A Bit Of Serendipity In Champagne.

I explained in a previous blog that we were forced to change our Champagne tour – and change it a lot – when France allowed a clown to buy a hotel North of Reims, and pretend to run it.

In 2023 we ran our new Champagne tour for the first time. I am thrilled. It was brilliant. It was actually very useful to have the chance – or to be forced – to re-visit a tour once I knew the region better. Our new tour is a bit easier, we have a better programme of Champagne tastings – in short, I hope an expert would say “these guys know our region – a bit!”.

Some of it, though, was serendipity, rather than meticulous planning. Tuesday is spent exploring the Marne Valley, which means flat cycling on dedicated cycle routes along the River Marne. In a region based almost entirely on hills, this is a blessing!

For Champagne lovers, the key fact about the Marne Valley is that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir won’t ripen downstream of Épernay, so this is Pinot Meunier territory.

Let down by a champagne house in Aÿ, on the advice of the Office du Tourism in Épernay we visited a new museum in Aÿ, the most prestigious Champagne village in the Marne Valley. This is a new visitor centre, Pressoria, that offers ‘… a sensory journey to the heart of champagne’. Exploring champagne through the 5 senses of sight,touch, smell, hearing, and taste.

 

It might sound cheesy, but it was great – rounded off by a tasting of two local champagnes. We had 3 champagne experts with us – a ‘champagne expert’, incidentally, is anybody who knows more about champagne than me. There are a surprising number of ’em about! But all of us learnt something at the Pressoir. A great morning.

 

 

After a ride along the River Marne, and lunch in Damery, we had a climb up the other side of the valley to Chateau Boursault. What a place!

It is a huge and beautiful chateau, but more importantly, this was the private residence of Veuve Clicquot. Have a read of our website (Day 3) to find out why Barbe-Nicole Clicquot was the most important historical figure in Champagne. But while she was shaking up the whole industry in Reims, her home was this beautiful chateau and park to the West of Épernay.

They produce Champagne as well, in small quantities, and this year were awarded 3*** in the Guide Hachette, the ‘Bible’ of French wine. Three stars in the Guide Hachette is a big deal, a treat for us. We searched the new edition of Hachette and found just 2 other Champagnes with three stars – both famous Champagne names. I would imagine that Chateau Boursault will have sold out completely about 24 hours after publication!

 

It turned out to be a wonderful day, and I can’t wait to re-visit.