香檳：絕美的氣泡

名人推薦：

Author David Pan, a winemaker, educator, multi-decades-long student of Champagne (as well as Burgundy, Bordeaux and other wine regions), an international importer, distributor and retailer explained this nearly 7-year passion project evolved from his educational lectures, his written articles for magazines, his extensive research, and also from creating profiles for producers he represents. But calling this a “passion project” doesn’t adequately describe the sheer depth of this extremely well-written, researched and beautifully presented 2-book compendium.
.
Volume 1 provides a formidable foundation noting the profound differences in terroir and detailing the geography, with descriptions of all of the regions of Champagne. Grape varieties, viticulture, winemaking and the méthode Champenois, climate, geology, soil, the AOC classification system, details of grand and premier crus, and key facts about the champagne industry, Champagne styles and indepth practical knowledge is incorporated. Volume 2 offers over 100 indepth profiles of some of the most influential producers in Champagne today. Pan includes each producer’s history as well as their approach in the vineyard and cuverie. Valuable information is provided in an easy to understand format that includes the number of vineyards and operators in each village, as well as the size and percentage of each grape variety, type of fermentation vessels, aging time, dosage and more.
.
The table of contents reveals the depth of these tomes, starting with the early history of Champagne from the 5th C, going through the effects of WWII on the region, continuing through the Champagne boom, the launch of prestige cuvées in 1876, while covering technical innovation to modern day. The book provides extensive fundamental information including grape varieties, climate, geology, styles, etc., a discussion of the various regions in Champagne; viticulture; a master class in winemaking, and practical information that covers everything from acquisition and storage through to wine service and food pairing, and finishes with useful information for those who plan to visit the region.
.
No expense was spared in the creation of this beautiful “coffee table” set. With breathtaking color photos on nearly every page, the reader is taken on a visual journey of the people and places vital to Champagne. Pan explains his purpose well in the books’ introduction, “…I want to empower and give readers the knowledge to better appreciate and explore the fantastic, diverse world of Champagne…” Champagne - Les Bulles et Les Icones clearly exceeds his goals. Regretfully, while this remarkable 2-book set is an essential reference, it was only published in Chinese. I was able to obtain English translations of substantial sections to be able to provide this review. And of course the extensive use of maps, graphs and charts are useful in any language! The writing is clear and concise, and this set is a necessary reference for all Champagne enthusiasts, from novice to professional. It left me wanting to get a translated version as there is a wealth of information. Perhaps if there is enough interest, an English version may be considered!

—— by Allen Meadows.