Celebrating International Champagne Day – and Snoop Dogg

The third Friday in October is our favourite day on the calendar. It marks not only International Champagne Day, and on some years even coincides with Snoop Dogg’s birthday. On this most holy of days, it’s only fair we take the advice of Snoop and drop, no, pop it like it’s hot. Or, if you’re living a bit further south, like it’s warming up at the very least.

If you happen to live anywhere below the Tropic of Capricorn, September and October will see you poking your pale head out the front door and greeting our old friend, Sun. We missed you buddy. And while you’re saying g’day to Sun, you may as well send some love to everything that comes in tow. Long days, warm nights, and more opportunities to pop a bottle of champers than you can wave your credit card at. 

Why you should love it

Grown exclusively in the Champagne region of France, this famous party starter has been at the heart of human revelry for hundreds of years, and though we worship it now, it actually used to be known as ‘the devil’s wine’ because the vignerons thought the bubbles were evil, causing their bottles to burst at the drop of a hat. Fools. But their loss is our gain, and these days the taste of Champagne is synonymous with good times, all the time. 

It’s not easy to make, either. With an average annual temperature of just 10℃, Champagne is one of the world’s coolest wine regions, and it takes extreme skill in the vineyard and winery to nurture grapes to ripeness and capture their spirit in bottle.   

How to open it

With a sword. No exceptions. Known as sabrage, this practice dates back to the Napoleonic Wars when soldiers supposedly sliced open their sparkling with the back of their swords to impress a young Madame Cliquot. Though swords are less common than they once were, gestures of grand romance are alive and well, so if you happen to be a young lad looking for the love of your life, opening a Champagne bottle isn’t a bad a place to start (but it probably won’t get you much further).

Where to drink it

At the races

We’re not here to debate the ethics of horse racing (FYI: we prefer racing sausage dogs), but we will say that International Champagne Day falls smack bang in the middle of the racing season and, well, it’s kind of a match made in heaven. 

Who doesn’t enjoy slipping on a fancy little frock or dusting off a dapper jacket? And if you’re going to dress fancy, you’ve got to drink fancy too.

At the park

Got a park? Then you’ve got a party. Call your mates this Champagne Day and bring a bottle of bubbles to your local botanical. No park? No worries. 

Try a beach, a boardwalk, an alley or an aviary – it’s all good. The sun’s out and so is the cork, so let the Champagne flow along with the conversation. 

At home

Your house, my house, their house, our house. Who cares? Mi casa es su casa, and as long as there are a few bottles of bubbles chilling in the fridge, we’re going to have a good time. 

We endorse any excuse to celebrate, and while Champagne Day is one of the most appropriate, that doesn’t mean you can’t pay your respects and cause some bubble trouble in honour of birthdays, graduations, promotions or even just a humble Wednesday. 

Before you bubble over…

In the words of birthday boy Snoop Dogg, “we’re waiting on the pizzle, the dizzle and the shizzle, G’s to the bizzack, now ladies here we gizzo...” We think that means we’d like a Champagne now, please and thanks.

Want to find out how to make a Champagne-powered bike, what the hell 'lees' are, or learn how to speak fancy French wine terms to impress your mates? Head here to dig a little deeper. 

Otherwise, stock up on French fizz and rock out with your frock out.