Champagne is typically drunk during celebrations. For example, British Prime Minister Tony Blair held a Champagne reception to celebrate London winning the right to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. It is also used to launch ships when a bottle is smashed over the hull during the ship's launch. If the bottle fails to break this is often thought to be bad luck. 

But what is, actually, Champagne? 

Champagne is a French sparkling wine. This alcoholic drink is produced from specific types of grapes grown in the Champagne region following rules that demand, among other things, specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within the Champagne region, specific grape-pressing methods and secondary fermentation of the wine in the bottle to cause carbonation.

Champagne became associated with royalty in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The leading manufacturers made efforts to associate their Champagnes with nobility and royalty through advertising and packaging, which led to its popularity among the emerging middle class. 

In the 19th century, Champagne labels were designed with images of romantic love and marriage as well as other special occasions that were deemed important to women, such as the baptism of a child. 

Here you have 10 interesting and famous quotes about Champagne. Take a glass of sparkling wine, and begin to read: 

• “In victory, you deserve Champagne. In defeat you need it.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte

• “My only regret in life is that I didn’t drink enough Champagne.” ― Robert Noecker

• “Three be the things I shall never attain: envy, content and sufficient champagne.”– Dorothy Parker

• “Champagne is the one thing that gives me zest when I am tired.” – Brigitte Bardot

• “Whenever I drink champagne I either laugh or cry...I get so emotional! I love champagne.” – Tina Turner

• [at his first sip of champagne] "Come quickly! I am tasting stars!” – Dom Perignon

• “Hardly did it appear, than from my mouth it passed into my heart.” – Abbe de Challieu, 1715, upon first tasting Champagne.

• “Champagne is appropriate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.” ― Madeline Puckette, 2010

• "Champagne, if you are seeking the truth, is better than a lie detector. It encourages a man to be expansive, even reckless, while lie detectors are only a challenge to tell lies successfully.” – Graham Greene

• “Gentlemen, in the little moment that remains to us between the crisis and the catastrophe, we may as well drink a glass of Champagne.” – Paul Claudel