The Territorial Brand of Champagne and Cultural Omnivorousness

The paper examines the meaning of Champagne as product and place, in the context of ‘culturally omnivorousness’ tastes for diverse cultural forms and authentic goods. Comparing perspectives of large and small producers and specialist wine writers, the research identifies two ‘myths’ of Champagne: exclusivity and authenticity. The discussion suggests how these myths both offer competitive advantage for the territorial brand of Champagne in a global marketplace, and directions for the extension of the brand for cultural omnivore consumers.