REIMS (FRANCE)
02 August 2017
02 August 2017
The gateway to Champagne country, the official capital of the wine growing region of Champagne, and the home base of many of the globally known Champagne houses, this was the place to come for our own small discovery and partake in tastings offered at the well known cellar doors.
Start of the day - a glass of champagne in Reims - Champage-Ardenne - France
You must know Louis Roederer!
Reims - Champage-Ardenne - France
The cellars of Taittinger - Reimes - Champagne-Ardenne - France
The cellars of Taittinger - Reimes - Champagne-Ardenne - France
But for goodness sake, don't turn up and pronounce their much loved capital with your standard Anglicised view of the world, because R-ee-ms will be met with such distaste, contempt and scorn that you'll wish you had at least attempted to figure it out in advance. For those that want to know, there's a lot of work that needs to be done on rolling the 'r' from the back of the throat and getting that 'eh' sounds right before even contemplating landing the the constant of 's', which in this case is pronounced. The final pronunciation should come our as close to ranze/ranse, suffice it to say that we blinked many times on first hearing.
Approximately 200kms directly south of Brussels is Champage heartland, although the driven route will make it around 275 and will take approximately 3hrs of fairly easy motoring. The roads here are tip-top and counter to a few notes that I've read on Tripadvisor, the drivers in both countries are civil and courteous, no loony toon Italians here.
Taittinger - Reimes - Champagne-Ardenne - France
Taittinger - Reimes - Champagne-Ardenne - France
The vineyards of Moet et Chandon - near Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
The vineyards of Moet et Chandon - near Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
The vineyards of Moet et Chandon - near Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
The vineyards of Moet et Chandon - near Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
The vineyards of Moet et Chandon - near Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
We elected to do a small day tour of the region which provided us with brief tour or Reims, which we also found out was the location where French Kings had been crowned for more than a 1000 years, and additionally of course, were visits to two famous Champagne houses, Taittinger & Moet et Chandon.
Additionally the tour took in the UNESCO listed Champagne Avenue in Epernay, the historic villae of Hautvillers and the beautiful visits around Epernay that help produce a product of impressively delicious quality.
Avenue de Champagne - Epernay - Champage-Ardenne - France
Epernay - Champage-Ardenne - France
The cellars of Moet et Chandon - Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
The cellars of Moet et Chandon - Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
Moet et Chandon - Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
We did have one complete moment of stupefaction and that was during the tasting component of the Moet et Chandon tour in Epernay. There we were, prepared to be offered a glass or two at the end of the tour. Ahead of us a Chinese tour party were at the tasting table/bar, with drinks handed out. As they received their drinks most of them stood there, took photos, chatted very briefly and then some, but not all, took the slightest hint of a sip before placing the glasses back onto the table. All the members from our tour group observed and then wondered internally, with no real confidence but with some evidence, whether they would in fact leave their glasses untouched. The group of perhaps 15 milled around for a few minutes, no particularly concerned with their glasses and all the while seeming to be eyeing off the exit. Then it happened. The head of the party simply walked out and the rest all followed leaving their full glasses of champagne on the table, just sitting their, unloved and unwanted.
Moet et Chandon - Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
Moet et Chandon - Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
Moet et Chandon - Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
Can you believe this is what was left!!? Oh, what a WASTE!!!
Moet et Chandon - Epernay - Champagne-Ardenne - France
In complete dismay we all looked at one another. What exactly was the protocol in a situation like this? Would it be a gross misjudgement, beyond all dignity and good manners to start drinking these abandoned glasses? Of course there was our own personal sense of decorum, and the issue with hygiene, but C'MON, certainly we couldn't let these perfectly fantastic glasses of champagne disappear into the ether.
But we did, sadly. And it hurt.
Our day ended back in Ranz where Inga & I had a glass of champagne to celebrate the day. Another gem on our honeymoon of excellence.
