There is something about the sensory experience of champagne — the distinct pop of the cork, the shimmer of a fizzy glass, the way the bubbles dance across the palate — that instinctively signals celebration.
But it wasn’t always that way. In fact, champagne was initially considered a winemaking flaw.
Winemaking in what is now the Champagne region of France dates back to Roman times. As centuries passed, the area earned a reputation for skilled vintners. But the region struggled with harsh winters, and freezing temperatures often halted the fermentation process. As the weather warmed, fermentation would resume, causing a buildup of carbon dioxide inside the sealed bottles. The wine got bubbly, and sometimes, the pressure was so powerful that the bottles literally exploded.
While many traditionalists were horrified by the idea of fizzy wine, the bottles that managed to survive were embraced as a novelty by French royalty. By the 17th century, the sparkling beverage became the drink of choice among the French elite. Over time, advances in production techniques, stronger glass bottles, and improved cork materials eliminated the explosions and made champagne more accessible to the masses. Its association with celebration, however, remained firmly intact.
Much like a glass wine bottle fighting against the force of carbon dioxide, today’s oral solid dose sector is operating under mounting pressure.
Manufacturers must navigate evolving regulatory requirements for serialization, labeling, and quality testing — often with significant geographical variation. Increased scrutiny of ingredients is pushing both pharma and nutra manufacturers to reevaluate formulations. At the same time, turnover at the FDA, long regarded as the global gold standard for regulatory oversight, has introduced additional uncertainty across global markets.
Economic forces are compounding the challenge. Shifting global trade policies and rising inflation are driving up costs, while geopolitical conflicts continue to disrupt supply chains. Meanwhile, consumers and patients are becoming increasingly discerning, demanding products that are more convenient, natural and focused on preventative health.
Yet pharma’s oldest dosage form shows no signs of shattering under pressure. As IMA Active’s Luca Cavazzini notes in this issue’s 2026 predictions, “These forces will not hinder progress but act as catalysts for innovation.”
Much like the winemakers who learned to harness pressure rather than fear it, OSD manufacturers are leveraging advances in manufacturing processes, formulation science, excipients and packaging technologies. The result will be an industry that can move faster, formulate smarter, and rise to meet new regulatory and consumer expectations.
Because sometimes, when life hands you exploding wine bottles, you learn how to make champagne.