TAKE ANYTHING, BUT DON’T TOUCH MY CHAMPAGNE. EVEN IN PRISON OFF THE AFRICAN COAST ON THE ISLAND OF ST HELENA, NAPOLEON NEVER GAVE UP WHAT HE LOVED MOST: CHAMPAGNE. HE WAS ENTITLED TO A BOTTLE A DAY IN HIS GOLDEN JAIL

You can take anything, but don’t touch my Champagne. Even when he was in prison off the African coast on the island of Saint Helena, Napoleon never gave up what he loved most: Champagne. This fact was revealed from the content of a provisions document relative to the period of the French Emperor’s imprisonment sold at an auction in England a few days ago. The document shows that despite rationing, Napoleon and his fellow cellmates were entitled to a bottle of Champagne and 10 bottles of Claret every day.
In prison, yes, but he and his men fared quite well. They had as many as 50 bottles of wine a day, according to prison records, as well as liqueurs and a daily allowance for food including veal, bread, mutton, a roast pig, two turkeys, 12 pigeons and 42 eggs. Not even close to the typical diet of a British prisoner in the 19th century that had to settle for a piece of bread, a piece of cheese and a little porridge, as the British magazine "Decanter" (www.decanter.com) reports.