Surrounded by legends, mysteries and a unique charm, Champagne, or Sparkling Wine, has a fascinating image created by various artists and entertainers over a period of time.
From the very beginning, Champagne acquired the status of a legend and inspired the artists who helped to create a certain aura around this sparkling wine.
A Favorite of Artists
Many painters of the 18th and 19th century used Champagne as a key element in their painted works. Also, famous writers like Goethe and Pushkin heaped praised on it in their works by using it as an important symbol. However, the real place in the spotlight for the sparkling wine was yet to come ahead with the ever changing global events.
Tranformation of the Brand
Champagne managed to undergo a unique transformation as a brand by the end of the 18th century. It was now considered as a symbol of success and good life. This image carried on even after it became popular and available to the ‘commoners’. It’s hard to forget Winston Churchill’s quote – “Remember, gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne!” – that established for sure that Champagne was no longer a drink associated exclusively with the elite, but could also be used as an image to inspire the common man.
Hollywood’s Love for Champagne
Hollywood is known to have a major influence on brands and symbols from various walks of life. It did the same for Champagne in the contemporary culture. The notable examples include the famous director Alfred Hitchcock using the drink as an image in his movie, also named ‘Champagne’. Billy Wilder did the same in ‘The Champagne Waltz’. James Bond, the famous spy, lent his own important contribution to Champagne’s fame. We all know that Bond usually drinks Vodka-Martini; however, he was seen consuming Bollinger and Dom Perignon in a number of movies, making the brands famous and imparting a mysterious image to them.
Another noteworthy reference to Cristal in the recent movie history can be traced to successful filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. One of his characters was seen and heard praising Champagne in a segment of the movie called ‘Four Rooms’. Since most scenes in Tarantino’s movies are known for their minute attention to detail, it helped to form a strong image of the brand causing hype about it in the hip-hop culture.
The Most Famous Brands of Champagne
Dom Perignon and Cristal – Image Courtesy: id-iom
Dom Perignon and Cristal are considered the most famous brands of Champagne today. As mentioned earlier, Cristal was adopted by successful hip-hop artists as a symbol of success and this associated imagery spread all over the world. In addition to using its visual imagery, it was also made a part of and was referenced in various lyrics too. Sparkling wine has also been adopted by Rock Artists as the element of their success, although with a less serious attitude then their hip-hop counteparts.
A Symbol of Success and Good Life
Finally, another important factor that has contributed to Champagne’s image is its immediate association with success, victory and achievement. For a long time now, it has been a tradition to present expensive Champagne as a prize. Also, most of us have seen Champagne bottles being smashed against newly constructed buildings, new ships at their launch and brand new vehicles as some sort of sacrifice. At the Le Man Racing, starting from 1967, a tradition of spilling sparkling wine has been established, perhaps to continue the old sacrificial tradition in a new form.
All the above mentioned factors, influences and history have helped to establish the image of Champagne as everyone knows it today – a drink suitable for celebrations and a symbol of success.
Leave a Comment