Quite a few of you noticed earlier this week that I not-so-subtly indicated via twitter and Facebook that I was toasting my career transition into the wine world with a certain Brut Rosé sparkler – the genuine article, as it were, from Champagne.

Not too surprising then that I was contacted shortly thereafter (a matter of a few hours, actually) by Charlie Holbert, Digital Marketing Director of Killer Infographics – these are the folks who turn stats into visually arresting web graphic, and their work includes topics such as the history of the iPad, as well those that are a lot less touchy-feely, such as Football Related Deaths and the always popular How To Tell If Your Rock Is A Conflict Diamond (yes, really).

The reason that Charlie Holbert’s contacting me wasn’t surprising is that Killer Infographics has just finished up a project for for wine.com, the topic of which is the history of (and interesting facts about) Champagne. Fortunately, they left out stats on sabering-related deaths and dismemberments (in this version, anyway).

I was invited to share the Champagne Infographic below, which I have because a) it’s a great run-down of how tightly-woven Champagne is the culture of our modern world, b) I find it amazing that a graphic this lengthy (nearly 7000 pixels) can retain one’s focus and interest for as long as it does (maybe I need to “go graphic” on all my long-ass posts from now on instead of my usual droning sentences…), and c) most of you have Champagne on the brain because of New Year’s Eve (or you *will* have it in your brain, pounding away at you on January 1st…). Killer Infographics left out the part about the evidence suggesting that the Brits actually invented sparkling wine (see Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia for more on that), in terms of deliberately introducing secondary fermentation in bottle specifically to engender bubbles – something which good ol’ Dom Perignon almost certainly tried to arrest (they did leave that last part in, bless their bubbly hearts), and something that I’m sure doesn’t sit well with most of the French (they still make the world’s best sparklers… though to be fair the Brits – yes, the Brits – are starting to come into their own with world-class bubblies), but something that probably sits better with everybody than reading about Football related deaths.

For the bloodthirsty few who are clamoring for bubbly facts as well as the death and dismemberment, the infographic does make several references to world wars, the Great Depression, and deathbed quotes. Just sayin’.

Anyway… you can see the full graphic below after the jump. Enjoy…

[ Editor's note: to embiggen, left-click and choose 'View Image' or its equivalent ]

Cheers!

Other stuff you might dig:

• Weekly Wine Quiz: Vintage-Schmintage!
• Wine.com Top 100 of 2009 and the Not-So-Changing Tide of Wine Sales
• Special Announcement: Wine Blogging Wednesday 75 “Singles Night” On March 21st! #WBW75
• Weekly Wine Quiz: Que Es Quefort?
• If You Give A Wine Geek A Savennières…