Our celebration dinner at Le Grand Cerf

Day 8; Saturday June 5 was a free day and a chance for everyone to catch a taxi into Epernay and explore the township and maybe do some shopping. One of the great features of Saturday morning in Epernay is the fresh produce market which certainly drew plenty of attention. The display of pates, terrines, different meats, cheeses and vegetables were wonderful. The strawberries were particularly mouth watering and a punnet was quickly devoured.

After we finished at the market it was onto the wine shops to buy some Deutz champagne as we were unable to buy some at the winery the previous day. Alas we were too slow as others within our group had arrived before us and bought up all that was available. As we searched from shop to shop we would bump into members of our group carrying bags full of champagne. Les Australiens were certainly leaving their mark on the wine shops of Epernay.

The main event for the Saturday was still to come and that was our celebration dinner at Le Grand Cerf, a one star michelen restaurant in the village of Monchenot. This was a short 20 minute bus ride from our hotel and Stephen had prepared a quizz which he conducted on the journey. The questions tested our knowledge of champagne as they related to many of the things we had been told during the week. There were also questions relating to his observations of the different personalities on the tour, all very humourous.

As soon as we finished the quizz, we rolled into Montchenot and poured out of the bus and into the restaurant.

I cannot speak highly enough of Le Grand Cerf. The food and the service were fantastic. The staff were wonderful and the Sommelier was extremely helpful in assisting me to match the wines with the different dishes. This was a perfect end to a wonderful week with an excellent group of people. As tour leaders, Karen and I could not have asked for a better inaugural tour.

Day 9, June 6 saw us all have an early start as buses had to leave at 7.00am to meet flights from Charles de Gaulle airport and trains from Gare de Nord. In one way the tour wasn't quite over yet as bottles of champagne were opened on the early morning bus and consumed on the road to Paris. I think the tour members were right into the swing of things by now and I suspect this won't be their last visit to the beautiful region of Champagne.

Ross and Chrisitan Dennis pouring the Bollinger champagne

Our tasting in the gardens at Deutz with Jean-Marc Lallier-Deutz.

Day 7, Friday June 4 would be our last day with winery visits and so there was a slightly sombre mood as we all met in the foyer of the Castel Jeanson before walking the 50 metres to Champagne Deutz. Everyone's spirits were lifted the moment we arrived and we were met by Jean-Marc Lallier-Deutz. Jean-Marc offered everyone a strong coffee to begin with inside the Deutz mansion, whilst explaining the Deutz family history. Our spirits fortified we then set out on a small tour of the mansion followed by a stroll through the most stunning gardens at the rear of the house whilst on the way to the cellars.

Once in the cellars we were told of the evolution and growth of Champagne Deutz as we set out on a tour of the underground cellars, exploring the network of caves and seeing the difference of the underground chalk in Ay compared to Reims. Following Jean-Marc through the maze of caves we ascended a candle lit staircase to find ourselves passing through a door and re-entering the room from which we started. A most exhilerating tour. The weather was sensational so Jean-Marc suggested we have our tasting in the garden rather than the house and what a superb idea that was. Tasting in such a beautiful setting we were a captive audience as Jean-Marc showed us the Non Vintage Brut Classic, Vintage 2005 and William Deutz 1999. All stunning champagnes displaying the house style of finesse and elegance with mouth lingering flavour.

Everyone had their wallets out but alas Jean-Marc informed us that they didn't have a boutique at the winery. We thanked Jean-Marc for a wonderful visit and wandered back to Castel Jeanson where we enjoyed a wonderful smorgasbord lunch made up of produce that Karen and Tracy had gathered from the Ay market that morning.

After lunch we again had a short stroll to the House of Bollinger where we were met by the entertaining Christian Dennis. His dry humour coming to the fore whilst taking us on a tour of the famous Vielle Vignes Francaise vineyard where Bollinger has vines dating back to pre-Phylloxera times. We also learnt from the tour that Bollinger has an amazing library of reserve wines kept exclusively in magnums. It was an extrordinary sight seeing row upon row of magnums with reserve wines stored in their caves. We also saw the extent to which Bollinger use barrels for their primary fermentation of their vintage champagne base wines. Following the tour, which took in different parts of the village of Ay, we found ourselves in the tasting room enjoying a lovely glass of Bollinger Special Cuvee followed by a glass of the non vintage Rose.

This was our last winery visit for the tour but not our last glass of champagne for the day as we returned to Castel Jeanson to celebrate our time visiting such wonderful wineries with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Grande Dame 1998.

To round out the day we assembled in the foyer once again that evening to follow Nicole Goutorbe to a local pub which she had arranged for us to eat in. Unpretentious from the outside we were treated to a hearty meal of confit de canard and the best part was that we were able to bring our own wines, so many of the champagnes we had accumulated on the tour came out to shine that night. What a happy and memorable occassion. There was only one day left on the tour and that was Saturday in Epernay followed by a grand celebration dinner.

Winemaker Tony Rasselet with Jerome and Simone Blin.

The Loriot family, Joseph is opening the Jeraboam.

Joseph Loriot in the Loriot vineyard.

Day 6, Thursday June 3 . Thursday always promised to be a big day as we were in for a treat with a visit to Joseph Loriot-Pagel which included lunch in the winery. This would then be followed by a visit to H. Blin.

We arrived at Loriot's at around 10.00am and we immediately took the bus up into one of the Loriot's vineyards. They call this vineyard 'Moscow' because it is the coldest vineyard to work in during winter. Here Jean-Philippe and his father Joseph talked us through the intricacies of the champagne terroir, the soil, the aspect of the vineyard and the weather conditions.

This was followed by a tour of the winery. Theirs was the smallest winery we visited on the tour but also one of the most modern. Recently built within the past 10 years, great attention has been paid to design and layout. This reflects the Loriot family's careful approach to winemaking as the quality of the final product would suggest.

After the tour of the winery we sat down to lunch where we enjoyed an aperatif of 1997 Cuvee de Reserve from Jeraboam. The remaining wines from the Loriot range were served with lunch which consisited of a spectacular Salmon mousse, Fillet de Beouf and Gateaux de Biscuit de Reims. People were asking Odile for the Salmon Mousse recipe whilst enjoying the endless Loriot hospitality. Everyone was enjoying lunch so much that our departure time of 2.00pm became 2.30 and eventually 2.45 as there was a great reluctance to move.

Consequently we were 40 minutes late in arriving at H. Blin and they were very gracious and understanding. Here we were met by Thomas Dewez, head of promotional activities for Blin and he explained the origins of Co-operative wineries in Champagne and the role they play today.

This was followed by a very enjoyable tour of the cellars and the bottling and labelling plant.

Thomas' greatest challenge was offering everyone a glass of champagne after their long lunch but everyone rose to the challenge and before long they were enjoying the fruits of winemaker Tony Rasselet's labour.

After the tour it was back onto the bus for the return journey to our Hotel but there would be no rest as we enjoyed a tasting of Blanc de Blancs champagnes from the Cotes des Blancs region soon after our return. The rest came afterwards with a quiet night in.

Back vintages of Champagne Goutorbe. Nicholas Billecart

Day 5, Wednesday June 2. Wednesday morning and it was time to move camp to Ay so we were up early and packed in time to catch the bus at 9.00am. Rather than taking the quick route we instead took the more scenic route through the Montagne de Reims via the villages of Verzenay, Verzy and Louvois before arriving at Billecart-Salmon in the village of Marieul sur Ay.

Here we were met by Nicholas Billecart who took us on a most instructive visit of the vineyard and winery before conducting a tasting of Billecart-Salmon champagnes. We tasted their new Extra Brut for the first time. This is a wine which has no sugar added to it at disgorgement so it is a very fresh crisp style of wine, particularly well suited to a seafood entree. This was followed by the Brut Rose and the Vintage 1998. All sensational champagnes. The quality of the champagne led to a buying frenzy in the boutique after the tour and then it was back on the bus to travel to Ay.

We arrived in Ay 10 minutes later and checked into our rooms at Castel Jeanson. This excellent Hotel is owned by the Goutorbe family and is only 100 metres from their winery. We soon made our way up to the winery where the Goutorbes were waiting with an excellent smorgasbord lunch accompanied by a half bottle of Goutorbe Prestige Cuvee. After lunch Rene Goutorbe opened a large selection of stunning back vintages ranging from 1982. This was a wonderful surprise and a great privelige to taste these older champagnes. This I am sure was a new experience for many members on the tour. The overwhelming impression was the freshness these wines retained and a wonderful indication of how well champagnes evolves if kept in good cellaring conditions. After lunch we were taken on an excellent tour of the cellars by Etienne Goutorbe.

Later that evening after we had almost recovered from our lunch, we went on to have a tasting of champagnes from the Montagne de Reims and Vallee de la Marne regions of champagne.

Julie-Amandine Michel

Not your average delivery van

Day 4. Tuesday June 1. After our visit to Veuve Clicquot we booked into our Hotel which was located in the heart of Reims not far from Krug. This resulted in a day without the bus as we were able to take a short 15 minute walk from our Hotel to the Krug cellars. A picturesque walk, passing the Hotel de Ville, Louis Roederer and Jacquart along the way. After we arrived at Krug we were met by Julie-Amandine Michel, responsible for receptions and Francois Mateo chief of export to the Australasian region.

We were made welcome immediately upon arrival with a glass of Grande Cuvee, an exquisite champagne combining power with finesse. Julie-Amandine and Francois explained the philosophy and history of Krug whilst we savoured this delightful champagne.

After this initial tasting we then set out on a tour of the cellars, exploring the caves beneath the city of Reims and passing millions of Euros of magnificent champagne quietly maturing. Our hosts took us throughout the cellars showing us the bottling process, the reserve wine collection and the labelling area before returning to the tasting room.

It was then that we were given a special treat of trying the 1998 vintage followed by a second tasting of the Grande Cuvee so we could make a direct comparison between the two styles. Everyone was spellbound as Julie-Amandine poured the champagnes and we tried this most oppulent of champagnes. The vintage had the most delicious toasty aromas with a wonderfully intense flavour packed palate which was beautifully balanced by the acidity. Julie-Amandine was in no rush and neither were we. However in the end all good things must pass and so our party left after a most informative and enjoyable visit to one of champagnes great houses. Later that evening we had an extremely enjoyable group dinner at the Brasserie Boulingrin. Boulingrin is a dining institution in Reims with tradtional French cuisine. We were very honoured to be joined by Veuve Cliquot winemaker, Philippe Thieffry and his wife Laurence. The food was excellent, the wine flowed and the laughter went late into the night.

Tour De Champagne 2010

Day 3 Monday May 31. We were met by our bus and left Paris at 8.30 am for Champagne. Our first appointment was with Veuve Clicquot at 11.00. We were met at V.C. by Louise Vicq who is in charge of reception at VC and we received a brief explanation of the 3 varieties of grapevine in Champagne before meeting chief oenoligist Philippe Thieffry. Philippe (pictured above) had prepared a most instructive tasting for us where we were shown the base wines (vins claires) of the 3 different varieties. Firstly we saw the Pinot Meunier then the Pinot Noir and finally the chardonnay. This was followed by a blend of the 3 wines. It was extremely interesting to see the different flavour characteristics that each variety brings to the final blend. After the blended Vin Claire we tasted the real thing, the Veuve Clicquot non vintage from magnum. Here we could see all the flavours marry together as well as the complexity that the second fermentation and time on lees can give to the wine.

As a special treat Philippe then produced a magnum of the 1990 Veuve Clicquot. A wine Philippe discribed as his baby and what a wonderful champagne!! Youthful, fresh, complex and delicate a real treat for the tour group to see a champagne with age.

After the tasting it was back onto the bus for the short trip to Verzy where we enjoyed a magnificent lunch provided by Veuve Clicquot in their mansion, the Manoir de Verzy. Our aperatif was the 1998 Grande Dame and the exquisite food was accompanied by the vintage 2002, Rose 2004, Rose 1985 and dessert was a perfect match with the cuvee riche. Above, the tour group outside the Manoir de Verzy after their lunch. After lunch it was back to Reims for a tour of the VC cellars, a wonderful conclusion to a perfect day.

Tour De Champagne 2010

Day 1 Saturday May 29. First day of the tour and the tour members met in the foyer of the Hotel Mathurin in Paris before taking our guided tour of Paris. It was always going to be a tight finish for the people arriving at 6.00 in the morning to be at the Hotel by 10.00am and so it proved to be as Ann and Melissa ran through the door at 10.10 and then straight out again and onto the bus. The tour of Paris was excellent especially for those visiting Paris for the first time. The tour took us past the Opera, along the Seine, through Saint Germain past the Pantheon, Notre Dame, Place de la Concorde, Champs Elysee, Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides and the National Assembly to name but a few of the features and monuments.

The afternoon was free giving the new arrivals a chance to shower and settle into their rooms while the rest of us hit the shops of Paris, trawlling the wine shops and Bistros.

At 6.00 pm that evening we gathered in the bar of our hotel for the official welcome and a very enjoyable glass or two of Taittinger NV champagne. The tour was officially underway.

Tasting Notes

Goutorbe 2001 Tasted 9/01/10

Champagne Goutorbe is owned and operated by husband and wife team Rene and Nicole Goutorbe with the assistance of their children Elisabeth and Etienne. Located in the village of Ay with 20 hectares of Grand Cru vineyards in the surronding hills they make complex flavour driven champagnes.
The 2001 is light yellow to green in colour and does not reflect it's 9 years of age. The nose is refined with lovely toasty, brioche aromas whilst still showing plenty of youthfulness as does the palate which is fresh and lively. This wine will benefit from further cellaring.

Pol Roger 1999 Tasted 5/02/10
The house traditional blend for the vintage cuvee is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Whilst the Chardonnay is in the minority it appeared to be having the dominant impact on this wine at the time of tasting. The wine had a youthful green colour and a fresh yeasty nose, quite restrained. The palate was equally refined and showed little of the power one associates with Pinot Noir. Youthful in every aspect this wine will benefit from futher cellaring.

Louis Roederer Rose 2003 Tasted 20/03/10
Rose champagnes vary wildly in the degree of red. Some have a very strong red hue others a very mild salmon pink. This champagne was very much in the later catergory. In the glass there was just the faintest of salmon pink hue to the wine. The palate too was elegant and extremely delicate. This champagne certainly wasn't overwhelmed by the addition of red wine which provides the colour and so often a greater sense of fullness on the palate. In many ways it was comparable to the Louis Roederer vintage champagne. An excellent champagne as an aperatif or accompaniment to a light entree.

Tasting Notes

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve
Tasted 22/12/09
Lovely bead and fresh, bready aromas.
The palate is youthful and tight with fresh acidity and good length.
At this stage the Heidsieck is very much in the aperatif mould but given its quality it could easily be cellared for a couple more years and I am sure that the palate and nose would both open up.

H. Blin 2002
Tasted 22/12/09
H. Blin is a co-operative champagne producer located in the village of Vincelles within the Marne Valley. This champagne is a blend of Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The colour was green to yellow with a lovely fine bead. The nose was complex autolysed yeast showing some toasty aromas. The palate was delicate and fine with great length and finesse. A wonderful champagne.