A Bubbly Getaway: A Visit to Champagne
Endless plains of rolling vineyards are a feast for one's eyes under the gray skies of Champagne. This region is inhabited by quaint homes, old cathedrals, war memorials, and, of course, an arrangement of infamous Champagne houses in towns such as Reims and Epernay. Both of these historic and charming towns are home to two of the most famous champagne houses in all of France.
Image credit: Tess Hezlep
Veuve Clicquot, in Reims, is often known for its grandiose brand name. But there's more to the story: Veuve Clicquot is famous not only for its arduous champagne-making process, but also for its rich history. The champagne cave held hundreds of refugees during both WWI and WWII, which helped save lives and preserve the infrastructure of Reims, such as the Reims Cathedral. Veuve is also famous for its unique beginning. It was started by Madame Clicquot in 1805, with assistance from her husband. It was extremely rare for a woman to participate in business life, much less run her own show. Her husband passed away in the early years of the business, and she still went on to create a very successful champagne empire.
Image credit: Tess Hezlep.
Veuve Clicquot is currently monitoring over 1,000 bottles of champagne they placed at the bottom of the Baltic Sea as an experiment. There is circulating speculation that storing champagne under the sea can create a "perfect blend," or as our tour guide put it, "the best champagne the world may ever know." Veuve plans to age the champagne for seven years before retrieving it and testing its success. Time will only tell if this is the up-and-coming trend in the booming champagne business.
The neighboring town of Epernay houses an even more sophisticated and exclusive brand: Gosset Champagne. According to official records, Gosset is the oldest champagne house in all of France, opened in 1584. Gosset Champagne has expanded their production volume over the last 10 years from 100,000 bottles a year to 1 million, and their demand is higher than ever. They have four signature blends: "Grand Blanc de Blancs," "Grand Rosé," "Grand Reserve," and their highly-regarded vintage champagne, "Grand Millésime," which is aged from 2006. They take pride in all of their champagnes going well with meals. For a life changing experience, pair their "Grande Rosé" with a miso-glazed salmon and side salad.
Image credit: Tess Hezlep.
Both champagne houses take immense pride in their champagne creation process. They used a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and meunier grapes to create specific blends that do more than just taste good. "It's supposed to be both a full-body and soul enriching experience," said wine and champagne connoisseur Todd Anderson.
The houses also take pride in their aging process, declaring that a "quality" champagne should always be aged for at least three years in an organic environment. A Veuve Clicquot employee commented, "the worst mistake of poorly made champagne is rushing the aging process to make a profit." At both Veuve Clicquot and Gosset, they prefer the artistic quality of their champagne over the profit and hype. They want their customers to enjoy their champagne with civility and appreciation, taking the time to taste every sip.
Image credit: Tess Hezlep.
If you're looking to get out of the city for a weekend, there's no better way to unwind and culture yourself than going to check out the Champagne region and take tours of the houses in both Reims and Epernay. You'll learn even more about the history and culture of France from a unique angle. Tasting quality champagne can truly be an otherworldly experience that can make you believe in magic all over again. As Dom Perignon said when tasting the beverage, "Come quickly, I am tasting the stars!" If you would like to be enlivened with magic, take a moment for yourself. Go Champagne, escape the hustle and bustle of Paris, and allow yourself to taste the stars.
Image credit: veuveclicquot.com
