Champagne has become, over the years, the festive symbol par excellence throughout the world. It all began in 496 AD, when King Clovis was baptised in Reims, the birthplace of champagne. Kings and nobles then got into the habit of drinking this wine during holidays. Henri IV, Lord of Ay, introduced it to the French court. Louis XIV, the Sun King, tasted champagne for the first time at the age of 16. Seduced, he combined sparkling wine with his other obsessions: fashion, prestige, and luxury.