Drake’s 2021 track “Champagne Poetry” draws its title from his infamous moniker of Champagne Papi and addresses both his struggles as an artist as well as those who have supported him throughout his journey.
The song opens with a fast-paced sample from Masego’s song, “Navajo.” This sets the stage for its subsequent lyrics.
1. “Champagne” by Alan Seeger
This book collects Seeger’s poems, diary entries, and letters to reveal his rare spirit–one marked by keen experience and high aspirations, thrill of sense, and soulful delight. It is the record of a short life that accomplished more than is typical for most humans over their entire spans of existence.
The author chronicles Seeger’s journey from his comfortable upbringing in Staten Island with family vacations in Mexico through to his Harvard years when he embraced a romantic notion of bohemian living, writing, and beauty while abandoning financial stability in his family home. When World War I broke out, he joined the French Foreign Legion service until eventually dying at Belloy-en-Santerre on July 4, 1916.
Seeger’s poems and telegrams during this period reveal a young man who was both dedicated to his cause and passionate about Paris. His ideals came alive through poetry; however, he also kept a diary and sent notes to girls he liked or other friends. Ultimately, he battled courageously before dying with honor as an ultimate bohemian.
Seeger’s poetry was often self-promotional and self-indulgent during World War I, yet his “Ode in Memory of American Volunteers Who Fell for France” and especially its sequel, “Rendezvous with Death,” were famous with soldiers in France as well as with civilians at large.
While Seeger did not drink champagne himself, its symbolic presence in his life in France’s Champagne region remained important to him. He wrote of its vines growing beneath an “enchanted yellow sky,” conjuring up memories of childhood and first love. Champagne would often be served during celebrations such as weddings or the launch of ships.
This book introduces readers to Champagne, its appellation rules, and history and culture – from its association with Napoleon to being used as a symbol of French unity during World War I, with an example of Pol Roger Champagne vintage from 1914 as an indicator of quality champagne being provided as examples.
2. “Champagne” by Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger
Champagne brings joy and pleasure, prompting people to reach for refills. Therefore, champagne makes an ideal way to mark special occasions – birthdays and engagements all the way through to wedding anniversaries and marriage. No matter if it is served as a hors d’oeuvres or dessert course, champagne elevates any special event into an elegant celebration! But how exactly does it manage such magical effects?
Champagne wine production takes place exclusively in Champagne, France, and adheres to stringent regulations that outline specific vineyard practices, grape procurement from designated appellation areas only, and minimum alcohol by volume (ABV) requirements. Champagne production also creates carbon dioxide (CO2) bubbles, which give it its signature fizz and unique aroma.
The champagne industry is highly competitive. Many of its best-known brands are owned by major corporations, while it is rare for an individual family to retain control of their eponymous Champagne house. But Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger was successful in keeping power in the family’s hands by returning it under family management.
Champagne Taittinger, one of the premier houses in Champagne, boasts three legendary Champagne locations: Saint-Nicaise Abbey is where their head office and cellars can be found; Demeure des Comtes de Champagne in Reims houses their mansion house, while their vineyards of Cote des Blancs can be located. At present, Taittinger is leading efforts to garner UNESCO Heritage status for this area of Champagne.
Taittinger recently addressed the controversy over Champagne’s origins. A confessed anglophile, he attributes its invention to England due to an accidental accident: Benedictine monks shipped still red and white wines to London from Paris, where the bottles were left sitting too long in warm rooms, leading to secondary fermentation that resulted in Champagne production.
Taittinger Champagne houses offer a broad selection of champagnes, but their specialty lies in non-vintage Brut and Comtes de Champagne cuvees. Their light yet lively bouquets make them the ideal accompaniment for celebrations or romantic nights at home by the fireside.
Taittinger Champagne House stands out as an industry leader for sustainable viticulture practices, having become the first to plant vines in England after purchasing land in Chilham Kent in 2015. Their 288-hectare vineyard ranks third globally. Taittinger’s commitment to its growers helps uphold their flawless signature and reputation for consistent quality, something Vitalie Taittinger plans on continuing as president when she succeeded her father as President of Champagne Taittinger in 2020.
