Champagne Charlie

The story of a hero: Charles Heidsieck left his native land to conquer the United States, armed only with his considerable charm and a suitcase full of champagne bubbles. He is a pioneer, risking his life and reputation in order to raise the banner of his champagne label everywhere over America. He is a hero in the true sense of the word, intelligent, brave, sometimes naive, but never giving way in the face of opposition. His "never say die" attitude will stand him in good stead when he carries on to conquer the vast marketplace of the New World.

The story of a world traveler: Charles is witness to an age gone by, travelling through Reims, New York, Louisiana, his far flung journeys taking him from his native vineyards to the untamed wilderness of the New World; from the sophisticated salons of Paris to the battlefields of the Civil War.

The story of a changing age: The latter half of the 19th century is a period that will see the transformation of a society rich in tradition to the dawn of modernism. A period that is kind to the audacious and cruel to the timid. Everything is possible, and Charles, ahead of his time and his countrymen, takes the necessary risks and makes his dream come true.

The story of a passionate lover: Charles falls passionately in love with Pauline, a brilliant, headstrong woman from Louisiana who will fight ferociously for her country, a country on the brink of disaster. Though their own ambitions will sometimes keep them apart, theirs is a love that will survive depression, war, betrayal, prison...

And it is the story of champagne! There is another hero in this story: champagne! It is the omnipresent witness to the ever-changing saga of Charles' life, the axis on which he turns, the force, which motivates him throughout his long and successful life, the heart of his ambition.