A weekend of fizz
Champagne 2007
In February we went on the first ever 3D Champagne weekend, based in Reims. As regular Champagne visitors we thought that we wouldn’t have much to learn on the trip, but how wrong can you be. Having found a small vigneron in Trepail some years ago, who makes lovely fizz from local grapes only, we had not done much more research on our annual trips, just replenished stocks and ate lots of lovely food. And since Bertrand’s English is as good as our French, we hadn’t learned a great deal about this wonderful wine. Our 3D trip was to change all that.
Being regulars on the Calais-Reims run, we took our time and so arrived at the Hotel on Boulevard Foch late! So we just dropped our bags and went straight down to the informal get together where we met our 3D host and fellow members. Canapés and Champagne led onto the serious business of the first Champagne tasting. Not that any champagne tasting can be that serious, as the first glass always seems to lighten everyone’s spirits amazingly.
It was good to taste champagne from small producers, some we thought every bit as good, if not better than some of the ‘grande marques’. The Egly Ouriet Vignes de Vrigny was especially interesting as it is 100% Pinot Meuniere. Then a very cheerful group tottered off to Le Millionaire where we were greeted with, guess what a glass of Champagne. The splendid five course dinner was accompanied by superb wines specially chosen to complement the meal and chef was given a loud round of applause when he came to meet us after the dinner.
Next day were visits to two contrasting producers, Taittinger in the morning and in the afternoon Comte de Lantage one of 3D’s two champagne partners. Taittinger is big business, a grande marque with many hectares of vines, miles of cellars and extensive marketing and it is a very slick operation. An elegant lady took us on a tour of the cellars. These are of great historic interest being based on the cellar of an Abbey (founded one thousand years ago and demolished in the Revolution) and old Gallo-Roman chalk mines all joined by more recent tunnels. These cellars however are now only used for their prestigious cuvees, the great majority of their wine is made in a much larger purpose built facility nearby. The tour was followed by a tasting of their non-vintage brut, which showed it’s pedigree with a refined and delicate taste.
Comte de Lantage in the afternoon was a complete contrast. In place of an elegant marketing representative we were greeted by the vigeneron Alain Mandois, who took us down though his garden to his vines. After learning something on how the vines are pruned and tended we all returned to the vinification area where we admired the concrete vats where he makes the individual still wines, prior to the blending and second fermentation. In addition to his own grapes Alain purchases grapes from other villages, chosen for their specific characteristics in order to achieve his conception of the perfect champagne.
In the evening we were free to make our own arrangements or join the 3D team for dinner.
The next day we crossed the Montaigne de Reims (not so much a mountain more a large hill) and down into the valley of the Marne, via Epernay to Pierry to visit 3D supplier Maison Lenique, which has been in the family since 1768. They own around 23 acres in various locations including a small parcel of Grand Cru land. We were shown the vineyard and the vinification area by Bertrand Robinet, the owner’s son-in-law and winemaker. Lenique ferment their grapes in stainless steel tanks unlike the concrete at Lantage. We then tasted a wide variety of their champagnes, which were all really excellent, we couldn’t agree on the best even after ‘seconds’.
The party then descended into the cellars for a very convivial lunch, in the company of many members of the family. Papa however was absent; La Chasse takes precedence over all other activities! Needless to say a little more champagne was drunk.
After saying our farewells, with promises to return for the Cave Ouvert later in the year, it was time to board our trusty coach to return to Reims. Visiting producers by coach is so much better than car. There is much more room for purchases and nobody has to be designated driver. Back at the Hotel we sadly had to split up and squeeze our purchases into the car for the drive back home having had a lot of fun, good food and good wine as well as learning something more about the production of the best celebratory wine in the world.
If you like champagne, and who doesn’t, we can thoroughly recommend this trip as a way of learning a little about its production and an opportunity to taste a wide variety of different styles in excellent company.