Veuve Clicquot

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, which was introduced in since 1877 and has become one of the most recognized labels and colors in the world. Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin who was born in the village of Bouzy, took over the company in 1805 and is credited with major production and commercial breakthroughs. She created the first vintage champagne, invented the riddling table process to clarify champagne and in created the first known blended rosé champagne combining still red and white champagne wines, a process still used today.

Taittinger

Founded in 1734, Taittinger Champagne House owns 650 acres of prime winemaking plots and finds it roots In the thirteenth century. The land belonged to Saint-Nicaise Abbey and the Benedictine monks cultivated grapes and produced wine until the French Revolution. In 2017, Taittinger became the first champagne house to plant vines in the UK and the winery owns Domaine Carneros in Napa.

Pommery

Champagne Vranken Pommery was founded in 1858 and run by Madame Pommery. Like Veuve Clicquot, Madame Pommery was an innovator and created the first "Brut" champagne. To achieve this, she transformed 18 kilometres of deep Roman chalk quarries into wine cellars with spectacular underground galleries made with barrel and rib vaults. A superb staircase with 116 steps connects the cellars to the surface. The Domaine's buildings were designed in an Elizabethan neo-Gothic style with turrets, towers and red bricks.

The Pinot Noir grape is distinctive for its dark purple and pine cone-shaped clusters. The words “pinot” and “noir”, which mean “pine” and “black” in French, refer to the grape’s tightly clustered bunches. Pinot Noir is also very sensitive to different production methods, which makes the grape variety highly reflective of its terroir. It provide both body and structure to a Champagne blend.

Terroir

The vineyards of the Montagne de Reims lie between the Reims Mountain Regional Natural Park and the agricultural plain and extends between the city of Reims and Epernay. It contains 9 Grands Crus villages. Its soils are chalk-based, and Pinot Noir is the predominant grape variety cultivated here. The area contains 9 Grands Crus villages, which includes Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois, Mailly, Sillery, Verzenay, Verzy and premier villages Rilly, Ludes, Sacy, Chamery, and Chigny les Roses

Bouzy

The Bouzy vineyards are located on the southern slope of the Montagne de Reims. The village is classified as a Grand Cru appellation, and covers 380 hectares mainly planted with Pinot Noir, of which 10% is dedicated to the production of still wine called Bouzy Rouge. The area is the centre for the production of still red wines used for Rosé champagne There are 2 methods to make Rosé champagne. The first is to blend white Champagne with still Pinot Noir AOC wines. The second method is called Saigné or "bleeding" by leaving the grape Musts to macerate for a few hours with the skin of the grapes during pressing.

History

Reims was a major commercial crossroads as far back as the Roman times and that meant trade in wine. It is no surprise Reims was chosen to build a magnificent Cathedral. A masterpiece of Gothic art, the Cathedral was started in 1211. It was the Cathedral of coronations for ver 25 royal coronations in memory of the baptism of Clovis by Saint Remi. The rib caged stone vaulted ceiling is the backdrop for the Chagall stained glass windows.

Reims Mountain Champagne Adventures

The Reims Mountain is know for its Pinot Noir grapes, which growers like to suggest is a “Noble Grape”. Many producers blend it with Chardonnay to create their top cuvées. The heart of the area is the city of Reims and the famous UNESCO Cathedral, the traditional location for the coronations of the kings of France.

Multi Region Journeys