Podcast Summary:
Drink Me A Story blends tales (today about Champagne), fiction, and real-world exploration. Here’s the rundown:
Epic Rippers: Stories that f*&k. Raw, adventure travel stories. These non-fiction audio journals offer life lessons and stirring thoughts.
Sips and Shorts: Stories and interviews about drinks from around the world that have shaped culture and society.
The Library: Dive into “The Coin Chronicles,” an exclusive fantasy audiobook series. Each episode reveals a chapter of this epic saga of Gods, humans, and the coin that rules them.
Episode 55 Notes: Champagne
In 1910 Paris, the Palais Garnier hosts Le Vin Eternal, an opera honoring a divisive drink, Champagne. Masked composer Lucien Duval, scarred by betrayal, seeks revenge on the elite—like railway heir Raoul—who profit from fake apple champagne, ruining growers like Celeste Montague’s family. As Celeste shines onstage, Lucien’s red-masked “Phantom” drink spreads among the crowd. Chandeliers crash, fires erupt, and his rebellion, tied to the Champagne Riots, ignites. Celeste, caught between Raoul and Lucien, flees as the Garnier burns. Lucien escapes, leaving Raoul a menacing warning. Wine fuels a revolution, and Celeste must pick her next note.
Summary of Podcast:
*Note – This is a summary of the full episode and containers spoilers. You can always listen to the podcast above.
Introduction: A Gilded Stage, a Fiery Rebellion
In February 1910, Paris shimmered under a frosty glow, its Palais Garnier aglow with gaslight and decadence. The opera house, with its gilded columns and ornate chandeliers dripping like golden strands, hosted the premiere of Le Vin Eternal—a tribute to Champagne, France’s iconic drink that both defined and divided a nation. But beneath the opulence, a rebellion brewed, tied to the 1910 Champagne Riots, where vintners clashed with wine houses over “Phantom Champagne”—a cheap apple-based impostor passed off as the real thing. Enter Lucien Duval, a masked composer turned avenger, whose vengeance fermented into a plan that would either redeem France or burn it to the ground.
The Spark of Rebellion: Champagne’s Dark Secret
Lucien Duval watched from the shadows of the Palais Garnier, his face half-hidden by a white mask painted with curling grapevines—a gift from Celeste Montague, the opera’s star. The elites sipped Champagne from crystal glasses, unaware that Lucien’s drink, labeled with a red mask, was a snub to their greed. Ninety miles east in Ay, vineyards burned as growers rioted against wine houses peddling inferior “Phantom Champagne.” These impostors, made from apples, not grapes, drove prices down, bankrupting honest vintners like Lucien’s family.
A year prior, Lucien uncovered the betrayal: his brother sold apples to railway baron Raoul’s family, who flooded the market with fake Champagne. When Lucien confronted him, his brother attacked, leaving Lucien’s face scarred in a fiery blaze that consumed their vineyard. Now, in 1910, Lucien vowed vengeance, using the Palais Garnier as his stage to expose the corruption tainting Champagne’s legacy.
Celeste Montague: A Star Caught in the Crossfire
Below the opera’s gilded ceiling, Celeste prepared for her debut as lead alto in Le Vin Eternal. In her dressing room, surrounded by makeup artists and swirling dress crews, she gasped at a bouquet of two dozen roses from Raoul, the dashing railway heir in a velvet box seat. But her heart sank with worry—her family’s vineyard in Ay hadn’t responded in a month. Were they caught in the riots? Had their home burned?
Celeste’s performance was a tribute to their struggle, a statement against wine houses squeezing vintners dry with fake Champagne. Yet, as she took the stage, her voice soaring like silk, she felt Lucien’s absence in the music pit. She didn’t know he was orchestrating a darker plan, one where her aria would become the backdrop for chaos.
The Phantom’s Plan: Champagne as a Weapon
Lucien, the “Phantom of Champagne,” had spent months smuggling barrels, copper stills, and beakers into the Palais Garnier’s labyrinthine cellars. His “Phantom Champagne,” a fermented apple brew, was a mockery of the elites’ greed, distributed in bottles stamped with a red mask. As Celeste’s final aria reached its crescendo, the audience sipped unknowingly, entranced by her voice.
Below, Lucien moved through the dark cellars, his mask catching torchlight. He sabotaged Raoul’s carriage, knocking out the driver, and rigged the opera house’s chandeliers. At the act’s close, the chandeliers crashed, shattering bottles of his apple brew. The sweet scent filled the air as fires erupted, sparked by open flames. Screams echoed through the Palais Garnier as the crowd stampeded, their opulence shattered by Lucien’s vengeance.
A Reckoning in the Frosty Night
Celeste, horrified, realized Lucien had used her performance as a weapon. Raoul pulled her from the chaos, his firm grip guiding her to his carriage. As they sped through Paris’ frostbitten streets, the Palais Garnier burned behind them, a blackened symbol of rebellion. But the carriage raced on, ignoring Raoul’s demands to stop. When it finally halted, Raoul found the driver’s seat empty—save for a bottle of “Phantom Champagne,” a knife driven through it, a grisly warning.
Lucien watched from afar, adjusting his mask. He’d return to Paris’ underbelly, his revolution just beginning. The 1910 Champagne Riots had found their phantom—a vintner turned avenger, using Champagne to expose corruption. Celeste, torn between Raoul’s world and Lucien’s fight, faced a choice: join the rebellion or flee its flames.
The Legacy of Champagne and the 1910 Riots
The 1910 Champagne Riots marked a turning point for Champagne’s legacy. Vintners’ fury over fake “Phantom Champagne” led to stricter laws, ensuring only grape-based drinks from the Champagne region earned the name. Today, Champagne remains a symbol of luxury, but its history whispers of rebellion. Want to explore more sparkling wine tales? Check out our History of Prosecco (link-to-internal-post) for another fizzy journey!
In 2025, as Champagne sales soar, Lucien’s story reminds us: even the finest drinks carry the weight of struggle.