A history of the midnight champagne toast
plus a quick gift guide for oenophiles & Champagne Society events in 2025!!
Happy December, friends!
I’m popping into your inboxes once more this year to say thank you for supporting the Champagne Society in its first year. ‘Paulina’s Picks’ Holiday Champagne 6-packs were a hit! It felt great to bag up hundreds of bottles of champagne, but truly my favorite part was getting to know you better at pick-ups. I try to savor this month’s holiday hubbub, but I must admit that the events we have planned in January and February (scroll down for early access!) have me daydreaming about snow falling outside the wine cave’s red windows and candles all aglow. We’ll keep it cozy to get us through the doldrums of winter.
I get ahead of myself! We are amidst THE champagne season! Of course, to the Champagne Society, champagne is wine and therefore justifiable every day. Yet our culture has relegated its enjoyment to the moments before the year turns over. Why?
How champagne became the official beverage of New Year’s Eve…
Unsurprisingly, our tale begins in Ancient Rome. In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar changed the Roman calendar to align with the sun instead of the moon, adding 90 days to the year and establishing January 1st as New Year’s Day.1 The month ‘January’ is named for Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions. He’s often depicted with two faces: one facing forward, one looking back. The Romans believed if they spent the first day of the new year happily, so it would remain. They feasted, decorated their open doors with laurel leaves, gave each other small gifts and, of course, got drunk.
This tradition withstood time and became customary across Europe, and then settlers brought it to the Americas. By 1800 it was common to stay up until after midnight, shooting guns and ringing church bells. Townspeople would go door-to-door, neighbors inviting them in for midnight punch and treats.
Meanwhile, we know the conflation of champagne with luxury has deep roots in France.2 The Reims Cathedral was home to the coronation of 32 kings. These celebrations featured the local wine, which soon became a favorite for royals throughout Europe. This beverage was likely still - not sparkling. The marketing strategy stuck after the champagne method was perfected and this fizzy wine became synonymous with opulence. The French revolution demanded a spreading of wealth, and by the 1800s champagne as we know it was available to the masses in France and therefore exported to US. Champagne sales increased from 6 million bottles in 1850 to 28 million in 1900, thanks to the post-Industrial Revolution middle class partaking in ‘aspirational drinking.’3 AKA drink like the job you want, not the job you have.
By the end of the 19th century, a champagne toast on New Year’s Eve was solidly tradition. This is mostly credited to a high-end ‘lobster palace’ restaurant in New York City named Café Martin.4 Owned by champagne-loving brothers, they featured up to 200 sparkling wines at any given time. In this era, women were typically turned away from haute cuisine serving establishments if not escorted by their husbands — but not here! Café Martin welcomed single and coupled women alike. They loved a playful rule, instituting ‘champagne only’ hours during which guests had only one beverage to choose from. This was the rule every year after 9 PM on New Year’s Eve, making Café Martin the coveted place to be and also the sacred birthplace of the champagne toast ritual. Pop culture depictions, celebrity endorsements and alcohol marketing have carried the torch henceforth.
A few gift ideas for the food & wine lover in your life
This modern tome on French wine, or this buzzy new wine-cookbook hybrid from the cool kid restaurant in Brooklyn.
My favorite site for intricate and hilarious food-themed ornaments.
An eye-catching (and useful!) vintage champagne bucket. These are the real deal champagne glasses for fanatics who are careful enough to not break stemware (could not be me).
A fondue set for winter nights in. Or, an elevated oyster shucker for the hands-on. You can source our favorite oysters here.
This delicious popcorn comes in multiple flavors and is an epic champagne pairing. Or, be like Marilyn and opt for fancy potato chips.
For those who have everything: a donation to a dog rescue in their honor, a gift card to your favorite restaurant or a ticket to join you at a Champagne Society event - outlined below.
Upcoming Champagne Society events!!!
On Sunday, January 26th we’ll be hosting a CHAMPAGNE DINNER! A multi-course tasting menu experience from Chef James and team. Each course will be paired with varying champagnes highlighting the region's illustrious diversity and our obsession with it!
We’re bringing CHAMPAGNE VS. EVERYBODY back with all new wine. This is a low-key, engaging blind tasting where we test our understanding of champagne’s characteristics when pinned against sparkling wines from other regions.
And on Sunday, February 16th we’re hosting an afternoon GALENTINE’S celebration! Pastry Chef Ali Sesnovich is providing sweet and savory snacks while we explore the world of rosé champagne. A perfect Sunday funday with the gals.
Wishing you a lovely holiday season, and look forward to seeing you on the other side!
XO
Paulina
https://imperiumromanum.pl/en/roman-religion/roman-feasts/new-year-in-ancient-rome/
Guy, Kolleen M. When Champagne Became French: Wine and the Making of a National Identity. The Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science, 2007.
https://imbibemagazine.com/why-we-drink-champagne-on-new-years-eve/
https://www.mcclaincellars.com/the-history-behind-why-people-toast-to-the-new-year/
 | A guest post by
|