Summary: 

It's been said that Champagne has been the site of more bloody battles and large-scale wars than any other place on earth. 

From the time of Attila the Hun to the Germans in World War II, countless invaders have tried to conquer this strife-torn land.  Yet, somehow it managed to become the birthplace of the world's most beloved wine. 

Don and Petie Kladstrup will show how this sparkling wine, born of bloodshed, became the symbol of glamour, good times and celebration.

It is a story filled with larger-than-life characters: Dom Perignon, the father of champagne, who, contrary to popular belief, worked his entire life to keep bubbles out of champagne; the Sun King, Louis XIV, who rarely drank anything else; and Napoleon, who, in trying to conquer the world, introduced it to champagne.

Presenters: Don & Petie Kladstrup

Don and Petie Kladstrup are former journalists who have written extensively about wine and France for numerous publications.

Don, a winner of three Emmys and numerous other awards, was a foreign correspondent for ABC and CBS television news.

Petie, an Overseas Press Club winner, was a newspaper journalist and more recently protocol officer for the U.S. ambassador to UNESCO.

The Kladstrups divide their time between Paris and Normandy.

Learn more about Champagne with the Champagne Master Level Program and embark on a Champagne Wine immersion trip.