My bubbly musings

People often ask me: "What is your favourite champagne?". I always answer: "I don't have a favourite champagne!". That said, when I know the woman who made the champagne, or the history of the house, it makes the champagne taste even better. So does sharing the bottle with someone I like. If I am sharing it with someone nasty, no matter how technically good the champagne is, it always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Here is a list of champagne houses/producers that have a soft spot in my heart because women play an important role there.

This is a list of books and podcasts I recommend if you would like to learn more about le champagne (the wine) and la Champagne (the region), or about women and wine.

Last March I attended "Women in Wine: Navigating Risks and Opportunities". It was a three-day series of virtual events supported by the U.S. Embassy France, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of State's POWER (Providing Opportunities for Women's Economic Rise) initiative. The program highlighted key points and best practices for women's economic empowerment, adapting to climate change, and managing risk in a changing global economy. I was a panelist for the session on managing risk, and I moderated a fun virtual networking workshop at the end of the program. Click to obtain links to the recordings of the three panel sessions.

Le champagne is a celebratory wine that marks special occasions, brings joy, represents elegance, and the finer things in life. When you think of le champagne, you think of happy times. Ironically, la Champagne is a region that is known for its harsh weather and bloody history. From the Romans who invaded Gaul at the beginning of the 1st century, to the Nazis who pillaged the cellars in the 20^th century, many a soldier has marched through the Champagne hillsides during the last 2000 years. Learning about the history of the region has helped me understand and respect its people, and its wine, even more.