A、It tastes a little bitter rather than sweet. B、It is manufactured in more wine-producing areas. C、It is made of rice instead o

French wine-making began more than 2,500 years ago. The world’s oldest type of vine grows in France and always produces a good quality wine. Today France produces one-fifth of the world’s wine, and some of the most famous varieties. The top wine-producing areas are Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Loire Valley. Champagne, a drink used in celebrations, is named after the place where sparkling wine was first produced in 1700. Wine is made from the juice of freshly picked grapes. It is the sugars that turn into alcohol.
    Traditionalry, people used to take off their shoes and crush the grapes with their bare feet to bring out the juice. Nowadays, this practice is usually carried out by machines. Each wine-producing region has its own character, based on its type of grapes and soil. The taste of wine changes with time. Until 1850, all French champagne was sweet Now, both wine and champagne taste slightly bitter.
    The drink has always been linked with riches, romance and nobleness. Yet the French think of it in more ordinary terms. They believe it makes daily living easier, less hurried and with fewer problems. Wine drinking has become part of the French lifestyle, just like tea has for the Chinese. For a Frenchman, it is possible to start drinking wine at breakfast, carry on until the early hours of the next morning, and still be able to walk in a straight line.
    9. How was the name " Champagne " given?
    10. How was the juice of grapes brought out in the past?
    11. How has French champagne changed over more than a century?
    12. What does "wine" mean to French people?