Wine Lovers Full Day Champagne Tours
Crafted for those with a more educated palate, our bespoke Wine Lovers Tours delve deep into the rich tapestry of Champagne, spotlighting the region's signature grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. These meticulously organized excursions aim to deepen your appreciation and knowledge of the wine-making world.
On each journey, you'll explore the unique contributions these grapes offer to their champagnes, with tailored visits to vineyards specializing in these varieties and tastings that focus on cuvées from each specific grape. Engage in the sophisticated art of distinguishing between different wine styles, perfecting the techniques of storage and service, and the culinary delight of pairing wines with food.
Choose your focus and spend a day immersing yourself in comparison tastings and educational sessions – sometimes with the winemaker:
In-Depth Visits & Curated Tastings
Go beyond the tasting room with behind-the-scenes access to vineyards and winemaking facilities. Meet with vintners, walk through the vines, and learn about the soil and climate that influence the taste and texture of the wines. Hands on blending and vine workshops.
At artisanal grower vineyards enjoy curated tastings where you can compare different expressions of your chosen varietal. Learn about : the impact of terroir, and the art of blending from the experts, fermentation to aging, the use of specific yeasts, choices in barrel selection, and the critical timings of harvest and bottling. These elements collectively define the unique style and expression of terroir that each vineyard strives to embody.
Varietal Focus
• Chardonnay : Spend a day exploring the Côte des Blancs, known for its chalky soils and exceptional Chardonnay vineyards. Combine these visit with houses like Ruinart or Taittinger renowned Blanc de Blancs.
• Pinot Noir : Journey through the Montagne de Reims, the heartland of Pinot Noir in Champagne. Experience the depth and power of this grape at family vineyards plus a visits to producers like Veuve Clicquot and taste their structured cuvées.
• Pinot Meunier : Discover the charm of the Marne Valley where Pinot Meunier thrives. Visit smaller, artisanal grower producers who specialize in this varietal for a unique perspective on its versatility.
Premier & Grand Cru Focus
Dive into the world of Grand Cru champagnes, their grapes sourced exclusively from the highest-rated villages and primarily using Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Experience visits to three or four distinguished producers, enjoying a variety of styles like Brut, Extra Brut, Rosé, and diverse vintages. Alongside the celebrated for its Grand Cru villages ar the unique traits of Pinot Meunier from Petite Montagne and Marne Valley, known for their Premier Cru status.
Vintage Focus
Delve deeper into your personal preferences and discover the subtleties in flavor, aroma, and body structure that differentiate non-vintage from vintage and which, resonates more with your palate. Vintage champagnes are made exclusively from grapes harvested in a single year, and only in exceptional vintages. Learn about the factors that make a year's harvest worthy of a vintage label, aging potential including climate conditions, regulations, and the unique challenges and triumphs of that growing season. Tastings will illustrate how the character of a particular year is expressed in the bottle. Compare non-vintage and vintage champagnes side-by-side.
Paired Culinary Experiences
Enjoy a pairing lunch or picnic at a grower vineyard, with estate wines, from vine to table where dishes are designed to complement the profiles of the varietal-focused Champagnes you are exploring. This gastronomic experience is tailored to enhance your understanding and appreciation of how food and wine interact.