In contrast, out here in Saumur in the Loire Valley, France, buoyed by its recent acquisition by the UB Group, Patrice Monmousseau of Bouvet Ladubay is showing us the blueprints of his new winery, which will double its output, raising production up to 7.5 million bottles per year by 2012.

That is why the Old World has traditionally refrained from putting the grape names or varietal on the bottle; their focus is on the region in which the grape has grown. In the New World, the varietal is king, as the manufacturers believe the consumers should know what they are drinking. In recent years, both sides have come slightly closer to each other, with each adopting practices of the other, but centuries of tradition have been too hard to overcome for the Old World.

This year is expected to be a big one for sparkling wine, what is known as a good vintage (the year in which the grape is grown). That is good for Bouvet as it is among the biggest producers of sparkling wine in France, with 60% of its produce exported to over 35 countries. Post-acquisition, it hopes that its parent, UB, will bring easy access to key markets like the UK.

The New World boasts of technical superiority while the ld World prides itself on the terrain in which grapes are grown

It is a challenge, which Patrice has taken up with gusto. Not for nothing has he bought an island in the middle of the river, which he has christened the Republic of Monmousseau. The name Monmousseau literally means cave-dwellers and is apt, for, as you will realise on visiting that a wine company is like an iceberg. The winery and tasting room on the surface, give no hint of what lies beneath—the limestone-caked cellars in which the wines are stored and where a part of the production process also happens. When the Germans invaded in 1940, the town dwellers had the caves to escape, and fortunately, the caves had wine.

As Bruno explains, the producers of Champagne have a disadvantage, as the fame of the region has led to an increase in grape prices in the region. The bulk of the Champagne houses source their grapes from independent vineyards or farmers’ co-operatives. This results in a higher price for the Champagne you buy, whereas a bottle of good sparkling wine can be as good, at a cheaper price.

The New York Times in 1975 ran an article called, "All that sparkles is not Champagne," where it put some of the world’s top Champagnes and sparkling wines to a blind taste test. The joint winners were the Bouvet Brut from the Loire Valley and Champagne Perrier Jouet. This is part of the reason why Taittinger the French Champagne house snapped up Bouvet and when the UB Group lost out to Credit Agricole in a bidding war for Taittinger (itself then owned by Starwood Capital), it picked up Bouvet for a reported $15 million.

There are restrictions on the marketing of alcohol in France also, and some years ago, the French government prohibited the sponsorship of sporting events by the liquor industry and Bouvet, as officials informed us, increased its sponsorship of the arts.

The French, of course, need no lessons in marketing. There is no better example than French road signs. All along the roads in the Loire Valley, we saw signs asking us to watch out for deer crossing the road. There probably isn’t a deer around for 100 miles, but it gives you the feeling that you’re adrift in the wilderness.