Sparkling wine was invented in England: It’s widely thought that Dom Perignon, a French monk, invented sparkling wine in the form of champagne in 1697. The BBC states that this isn’t entirely true and that an English scientist discovered and documented how to add fizz to sparkling wine 30 years prior. The scientist in question was Christopher Merrett, who lived in the Cotswolds. If you ever happen to be in the area, you can head to the village of Winchcombe and uncover a plaque dedicated to Merrett and his wine documentation on Mill Lane. Additionally, in the 17th century Sir Kenelm Digby, an English diplomat, was known to make the most ‘superior’ wine bottles of the time, with millions of his sturdy bottles being shipped throughout Europe each year.