There are some barbaric words it's funny to know when you're a wine lover, and more precisely champagne. In France, more than 10’000 people engage in placomusophilia… but what is ?
What is placomusophilia ?
Some collect Pokemon cards, others stamps and there are those who collect champagne muselet plates.
The muselet plate is the small metal ring found on the bottle of champagne or sparkling wine. Associated with the prestige of a Champagne House, the plaque is, step by step, erected into a totem pole that some are desperate to have in their collection. A small object of nothing at all yet aesthetic symbol of Champagne.
Who enjoys collecting plates of muselets ?
You might think that placomusophilia is more than anecdotal, yet its followers even have a world capital : Virtues, a village in the Côte des Blancs. There is also a famous exchange. There is even a Spanish museum dedicated to this activity.
Do not mistake yourself, placomusophilia is a collection that can take a long time to complete. Today there are about 30’000 different muselet plates in Champagne, and it is possible to add 80’000 other plates thanks to other effervescent !
Champagne : Rarity makes the collection
As with any collector, the rare pearl stimulates the placomusophiles. To each his own way of proceeding : when some are looking for wire caps from the great Champagne Houses, others only collect the plates of sparkling wines tasted to remember this moment of gaiety.
Champagne producers seeing in these collectors a good way to make a little money have multiplied the varieties, not hesitating to change color every year, for all their cuvées. You can for example collect the two capsules below, because Jean Vesselle champagnes reveal some striking evolutions - in any case for a placomusophile - like the disappearance of the white point and the white circle, or even brighter colors.
Some are even made exclusively for collectors, these plates are said to be of convenience. The most famous capsule of convenience is certainly that of the champagne "L’amour de Deutz". The pleasure of Deutz Love begins even before the tasting, when you discover a gold-plated capsule. This delicate work is signed by the creator Pascal Morabito, who wanted to represent the philosophy of this champagne by an angel ready to throw a diamond. Thanks to its cord, it is possible to wear this plate as a necklace or bracelet.
At the beginning, the plates were exchanged according to the "one for one" method between collectors, but it is more and more "on the side" that exchanges take place. This rating is mainly consulted in two books : Lambert and Cap’s. The first, considered "the Bible" of the placomusophile, is by far the most widespread.
The origin of the Champagne capsule
The champagne capsule has been known since 5 July 1844, date of patent with the Ministry of Agriculture, deposited by Adolphe Jacquesson, merchant in Châlons-en-Champagne. It ensured a better seal for the cork stopper, which was held by strings of hemp. The imprint of the word "champagne" appeared on these muselet plates at the beginning of the 20th century. It was only subsequently that they became advertising vectors for each Champagne brand. This invention consisted of a tin plate held tight by twisted iron wires.
Louis Dubosquet still uses a braided rope placed in a cross to hold the cork.
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