Wrapping up my Blog posts from my trip to Champagne in June this year and saving the best for last with a recap of my visit to Champagne Diebolt-Valois in Cramant.
Continue reading “Visit: Champagne Diebolt-Vallois”
The Perching Bar is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. It is essentially a champagne bar perched high in the trees in the heart of the Regional National Park of the Montagne de Reims, on the highest point of the Marne.
Continue reading “Visit: Perching Bar, Verzy”
A brand new offering from Champagne Perrier-Jouët is Le Cellier Belle Époque . I was very excited to go and see what this new addition since my last visit pre-covid was all about.
Continue reading “Visit: Perrier-Jouët Le Cellier Belle Époque”
Le Club Trésors was established in 1971, and is made up of 28 artisan winemakers, noted for their excellent work and chosen from the best Champagne estates.
Continue reading “Visit: Boutique Tresors de Champagne, Reims”
The House of Champagne Taittinger, one of the few remaining family-owned and operated Grande Marque houses, was founded in 1734 its headquarters is situated in Reims on the site where the Saint Nicaise Abbey once stood. Construction of the Abbey started in 1211, it was destroyed during the French Revolution and all that now remains are the underground caves. Abandoned for 120 years, the site became the home of Champagne house Binet in the 1920’s and then the headquarters of Champagne Taittinger after the war.
The caves beneath Saint Nicaise is where Champagne Taittinger’s prestige cuvées Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs and Comtes de Champagne Rosé as well as certain large format bottles rest to mature, for Comtes and Comtes Rosé this is anywhere between 8 – 10 years.
I have visited the Taittinger cellars many, many times, so this time around skipped the introduction video and headed straight down the spiral staircase to the magnificent caves below. It is always special to visit the Taittinger cellars, even more so when being hosted by the charming Jean-Pierre.
The caves at Taittinger were dug during the 4th century and the chalk was used in building and construction around Reims. During WW1 the caves and tunnels were used as a command centre and underground hospital by the French army and one can see many drawings and initials carved into the chalk by the French soldiers.
Today the House of Taittinger is run by its first woman-President, Vitalie Taittinger, daughter of the enigmatic Pierre-Emmanuel who retired at the end of 2019 handing over the baton to Vitalie.
Champagne Taittinger is a Chardonnay-driven house with this grape varietal predominant in all its cuvées. The flagship cuvées of the house is its Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs and Comtes de Champagne Rosé, two absolutely incredible champagnes that was the favorite of writer, Ian Fleming, featuring prominently in his Bond novels.
After our walk through Taittinger’s breathtaking cellars with Jean-Pierre we headed back upstairs to one of their private tasting rooms and were treated to the beautiful Comtes 2011 Bdb.
Champagne Taittinger is situated at 9 Place Saint Nicaise, Reims. All information on tours and visits can be found on their website. They are active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter if you’d like to follow them there.
Thank you Taittinger and Jean-Pierre for yet another memorable visit.
Pop, Fizz, Clink
Linn
The Champagne Chick
xo
An absolute gentleman and so gracious, Jean-Pierre Vazart offered us such incredible hospitality when we visited him in June this year. The Vazart family own 11 hectares of vineyards, all of it in the Cȏte des Blancs grand cru of Chouilly.
Continue reading “Visit: Champagne Vazart-Coquart & Fils”
The House of Champagne Alfred Gratien was founded in 1864, and today it is run by Nicolas Jaeger, the 4th generation of the family. Situated in beautiful Épernay, their mesmerising wines are crafted exclusively in oak barrels. Barrels are kept for anywhere between 20 to 25 years and every year they renew between 30 to 50 barrels.
Continue reading “Visit: Champagne Alfred Gratien”
Having been to Champagne many, many times I always try to stay somewhere different each trip. I’ve stayed in luxurious boutique hotels, corporate hotels, gorgeous Airbnb apartments, and even in a budget Airbnb when I travelled solo.
Continue reading “Stay Reims: Continental Hôtel”
Based in Chouilly, the scale of operations at Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte is on another level altogether. Only about 10 minutes from Épernay, perched on a hill overlooking rolling vineyards, so large you simply cannot miss it.
Continue reading “Visit: Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte”
A few years ago I initiated International Sabrage Day after realizing that there was pretty much an international day for everything and anything, yet not for the art of sabrage. You can read my blog post on how this came about here.
Continue reading “International Sabrage Day 2022”
THE CHAMPAGNE CHICK 