Champagne corker to Mitchell Beazley

Octopus imprint Mitchell Beazley has acquired Champagne by American wine writer Peter Liem, a complete buyer's guide to help readers navigate the sparkling wine aisle.

Champagne, based on extensive research and "a rare level of access to producers", will show readers where, how and by whom these wines are made. The book will be accompanied by photography from Gentl & Hyers and feature as part of a box set containing  seven Louis Larmat "vinicultural" maps (detailed wine maps of the region, commissioned by the French government in the 1940s).

Denise Bates, group publishing director at Octopus, acquired UK and British Commonwealth rights from Ten Speed Press in the US. It will be published in November 2017 as a slipcase edition - containing a hardback book and a pull-out drawer with seven vintage maps - at £60.

Bates said: "This stunning package took my breath away when I first saw it. With Peter Liem’s extensive research, accompanied by vintage map reproductions, it should become a truly essential resource for any wine lover."

Liem said: "Champagne is in the midst of a dramatic rebirth, reevaluating its identity as a wine and renewing its focus on the region’s vineyards. Having witnessed the evolution that has occurred in the Champagne region over the past 20 years, my aim is to offer a contemporary perspective and to encourage a dialogue of champagne as a terroir-expressive and viticulturally driven wine."

Peter Liem, who lives in Champagne, is the author of ChampagneGuide.net. He spent nearly a decade in the wine trade and was a senior editor, critic and tasting director for Wine & Spirits.