Saint-Évremond Charles

The French author, soldier, philosopher and satirist Charles Marguetel Marquis de Saint-Évremond (1613-1703) is almost unjustly forgotten today. However, he played an important role in the "invention" and creation of champagne. Due to a critical letter about Cardinal Jules Mazarin (1602-1661), Prime Minister of Louis XIV, he was threatened for the third time with a stay in the Bastille (prison). He emigrated to London in 1662, where he spent almost half of his life in exile in England and became a welcome guest at the court of King Charles II (1630-1685).

Saint-Évremond Charles - Charles Évremond, Coupeglas, Marie-Antoinette,

Around 1662, he introduced white wine from the Champagne region in barrels. Favoured by the warm spring weather, a second fermentation was often initiated spontaneously in the barrels. The resulting lively, sparkling wines were bottled on arrival and quickly became a favourite drink in wealthy and aristocratic circles. The Marquis is also said to have designed the shape of the coupe glass for champagne. In a second version, the glass was allegedly modelled after the bosom of Queen Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793).

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Saint-Évremond Charles

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