Do you drink French bubbly as often as you’d like to? Let me rephrase: would you like to drink it more often than you drink it now? That way it will hurt a little less. Whether you drink or don’t drink there is no doubt: to understanding Champagne is essential in today’s pro wine world. And Peter Liem’s book could also be the first step towards not just understanding, but also drinking more of it.
Let me explain: the more you know about something, the more often you want to try it, the more you come into contact with the object of your desire or interest. We are taught a lot about Champagne in wine schools, on the pages of magazines and in articles. Only the ones who drink a lot of Champagne should talk about Champagne — in this sense you shouldn’t trust those who judge theoretically.
Looking at the photo of Champagne: The Essential Guide to the Wines, Producers, and Terroirs of the Iconic Region, you involuntarily think — “Is this possible, he’s so young!”. Not a wise old man, not a luminary, not even an MW — just a person who is passionate about his favorite subject. And it’s clear in the writing: unlike many authors you will hardly find words about the author inside the book; there is neither show off nor boasting. If you manage to get hold of a printed version of the book with maps of the sub-regions of Champagne you’ll get a lot of pleasure.
What makes Liem’s writing so appealing? The balance of modern information and the overall approach. This is a tremendous difference between the texts of the “old & wise” and the texts of the “young”: the young live in today’s realities and understand what today’s wine lovers would actually like to know. From history to single-cru concepts, from bio-organic trends to varieties and technologies, from still Champagne wines to stories about new-wave producers from Côte des Bar, Liem has an answer to everything.
The bottom line? Pick this book up and immense yourself into Champagne realms. I can only add that the incredibly interesting and important part of the book is its second part — a dive into the depths of individual sub-zones with due stories and styles, history and producers, as well as a clear list of the best single-crus from each of them.
With Liam’s book there is not much left to be desired: just an afternoon with a glass of Champagne.
Buy Champagne: The Essential Guide to the Wines, Producers, and Terroirs of the Iconic Region on Amazon