Dom. Perignon (1635-1715), a monk at the Benedictine abbey in Hautvillers in Champagne was appointed to cellar master when he was only 29. He had reputation for being an excellent wine-grower even at this young age. He could not only distinguish wines from each other from one sip but he was able to blend grapes in such a way as to improve the quality of wines. During his experiments he found a solution to the production of the sparkling drink, champagne by initiating a secondary fermentation. He only revealed the secret of production before his death and this secret was kept by the people of Champagne, laying the foundation of French champagne production.