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Did you know that a bottle of Champagne is opened every 2 seconds around the world? This sparkling wine is much more than a festive beverage. Champagne is a whole world, combining the luxury of the Champagne Houses, the beauty of the vineyards, and the authenticity of an encounter with wine producers.

For our first visit to the Champagne region, my sister and I were looking to have an effervescent experience. We found a list of activities on the Reims Tourist Office website and decided to join the tour Veuve Clicquot and family grower offered by A La Française Champagne. Read on to find out what to expect of this full-day guided tour in Champagne region.

Reims Historic Center

Reims is ideally located 45 minutes away from Paris. We took the TGV at Paris Est station and arrived at Reims Centre station right on time to meet our friendly guide Suzanne and the other guests.

We hopped into a comfortable minivan and started the day with a brief sightseeing of Reims. During the period of the Roman Empire, Reims became a major city. Later in its history, Reims was the traditional site of the crowing of the kings of France.

We make a quick stop at Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral to take some photos. This historical cathedral is one of the first monuments to be registered as a Unesco World Heritage Site. If you have time during your stay in Reims, we suggest visiting the cathedral.

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne House

As champagne lovers, we had always dreamed of visiting a prestigious Champagne House. When we stepped in the Veuve Clicquot underground cellars, it was so fascinating to be introduced to the history of the brand and the Champagne making process.

Madame Clicquot was born in Reims in 1777 in an era when women were excluded from the business world. After the death of her husband François Clicquot in 1805, she dared to assume the responsibilities as head of the company with passion and determination.

The regulations covering the Champagne making process are among the most stringent in the world. It takes a conjunction of conditions to make Veuve Clicquot Champagne including a balance between nature’s unpredictability and the house’s savoir-faire. The harvest season is the most important moment of the year because it is the first step in the Champagne making process.

We ended up our visit at Veuve Clicquot by savoring a nice morning Champagne glass inside their gift shop. At your own expense you can buy additional glasses of Champagne if you are curious to try one of their bottles.

Avenue de Champagne (Epernay)

On our way to the village of Hautvillers, we passed by the prestigious Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, lined on both sides by private dwellings constructed over many centuries by the Champagne Houses.

The Avenue de Champagne, which extends for nearly one kilometer, is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed under the heading Champagne hillsides, Houses and Cellars. Famous residents of the avenue include among others Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Ruinart, and much more.

Village of Hautvillers

Located in the heart of the vineyards of La Montagne de Reims, the charming village of Hautvillers is the cradle of Champagne. It is in the old Benedictine abbey of Hautvillers, that the cellar monk Dom Pérignon transformed the whole culture of wine from the development and management of the vineyard to the making of the wine itself.

Today, the abbey is a private property of Moët & Chandon but not the abbey church Saint-Sindulphe, which belongs to the village of Hautvillers. Inside the church, we were able to contemplate the tomb of Dom Pérignon whose legacy continues to inspire the production of Champagne.

Clos Corbier Champagne House

After a stop in the vines where we admired one of the most beautiful scenery in Champagne, we were driven to the picturesque village of Mareuil-sur-Ay and welcomed at Le Clos Corbier restored Champagne House.

We took one more step towards the sparkling beverage world thanks to fun activities with our group. We learned about the different aromas and flavors that can be found in Champagne through an olfactory workshop and challenging blind tastings.

The aromas in Champagne wines evolve over time as shown on the chart above. It takes at least 15 months of aging in the producer’s cellars to elaborate Champagne, three years for Vintage Champagne and longer for the Special Cuvees.

It was interesting to compare several Champagne and to notice how the combination of the type of grape, the aromas, and the amount of sugar added has such a significant impact on the taste. For example, we find notes of red berries in Champagne Rosé whereas Champagne blanc de Blancs, which is made only with Chardonnay grapes, is characterized by notes of white fruits, flowers and brioche.

Before the lunch, we enjoyed a traditional aperitif during which we tasted a sweet alcoholic beverage named Ratafia. At its origin around the 13^th century, Ratafia was used as a preservative agent for fruit juices and grapes whose fermentation was interrupted by the addition of alcohol. In recent years, some growers have chosen to revisit the traditional Ratafia made in Champagne region in a more gastronomic way to refine the taste.

Sharing a regional lunch with our group was without a doubt one of the highlights of this day. The atmosphere was so warm and friendly than it felt like home. The menu was paired with wine and Champagne including local products like baguettes, cheese, ham, pink biscuit, and much more. If you have special dietary needs, there are other options available. As we follow a vegan diet, we were served a tasty quinoa plate with roasted vegetables.

Family Grower – Pierre Lancelot-Royer

In the afternoon, we appreciated the charming hillsides of the region and passed by some famous Champagne House vineyards. Thereafter, we visited a family run boutique winery named Pierre Lancelot-Royer.

The Lancelot family was composed of winemakers for several generations. In 1960, they launched their own brand and since then the bottle production increased over the years. Now, the Lancelot family produces 30,000 bottles a year so they focus on the quality rather than the quantity.

The vines exploited by the Lancelot family are mainly in Grand Cru and Premier Cru. Grand cru designates the greatest classification of the Champagne region and only 17 of 319 villages in Champagne benefit from the appellation. Premier Cru is the second best classification and 44 villages in Champagne have received this designation.

At the end of the visit, we enjoyed several tastings of their best-seller cuvees.  Lancelot-Royer Champagne has a fresh character, with citrus notes typical of Chardonnay, and a certain roundness brought by a barrel aging. Our favorite was the Cuvee des Chevaliers Grand Cru which is a refined blanc de Blancs.

The Secrets of Champagne

Throughout this guided tour we have learned so much about Champagne. This section resumes some key technical information and tips to know about this sparkling wine.

What is the production process of Champagne?

• The harvest: the grapes are picked by hand from August to October depending on how ripe the grapes are to assure that only the best grapes contribute to the Champagne.
• The pressing: each batch of fruit is carefully pressed separately according to grape variety and growth to keep the juice clear white.
• The first fermentation: the juice is placed into tanks for around two weeks and kept at a constant temperature.
• The clarification: this process rids the wine of yeast and other solid particles that affect flavor.
• The assemblage: this is the art of blending. Still wines (i.e non-sparkling) from different harvests are mixed together for a steady final flavor.
• The second fermentation: a mixture of yeast and sugar is added to the wine. The wine is put in a bottle, sealed with a bottle cap, and placed in a cool cellar to ferment slowly. During this stage, the still wine turns into a sparkling wine.
• The aging: as the fermentation proceeds, yeast cells die and after several months, the fermentation process is complete. The wine will rest for at least 15 months to make a Brut Champagne, and 36 months for a Millésime (Vintage) Champagne.
• The riddling: this process can be done by hand or machine, and consists of turning the bottle from left to right. Slowly, the bottle is placed upside-down to encourage the accumulation of natural deposits in the bottleneck. Madame Veuve Clicquot is the inventor of the bottle rack in which the bottles are put downwards.
• The disgorging: the bottle is kept upside down while the neck is frozen in an ice bath at -25°C. This results in the formation of an ice cube containing the natural deposits. Then, the bottle cap is removed and the pressure of the gas forces the ice cube out.
• The dosage: a secret mixture of white wine, brandy and sugar is added to adjust the sweetness level of the wine. This procedure decides whether the Champagne will be Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, Semi Dry or Doux depending of the quantity of sugar.
• The corking: the bottle is corked and the cork is wired down to secure the internal pressure.
• The labeling: the bottle is reading to receive its label and collar, which finalizes the production.

How to store Champagne?

The best conditions for storing Champagne consist of laying down the bottle in a cold place that is well ventilated but at a constant temperature, with little exposure to light or humidity. We have been told that the kitchen is the worst place to store a Champagne bottle.

The duration of the storage will vary depending the type of Champagne. Ask to the grower or wine merchant, they are in the best position to advise you.

How to serve Champagne?

It is recommended to serve Champagne between 6°C and 10°C. To refresh the bottle, place it into a Champagne bucket filled with cold water and ice cubes. You can also add a handful of salt to speed up the cooling process.

Despite the fancy style of a Champagne flute, the best glass to taste Champagne should have a tulip shape to allow bubbles to evolve and aromas to express themselves. Favor the crystal, which is finer, smoother, and more transparent.

During the service, held the bottle in the middle or by its bottom. The Champagne is served near the glass to limit the foam but also to favor an elegant flow of bubbles. Finally, fill up glasses only half full.

How to open a Champagne bottle?

Begin by removing the dressing of the neck then slightly tilt the bottle to clear the wire frame enclosing the cap while keeping your thumb on the top. In the same position, hold the cap in the crease between your thumb and forefinger and gently rotate the bottle to release the cap.

How to taste Champagne?

Hold the Champagne glass by the foot to avoid heat up its contents. Observe its rich colour, its bewitching bubbles, and the way it reflects the light. Involve your nose to detect the aromas and decide whether it has more floral notes, or more fruity ones. Then with a small sip, your taste buds will give the final verdict.

We truly recommend this small group tour offered by A la Française Champagne because it is an original way to discover the Champagne region and to learn about the making process of this sparkling wine. Moreover, the size of the group is ideal to connect with other travelers. We met a couple from New Zealand and a lady from Brazil, which was a pleasure to discuss with along the day.

Tasting a variety of champagne from prestigious Champagne Houses to family growers was definitely the best part of this day. The tour is truly designed to offer an immersive and unforgettable experience.

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