A weekend in the Champagne Region of France, of course I’ll be drinking champagne and perhaps bringing some home.
Everyone knows that champagne is the mother of all sparkling wine. The wine produced within the 34,000 hectares of the Champagne region in France can only be called Champagne. There are very strict and lengthy requirements regarding the making and producing of champagne, which includes the harvesting of the grapes, the pressing, the length of time in bottles are in the cellars and many more aspects.
I recently visited the city of Reims, in the heart of the Champagne region and not that far from Belgium – ideal for a weekend trip. It’s only about a 3 hour drive from Brussels.
I managed to visit some of the champagne houses and their cellars. Of course, you get to sample some of their best champagne at the end of the tours. As I was already in Reims, I visited Taittinger and then continued south to Épernay.
Taittinger
Located in the Reims city centre, the champagne house of Taittinger is situated where a cathedral once stood. The company still use the same wine cellars the monks did centuries before.
You can still see a set of stairs what used to lead up to the Cathedral, where the monks would go down to the wine cellars. Every arch down there was filled with a different year of champagne. As it’s all to do with how many grapes are processed, it can all depend on how much champagne is produced from that year. All the bottles have to sit and sleep for a few years, these could be in the shops in a few years time.
After touring the cellars – in a very chilly 12°C – we came up to the warmth, sunshine and champagne. Of course, we enjoyed it so much, we brought some home.
In the small town of Épernay – 30 mins drive south from Reims – many more champagne houses have their headquarters and cellars. Here you can stroll along Avenue de Champagne, which is home to Moët et Chandon, Mercier, Perrier-Jouët and many more.
Moët et Chandon
One of the oldest champagne houses in the region, Moët et Chandon has been producing in Épernay since 1743. Not only just their own brand champagne, but the house also produce Dom Pérignon too. Below Avenue de Champagne lies 28km of the houses cellars – largest in the region. Somewhere you don’t really want to get lost – especially when its 12°C down there.
After the tour of the cellars and learning how champagne is made; the requirements Moët have to adhere to, and seeing vintage Dom Pérignon, it was time for a tasting.
Overall, the tour was good. You got access to one of the most famous champagne houses in the region and got to see vintage Dom Pérignon up close. If you are not a champagne fan already, the Moët et Chandon tour is a wonderful introduction to the world of champagne. Of course it helps that you get to taste champagne in a champagne house on Avenue de Champagne.. Can you tell I’m a champagne fan?
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