World Champagne Day: Here's what you should know

In 2015 alone, more than 8.1 million bottles of the stuff was imported into Australia, which represented almost a 25 per cent jump. Photo / 123RF

Bubbly, champagne, champers - the drink is known by many names, but no matter what you call it the sense of fun that comes with it can't be denied. Quite simply, nothing says "party" like popping a bottle or two of champagne.

Indeed, the drink is so beloved that it even has its very own day. Around the world bubbly-lovers will be toasting the French drink in celebration.

Synonymous with A-listers, models and high-flyers, in the last few years, it has also rapidly become one of the nation's most favourite tipples with Aussies now officially the world's sixth highest champagne consumers - the boozy Brits are at the top spot, followed by the French, naturally.

In 2015 alone, more than 8.1 million bottles of the stuff was imported into Australia, which represented almost a 25 per cent jump. It was the biggest increase in any of the top 10 markets, says Inge Fransen, managing director of Vranken-Pommery Australia.

So, in honour of the day - and our nation's appetite for the fizzy drink - here's a list of 14 fun-facts that you may not know about champagne.

1. CHAMPAGNE WAS CREATED BY A MONK

While religion and boozing don't usually go hand-in-hand, the person credited for the creation of champagne in 17th century France was actually a near-blind Benedictine monk named Dom Pierre Perignon.

A cellar master in the Champagne region, Dom stumbled upon the fermentation of the wine due to changes in the weather (a chilly winter combined with a warmer spring). Initially frustrated by the presence of the "bulles" (French for "bubbles") he began to blend grapes, which resulted in the first white wine ever produced.

Eventually tasting the wine - bubbles and all - legend has it that the monk exclaimed: "come quickly, brothers. I'm tasting stars!"

His name is now immortalised as one of the world's most luxurious champagne brands.

2. IT'S ACTUALLY JUST SPARKLING WINE

The price tag may suggest otherwise, but champagne is really just a type of sparkling wine derived from a blend of grapes. The only difference between sparkling wine and champagne is the region it comes from.

Authentic champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France - any wine from other parts of the world has to settle for the categorisation of "sparkling wine".

This goes for Australia and New Zealand too. While we're creating some killer "champagne" that would give the French a serious run for their money, unfortunately, we can't claim the iconic name.

3. BUBBLY IS VERY ... BUBBLY!

Yep, we all know champagne is fizzy, but did you know that are a staggering 49 million bubbles in a standard sized bottle of champagne? Or that each second champagne emits 30 bubbles and that it has three times more gas than beer?

You can also gauge the quality by the size of the bubbles. A rough rule of thumb is the smaller the bubbles, the higher quality the champagne.

The pressure in a champagne bottle is three times the amount of pressure in an average car tyre, so in the early days of production, making champagne could be a very dangerous business. The pressure in the bottle led it to be named the "devil's wine" and winemakers would often wear iron helmets to prevent injury.

Many manufacturers would find that corks had blown out of their bottles unexpectedly, which they attributed to supernatural beings, rather than inadequately designed bottles, which was the actual cause.

4. THE CORK REACHES SPEEDS OF 64KM/H

The extreme pressure means that the cork once popped is fast. It can reach speeds of 64km/h, sometimes in excess of this. To date, the furthest distance recorded was 54m, which equated to more than half of a football field!

Because of this it kills more people each year than poisonous spiders. Even in Australia. And of the almost 24 champagne-related fatalities annually, more than a third occur at weddings. So, be careful where you aim the cork - it just might be deadly.

5. IT COULD HELP PREVENT MEMORY LOSS

While alcohol is widely regarded to kill brain cells, according to new research, one to three glasses of champagne weekly could actually help to counteract memory loss and could even aid in degenerative brain disorders like dementia.

Specifically, the researchers found that phenolic compounds in champagne support proteins linked to storing memories. These proteins diminish as you age, but champagne was shown to slow that process. Cheers to that!

6. THE MOST EXPENSIVE BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE COST $2.07 MILLION

Designer Alexander Amosu teamed up with Swarovski to create the world's most expensive bottle of bubbly for a "unnamed" private client. Handcrafted from 18-carat solid gold and with a flawless, deep-cut 19-carat white diamond at its centre, the bottle comprised most of its ridiculous price tag.

7. MARILYN MONROE ONCE TOOK A BATH IN IT

Speaking of excess ... Hollywood legend, Marilyn Monroe, once took a bath in 350 bottles-worth of champagne. That's roughly 262.5 litres - a volume that would fill an average sized tub to the brim!

8. IT'S GOOD FOR DIETERS AND SUPERMODELS

For those looking to watch their waistline, then the good news is that champagne contains less calories than many other drinks. There are seven times more calories in a gin and tonic than a glass of champagne, for instance.

So, it's little wonder that the drink is a go-to for many of the world's supermodels, including party girl Kate Moss - surprise, surprise - whose drink of choice is Laurent Perrier's Ultra Brut, which has even less calories (65 to be precise). And because the bubbles reach your bloodstream more quickly, you usually consume less.

9. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS SPAWNED THE 'BOLLI STOLLI' COCKTAIL

From a real-life, glam, champagne swiller, to a pair of fictional ones. Absolutely Fabulous characters, Pasty and Edina's signature cocktail - a creation devised on the set of the iconic TV show - has now become a staple in bars the world over.

Made of Bollinger champagne and Stolichnaya vodka (it's all about the labels, sweetie!) the 'Bolli Stolli' now has firm place in pop culture history.

10. QUEEN VICTORIA WAS A BIG FAN

Despite the long-held perception of the British monarch as being dour, unsmiling and a bit of a killjoy, back in her early days she loved a party (at her Coronation Ball she danced until 4am and didn't go to bed until dawn) and this was fuelled by her drink of choice: Champagne, specifically Perrier-Jouet.

The queen loved the tipple so much that she bestowed a royal warrant on the champagne brand back in 1861.

11. WINSTON CHURCHILL WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRINKERS IN HISTORY

He's known for leading the Allies to victory during the Second World War, but behind the scenes the late British PM's war effort gusto was fuelled by copious amounts champagne.

Between 1908 and 1965 he drank an estimated 42,000 bottles. His consumption was so great that he regularly couldn't settle his bar tab, with rich friends bailing him out, and even - at one point - the British government! Pommery was high on his list of favourites and Pol Roger even made him a special one pint bottle to be served every day at 11am precisely.

12. THE ORIGINAL CHAMPAGNE GLASS WAS RUMOURED TO BE MOULDED FROM MARIE ANTOINETTE'S LEFT BREAST

Before modern day flutes, the "coupe" was the go-to glass for champagne and this was reported to have been moulded from Marie Antoinette's left breast.

However, the truth is the glass was actually invented long before the reign of the French queen. But, history does show that she had porcelain bowls made in the shape of her breasts to drink milk from (go figure!), which explains the historical disconnect.

The famous royal aside, Empress Josephine (Napolean's wife) and Helen of Troy are both thought to have inspired breast-shaped glasses. And in 2008, Dom Perignon revealed a glass referencing model Claudia Schiffer's, erm, assets.

13. FORGET MARTINIS, JAMES BOND IS A BONA FIDE BUBBLY FAN

While he's famous for his martini habit - shaken, not stirred, of course - the world's most enduring secret agent is actually a hardcore champagne drinker.

The drink has been spotted more than 35 times in the various movies within the franchise and one brand is present more than any tier: Bollinger. The label has been shown in 14 of the flicks and even produced a special "Spectre" limited edition champagne to tie-in with Bond's most recent big screen outing.