Cheers to the History of Toasting With Sparkling Wines!
Ever wonder about where the toasting origin is? or the history of a toast? maybe even why it is called a toast?
Toasting is believed to originate in Greece as it was the transition of pouring others' drinks as a way of honoring the gods.
With the ringing in the New Year right around the corner, let’s find out why we perform this ritual of toasting, and with sparkling wine.
The History of “Toasting”
It's interesting to imagine that one of the first time wine toasting the New Year was documented during the time period of Julius Caesar's ruling. Though the tradition of toasting started off as being looked at as a concept of a religious event for the elite and wealthy.
Why “Toast”?
The ritual of toasting came to be when individuals in the past dipped pieces of toast into their drink, simply how we drink iced tea with lemon. This comparison makes it easy to speculate that the toast helped flavored drinks back then. This process was so common that those living in that time period reference anything floating in a drink as toast, and from there the word toasting came to be.
Toasting in America
For us Americans, we view toasting as a whole different type of formality, more in a patriotic kind of way. In the years that followed after the Revolutionary War, 13 toasts were mandatory in order to formally recognize each of the 13 original states. At that time, dinners and celebrations felt less accomplished and meaningful without the proper toast to each state. In recent years, we show honor towards others, invite good health, and encourage ideas to start a new beginning by choosing to clink glasses together, which in this scenario is a new year.
What Does Toasting mean to different cultures?
While today toasting for us Americans is usually done just on special occasions, in many other countries, it has not only more significance but there also rules of etiquette tied to toasting. Like in some countries in Europe, every time you get together with people for a drink, you wait for everyone to have a drink and then you toast together. Even what you say when you toast has a special meaning, and, naturally, differs country by country. The word ‘Cheers’ which originated in France is so commonplace that in many Anglo Saxon countries it is used as a salutary greeting when leaving people or at the end of an email.
Cheers in Chinese is spoken as “Gān Bēi!” which means empty the cup. You might be wondering why it means to empty the cup, this is because it has been established that it is necessary to finish what you are given. It's even more fascinating that in this culture if you refuse a drink it is looked at as being disrespectful. All the more interesting when you’re drinking with others who are older than you, it's necessary to hold and raise your glass lower than theirs.
Cheers in Japanese is spoken as “Kanpai!” which means either empty the glass or, bottom up. Being involved in this culture pouring your own drink, especially in front of your boss is seen as an embarrassment. However, if you would like to look more approachable and respectable you can tilt the wine label towards your boss when you pour.
In South Korea, the word Cheers is spoken as “Gun bae” which means empty the glass. An enchanting custom this culture does is to pour, well as accept alcohol in both hands. They are able to do this by designating the right hand to hold the drink itself while the left hand holds onto the right wrist to add more support.
Cheers in Russian is spoken as “Za zdoróvʹje” which means “To your health”. To spark your interest, even more, placing any type of glassware on a table, that wasn’t originally on the table beforehand is against the rules in this society.
Cheers in Italian can be spoken as either “Cincin!” or “ Saluti!” and they have the meaning of having an onomatopoeic sound for the clinking of glasses or to your health. The origin of the saying “cincin” comes from the name of the aperitif brand ‘Cinzano’. To get back on track, the Italians hold a high standard when it comes to toasting. When done incorrectly they believe they will be given the curse of having bad sex for seven years. The proper toast for this is keeping eye contact, breaking that contact will bring the curse to you.
In Israel, the word Cheers is spoken as “L’chaim” which means to life. This is important to know as they don’t think it's proper to toast for your favorite sports team to win or even for nice weather the next day. When they do toast they prefer to toast to things with more meaning. This could be anything from good health or a happy lifelong marriage.
In Hungary, the word Cheers is spoken as “Egészségére” which means for our health. The older generation in this culture believes it's unpatriotic to toast by clinking your glasses during it. However, the new drinking generation believes they can clink their glasses, and not be seen as disrespecting patriots
In Iceland, the word Cheers is spoken as “Skál” which means bowl. Even though, ‘bowl’ is an interesting meaning for a cheer meaning the Icelandic meaning behind it is quite beautiful. They believe that drinking from an empty bowl can symbolize a way of honoring someone who is no longer with them, which is linked to the ancient Nordic tradition.
Toasting with Sparkling Wine
As toasting traditions evolved in Europe, Champagne came onto the scene in the 1700s. It caught onto the Royal Courts of Europe and soon became a status symbol, hence toasting with it had more significance. This is contrast to earlier observations of sparkling wine which to some was considered the devil wine, based on people’s reactions to seeing bubbles bursting unexpectedly.
Fast forward to today, us Americans will toast with wine or any beverage, but, still, having bubbles in your glass makes it more special, right?
What would toasting with sparkling wines be like without the bubbles?
When you open a bottle of sparkling wine, the pressure is released and bubbles form. But from the point of opening a bottle, the frothiness of the bubbles will last less than a day in the bottle.
How can you get the bubbles to last longer?
By buying sparkling wine in a keg. The pressure is maintained in the keg which allows the bubbles to last for 3 weeks or more.
Advantages of having wine in kegs are:
Zero oxidation as the gas provides protection to the wine preventing oxygen from getting through the keg and line.
They are recyclable, which can help the environment in the long run as it limits bottled waste.
Helps bars and restaurant workers as it pours a variety type of wines smoothly and quickly.
Wines stay fresher in the kegs after being tapped than it does in a bottle.
Tends to hold a low or zero shipping cost as it has a light and reliable design
Easy to attach to bar systems.
Easy to learn how to pour each class.
And last but not least, the keg wine we carry is high quality and tastes good.
Ready to Toast with Keg Wine?
We have great tasting ‘Prosecco’, Rosé Sparkling, and Cabernet wine by the keg.
If you are a distributor or have a restaurant, wine bar or other licensed on-premise business, contact us today for details including pricing.
If you have a catering business or are planning your own party and gathering and would like to order kegs, check out our online shop.