“It’s a really fun thing to do! It’s not often you get such an odd request and such a fun context to talk in.”
For Eva Hemmungs Wirtén, who has studied copyright, patents and trademarks in depth, and who is regularly in France for a book she is writing about the connection between Champagne as a region and wine, it was easy to accept the invitation. Although she has spent many years celebrating New Year’s Eve in her Paris apartment, she is flying home specially for the event.
“I’ll have a chapter in the book that’s about Champagne as an export commodity. The USA has always been a big market for champagne, and today is the biggest. But the prohibition era (1920 – 1933) was a difficult time for the famous bubbly. The lecture gives me a chance to get into an issue that will anyway be in the book.”
How are you going structure the lecture?
“It won’t be too difficult – there are so many quotes about Champagne, many of which may never have actually been said. But F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, supposedly said, ‘too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.’ I think I’ll open with that quote and from there talk about the book, the film adaptations and, of course, champagne.”
“Then I thought I’d say something about the champagne glasses and bottles. Until the mid-1700s, glass couldn’t be produced to withstand the pressure of the bubbles in the champagne. The bottles exploded.”
“There’s a long way to go, maybe 2028. I love the writing process.
I’ve spent 25 years of my career in intellectual property. Now I’ll take what I know about how we regulate culture and knowledge and write for a larger audience, talking about the same thing but with a new voice. It will be super exciting!”
For Eva Hemmungs Wirtén, who has studied copyright, patents and trademarks in depth, and who is regularly in France for a book she is writing about the connection between Champagne as a region and wine, it was easy to accept the invitation. Although she has spent many years celebrating New Year’s Eve in her Paris apartment, she is flying home specially for the event.
“I’ll have a chapter in the book that’s about Champagne as an export commodity. The USA has always been a big market for champagne, and today is the biggest. But the prohibition era (1920 – 1933) was a difficult time for the famous bubbly. The lecture gives me a chance to get into an issue that will anyway be in the book.”
How are you going structure the lecture?
“It won’t be too difficult – there are so many quotes about Champagne, many of which may never have actually been said. But F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, supposedly said, ‘too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.’ I think I’ll open with that quote and from there talk about the book, the film adaptations and, of course, champagne.”
Civil war in Champagne
And Eva has much to tell about Champagne. About the ownership structure of the land, the small, decentralised vineyards and the large trading houses with names such as Moët & Chandon. About the local “civil war” around the turn of the last century, where it was not agreed which areas should be called Champagne until 1927. And about the climate change that is now affecting the temperature, and with it the grapes, in the district.“Then I thought I’d say something about the champagne glasses and bottles. Until the mid-1700s, glass couldn’t be produced to withstand the pressure of the bubbles in the champagne. The bottles exploded.”
Loves the writing process
The book that Eva Hemmungs Wirtén is writing is neither an academic thesis nor yet another wine guide, but instead is largely about how Champagne manages to maintain its status and aura. Now she has also acquired a literary agent, which has been a dream for many years. However, it will be a few years before we can read the book.“There’s a long way to go, maybe 2028. I love the writing process.
I’ve spent 25 years of my career in intellectual property. Now I’ll take what I know about how we regulate culture and knowledge and write for a larger audience, talking about the same thing but with a new voice. It will be super exciting!”