{"product_id":"champagne-charlie-don-kladstrup-9781640123946","title":"Champagne Charlie: The Frenchman Who Taught Americans to Love Champagne","description":"\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Best Wine Book of 2021\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eChampagne Charlie\u003c\/i\u003e tells the story of a dashing young Frenchman, Charles Heidsieck, who introduced hard-drinking Americans to champagne in the mid-nineteenth century and became famously known as Champagne Charlie. Ignoring critics who warned that America was a dangerous place to do business, Heidsieck plunged right in, considering it \"the land of opportunity\" and succeeding there beyond his wildest dreams. Those dreams, however, became a nightmare when the Civil War erupted and he was imprisoned and nearly executed after being charged with spying for the Confederacy. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Only after the Lincoln administration intervened was Heidsieck's life saved, but his champagne business had gone bankrupt and was virtually dead. Then, miraculously, Heidsieck became owner of nearly half the city of Denver, the fastest-growing city in the West. By selling the land, Heidsieck was eventually able to resurrect his business to its former glory. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e For all its current-day glamour, effervescence, and association with the high life, champagne had a lackluster start. It was pale red in color, insipid in taste, and completely flat. In fact, champagne-makers, including the legendary Dom P駻ignon, fought strenuously to eliminate bubbles. Champagne's success can be traced back to King Louis XV and his mistress Madame de Pompadour, Napoleon Bonaparte, countless wars and prohibitions, and, most important to the United States, Charles Heidsieck. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eChampagne Charlie\u003c\/i\u003e tells the history of champagne and the thrilling tale of how the go-to celebratory drink of our time made its way to the United States, thanks to the controversial figure of Heidsieck.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Don Kladstrup, Petie Kladstrup\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1640123946\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781640123946\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Potomac Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/01\/2021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 296\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.30lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.20h x 8.00w x 1.10d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword\u003c\/i\u003e 10\/26\/2021","brand":"Don Kladstrup","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44053218918655,"sku":"9781640123946","price":32.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_a37332dd-5ee0-426c-8e99-dccb8b443c85.jpg?v=1685023102","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/champagne-charlie-don-kladstrup-9781640123946","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}