A visit to the French region of Champagne, visiting houses and growers, caves and restaurants, offers a little glimpse into the places that make these very specific wines. With their somber countenance and chic looks, the Champenois embody the seriousness with which Champagne is produced and marketed. No region in world is known so much for such internationally acclaimed brands, whose producers seek to create the same quality and style of wine year in and year out. They painstakingly blend grapes and vintages for the perfect base wine, and then they wait. The patience that is required to make these wines, letting some age for up to ten years, is the ultimate expression of refinement.
At the heart of Champagne are the two main cities, Reims and Épernay. The latter, while smaller, is the official capital of the region, and its main drive the Avenue de Champagne is home to many of the world’s most famous brands, from Moët & Chandon to Perrier Jouët. Rumored to be the most expensive street in the world due to the acres of Champagne stored beneath, it’s beautiful to stroll down the block and visit the tasting rooms―the perfect introduction to the Champagne high life.
While in Reims, a town that looks like a little Paris, stop for a look around the famous cathedral, greatly restored after the damages caused during the World Wars. It is also the place where almost all of the kings of France were crowned, and thus the reason that Champagne has long been known as the wine of the kings. Nearby are the houses of Taittinger and Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, both open to the public for tours and tastings by appointment. Seeing the great chalk caves that store the houses’ Champagne is alone worth the visit.
Places to eat and drink:
Biscuits Fossier: 25 Cours Jean Baptiste Langlet ◆ 51100 Reims, France ◆ +33 3 26 47 59 84 This little shop is the home of the region’s speciality, the rose de Reims, flavorful, floral biscuits with the texture of a ladyfinger. They are used in everything from savory terrines to desserts, and it’s definitely worth a stop in to get a box of your own.
Restaurant Côté Cuisine: 43 Boulevard Foch ◆ 51100 Reims, France ◆ +33 3 26 83 93 68
You can dine alongside the kitchen in this cozy restaurant, tasting modern riffs on classic regional dishes and more international cuisine. The extensive wine list offers a variety of wines, but tasting different Champagnes alongside the variety of foods is the real highlight. Recommended: Pea soup over Roquefort with a lardon mousse with a Brut blanc de blancs like that from grower-producer Noël Bazin. Tiramisù with rose de Reims biscuits paired a demi-sec like the Veuve Clicquot Millesimé 2002.
The Perching Bar: Faux de Verzy ◆ 51380 Verzy, France ◆ +33 6 07 67 94 42
High up in the forest at Verzy, amidst a ropes course and overlooking a stunning view of the valley, you will find the little 50-person Perching Bar. Open day and night, it’s a chic place to taste a Champagne from one of the four partners: Bollinger, G.H. Mumm, Péhu Simonet, and Louis de Sacy. At night, it’s all lit up… just make sure to bring a flashlight for the walk back across the swinging bridge.
Places to stay:
Royal Champagne: 43 Boulevard Foch ◆ 51100 Reims, France ◆ +33 3 26 83 93 68
This gorgeous Relais & Chateaux property nestles into the hillside that overlooks the Vallée de la Marne. The main reception and dining room are decorated in a classic French Bergère style, while the bedrooms are more austere and modern, a perfect contrast of old and new. Breakfast is served with Champagne, but of course, and dinner should not be missed.