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Côte des Blancs - Champagne

Champagnes that uses 100% Chardonnay grapes are called Blanc de Blancs. Chardonnay is the world’s most popular and well-known grape variety. Unlike the purplish Pinot Noir, Chardonnay grapes have a green, almost golden appearance and produce white wine. Chardonnay grapes are often confused with those of Pinot Blanc, since both varieties have similar looking leaves, grape vines and cluster shapes. Its appeal and dominance in both the sparkling and still wine has often given it the nickname, “Noble Chardonnay”.

Sample Itineraries

Chardonnay Tour

Visit 1
Grand Cru 4 Chardonnay comparison tasting
Visit 2
Artisanal chardonnay vine visit, vine walk & multi tasting
 
Lunch informal healthy gastronomic lunch concept at an independent vineyard:

  Pâté en croûte (crunchy crust)
  Seasonal Salad in a jar with grains, pasta, rice or potatoes
  Toasted bread with a local cheese: Chaource, brie de Meaux or Langre
  Jar with cottage cheese, biscuit and fruits

Visit 3
Vineyard visit in Vertu
Visit 4
Vineyard visit in Mesnil sur Oger

Nicolas Feuillatte

Nicolas Feuillatte, has achieved the top sales spot in France since 2010 - and the world’s third leading Champagne brand for volume sold in less than 40 years. The House represents nearly 5,000 partner growers, sourced over 2,100 hectares of vineyards. Perfectly ripe grapes vinified separately by cru, by plot, and by grape varietal, will form the future cuvées in the range.

Duval-Leroy

Founded in 1859, the house’s first iconic Premier Cru champagne whose blend dates from the introduction of the échelle des crus champagne ranking system, Fleur de Champagne Premier Cru is 100 years old! The first champagne house to produce a certified organic Brut champagne, still made today. The first vat room in the world to combine photovoltaic solar panels, a rainwater harvesting system and a green wall for heat and sound insulation. The first champagne house in the world to be ISO 9002 certified for its quality management system.

Grapes

Chardonnay holds particular importance for the French region of Burgundy, since it was in this region where its sparkling wine rose to fame and is the only grape used for white Vin de Bourgogne. Chardonnay grapes are grown throughout the world and often the variety growers use to enter the international wine market, it remains one of the world’s most widely-planted varieties.

Terroir

The Cote de Blancs is known for Chardonnay grapes. Being slower to develop than the other two varieties used to make Champagne, it ages well. Chardonnay is higher yielding, easier to grow, and less prone to oxidation than the two Pinots. It's neutral character, lends itself to transmit the flavor of the terroir where it is grown. In order to label a wine as Grand Cru, it must be sourced entirely from vineyards in Grand Cru villages. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are the only two grapes eligible for this status.

History

After the Champagne riots in 1911, Champagne created the Échelle des Crus, a  percentile system, applying a set price for by a joint committee of growers and Houses for each harvest and based on an evaluation, quality and potential of the grapes from a village. Grand Cru villages received 100%, Premier crus 90 to 99% and everything else 80-89%. The labels indicate the region a wine was produced, but not always the grapes used. In the Cote de Blancs the Grand Cru villages include Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry.

Cote des Blancs Champagne Adventures

The Cote des Blancs or White Coast, is home to many Grand Cru villages, which produce exceptional 100% Chardonnay champagnes. They include Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Oger. It is also a great region to enjoy multi-tastings where you can really compare various tastes and styles, which vary according to the different terroirs and dosage

Multi Region Journeys

  • Best of the Best

    Cote de Blancs / Reims Mountains (2 days)

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    Depart Reims or Epernay and we'll reserve cellar visit and tastings at Veuve or Taittinger
     • 
    Haute Domaine Immersive Experiences
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    Discover the Grand Cru village of Bouzy on a private vineyard visit and tasting
     • 
    Visit to Champagne Billecart Salmon or another medium size House


    Blended Champagnes

    Reims Mountains / Cote de Blancs / Marne Valley (3 days)

     • 
    Compare tastings of Meunier in the Marne, Chardonnay in the Cote de Blancs and Pinot Noir in the Montagne de Reims
     • 
    Visit the village of Hautvillers and Epernay
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    Cellar visit at Moet et Chandon and Billecart Salmon
     • 
    Vineyard pairing lunches in Reims Mountains and Cote de Blancs


    100% Chardonnay

    Cote de Blancs / Chablis / Cote de Beaunes (5 days)

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    Compare Grand Cru Chardonnays in Champagne and Burgundy
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    Visit the village of Hautvillers and Reims Cathedral
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    Cellar visit at Ruinart, Dom Perignon and Billecart Salmon
     • 
    Haute Domaine Immersive Experiences
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    Pairing lunches at vineyards and local gastronomic restaurant
     • 
    Visit small top wineries between Dijon and Beaune


    Sparkling Wines of Kings

    Champagne / Loire Valley / Kent (10 days)

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    Taste premium English sparkling wines and visit a world famous garden in Kent
     • 
    Discover sparkling wines in Vouvray and the gardens of Chateau Villandry
     • 
    Visit the Grand Maisons, small estates, & single vineyards winemakers in Champagne
     • 
    TVG train or car transfers in France, Eurostar between London & Paris
    • |    Click to Enquire   Telephone us on +33.614.295.274