BILLED as a ‘love letter to champagne’, it may well have been penned by some of the biggest names in show business, judging by the faces that crop up.
Due to premiere this weekend, appropriately, in the heart of Cava territory in Barcelona province, Sparkling: The Story of Champagne explores the history, glamour and cultural obsession surrounding the fizzy stuff.
The glitz is underlined by the appearances of none other than Christian Bale, Glenn Close, Michael Douglas and Al Pacino – among others – who all feature signing an oversized bottle of Taittinger champagne.
The documentary will delve into the legends and myths of how champagne began, notably challenging the belief that Dom Pérignon invented it, showing instead that sparkling wines were being made earlier.
It even poses the question of if it was, in fact, invented, in England – ‘long before Dom Pérignon ever set foot in Champagne’.
Narrated by the dulcet tones of Stephen Fry, the film takes viewers inside the great champagne houses – Taittinger, Bollinger, Pol Roger, Piper-Heidsieck, Bruno Paillard, Armand de Brignac (JAY Z) and Fleur de Miraval (Brad Pitt).
It offers behind-the-scenes access and close-ups of their vineyards, cellars and family dynasties, celebrating champagne’s enduring allure through the people who love, make and market it – from royalty and film stars to growers and winemakers.
It then contrasts this French heritage with the rise of English sparkling wine, which now rivals Champagne itself.
“One of the things that surprised us is just how crazy people can sometimes go over champagne, and how much they crave it,” the film observes.
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With scenes spanning France and England, the documentary also turns its lens on Spain, tracing the origins of Cava to 1872, when Josep Raventós of Codorníu produced the first sparkling bottles in the Penedès region using the traditional champagne method.
Festival organisers say it is only fitting that the Spanish premiere should take place on November 8 in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia – the very birthplace of Cava – where audiences will enjoy the film accompanied by a glass of local bubbles as part of the 14th Most International Cinema & Wine Festival.
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