Tropicana Nov-Dec 2017 #116 Celebrating the Classics

THE DRINKS
Kir Royale, Bellini and Creamsicle Fizz are some
of the top notch champagne cocktails that we
thirst over by just thinking of them. Champagne
has always been the kind of drink that you can enjoy
whenever, whatever the occasion is. You can be holding a
flute with the best and most expensive champagne while
standing in the middle of a posh art gallery, or you can be
partying in a club while downing the best Orange Sparkle
champagne cocktail.
Thirteen centuries ago, champagne was actually
used as holy wine for religious purposes and rituals,
according to Laurel Heistand, a wine connoisseur
and French teacher. As you can imagine, the liquid
contained no bubbles and instead of a pale yellow, it was
simply red in colour. After these religious ceremonies,
especially those done for royalty, the wine was then
used as a celebratory drink. Centuries later, these red
wines in France are known as drinks for the kings, and
also the king of all wines.
Champagne, also a wine region in France, became the
main producer of these red wines. Although it’s red in
colour, it’s still not blood red and thick like normal wines,
so the drink was simply disregarded from the wine family.
Instead, they named the drink after the region, Champagne.
As for the colour, various notes were then added in to dilute
the red hue, creating a vibrant, classy yellow.
Today, champagne is associated with class and
expensiveness; the celebratory status remains. Among
the many brands out there, these five are the ones that
keep the legacy going.
KIR ROYALE
105 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 | TM