeply concerned with the "healthiness" reputation of their wines, even to the extent of paying medical students to write theses touting the [[Health benefits of wine|health benefit of their wines]]. These theses were then used as advertising pamphlets that were sent to merchants and customers. The Faculty of Medicine in Reims published several papers to refute Fagon's claim that Burgundy wine was healthier than Champagne. In response, Burgundian winemakers hired physician [[Jean-Baptiste de Salins]], dean of the medical school in [[Beaune]], to speak to a packed auditorium at the Paris Faculty of Medicine. Salins spoke favorably of Burgundy wine's deep color and robust nature and compared it to the pale red color of Champagne and the "[[instability (wine)|instability]]" of the wine to travel long distances and the flaws of the bubbles from when secondary fermentation would take place. The text of his speech was published in newspapers and pamphlets throughout France and had a damaging effect on Champagne sales.<ref name="Kladstrup pg 33-34">D. & P. Kladstrup ''Champagne'' pg 33–34 HarperCollins Publishers {{ISBN|0-06-073792-1}}</ref>

The war of words would continue for another 130 years with endless commentary from doctors, poets, playwrights and authors all arguing for their favorite region and their polemics being reproduced in advertisements for Burgundy and Champagne. On a few occasions, the two regions were on the brink of [[civil war]].<ref name="Kladstrup pg 36">D. & P. Kladstrup ''Champagne'' pg 36 HarperCollins Publishers {{ISBN|0-06-073792-1}}</ref> A turning point occurred when several Champagne wine makers abandoned efforts to produce red wine in favor of focusing on harnessing the effervescent nature of sparkling Champagne. As the bubbles became more popular, doctors throughout France and [[Europe]] commented on the health benefits of the sparkling bubbles which were said to cure [[malaria]]. As more Champenois winemakers embarked on this new and completely different wine style, the rivalry with Burgundy mellowed and eventually waned.<ref name="Kladstrup pg 36" />