Champagne was invented in Somerset not France, according to the author of a new history of cider-making.

The techniques used to make the world’s most popular sparkling wine were actually developed by 17th-century cider-makers, along with the thick glass bottles needed to contain it.

According to the French, the method of secondary fermentation known as méthode champenoise was invented by Dom Pérignon, a Benedictine monk who declared after his first sip: “I have tasted the stars.”

However, James Crowden, 54, says the credit should really go to Christopher Merret, the West Country scientist who outlined his method of making sparkling wine in a paper to the Royal Society in 1632, six years before Dom Pérignon was born.

Mr Crowden, from Chard in Somerset, researched Merret for his book on the history of cider called Ciderland.

He believes that the popularity of sparkling wines began when British cider-makers added sugar to acidic French white wine and then learnt how to control the resulting secondary fermentation. The sugar caused secondary fermentation in the bottle, which created sparkling wines.

Merrett also invented the thick green bottle strong enough to contain the pressure of secondary fermentation. French wine-makers had been plagued by the problem of unintended fermentation, which could cause whole cellars of their fragile bottles to explode. By learning to control it they were able to create sparkling wine by design rather than accident.

The English connection will be spelt out next week by Mr Crowden in a paper to the Royal Society, claiming that the méthode champenoise was only refined by the French friar.He said: “What is extraordinary is that these cider-makers did not realise the potential of their discovery.”

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