Watch Champagne Journal Part VI: Pommery, World War I, Prohibition

95% of champagnes sold today are dry, called 'brut'. In this episode, discover more about the widow who invented this delicious style of champagne and why! Also, learn about the near complete devastation of the Champagne region during WWI (1914-1918) and the American's role in saving it. As well, hear about the next major obstacle for the champagne makers...Prohibition, which banned the sale of alcohol in the States for 14 years. Pommery: Champagnes of the 19th century had on average 250 grams of sugar per bottle, making them very sweet. They were best paired primarily with desserts. The champagne makers were using unripened grapes picked too early, due to concerns of loss on the vine from the rainy, cool climate. As a result, sugars and syrups were needed to negate the resulting high acidity. In the 1870's, the market was expressing its strong wishes for a dry (non-sweet) champagne to go with more types of cuisine. Veuve Pommery, another outstanding Champagne widow without prior business experience, decided to take on this challenge. She astutely made business deals and created a new, commercially sold, type of champagne. Today, 95% of all champagnes sold are 'dry' because of her innovation! We interviewed Thierry Gasco, Chef de Cave of Vranken Pommery and Chairman of the French Oenologists' Union - head of all the winemakers in France! We also toured Pommery's cellars with Boris Franic, a professional guide at Pommery to learn more about Louise Pommery. World War I: In 1914, France and Germany declared war on one another yet again. In 1915, on average, 1500 German bombs a day fell on Rheims. By the end of WWI, 98% of the city would be destroyed. This horrible bombardment forced 20,000 of its citizens to live underground in the large limestone cellars of the champagne houses for protection. Americans arrived in France in 1917 to help defeat the Germans. On November 11, 1918 Germany surrendered and signed a peace