'A brilliant and appealing book. The story it tells is fascinating and compelling, leaving me thirsty to try some of the wines that are its subject' - Tim James, Wine Mag Once upon a time, the region of Champagne produced only still wines - wines that were not meant to sparkle. If a Champagne had bubbles in it, it was faulty, undrinkable, an abomination. How did Champagne go from vin du diable ('devil's wine') to Veuve Clicquot? And how did the rise of a group of artisanal producers in Champagne over the last twenty years challenge everything we thought we knew about this famous wine and region? In Champagne: A secret history, Robert Walters takes us on a journey to visit these great growers. Along the way, he reveals the clandestine history of the region and dispels many of the myths that persist about the world's most celebrated wine style. Controversial and ground-breaking, this book will change the way you think about Champagne.

Author Biography

Robert Walters is a wine merchant, vineyard owner and writer with over twenty-five years of experience in the wine trade. His obsessive search for great grower wines has led him to work closely with many important producers in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, as well as many of Champagne's finest artisans. Over the years he has also found the time to write for publications such as The World of Fine Wine, and it was a series of these articles - on grower Champagnes - that eventually led to this groundbreaking book. He lives in Melbourne with his partner and two young children.