Reims and Champagne

Itinerary

• Day 1 - Arrival in Reims & Champagne tasting

  We head to the Champagne region in the fastest and most convenient way, travelling from St. Pancras by Eurostar to Lille. Here we will be met by our coach for the drive to Reims in the heart of Champagne, arriving mid-afternoon. We will then check into the 4* Hotel de la Paix, which is perfectly located in the centre of the city and will be our base for the duration of the holiday. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax or explore the town. This evening, Tim Clarke will host a Champagne tasting, comparing the styles and quality of a selection of wines, describing styles, evaluating the quality and judging which suit our taste. He will also discuss tasting technique, explain how the production methods used affect the style and no doubt spring a surprise or two. After the tasting we shall dine together.

• Day 2 - Vilmart & Bollinger

  This morning we will drive to the Montagne de Reims villages outside Reims to visit Vilmart, one of the leading small estate Champagne makers. Next we visit famed Champagne house Bollinger, for a tour of the cellars and lunch, paired with various Champagnes served with the meal. The rest of the afternoon is free before we meet at the hotel for our second masterclass with Tim Clarke, this time focussing on the new face of Champagne. We will examine Champagnes from single vineyards and look at village styles, estate producers and the increasingly important role of organics and bio-dynamics. Dinner will be taken independently or you may wish to join Tim at his choice of restaurant.

• Day 3 - Philipponnat & Taittinger

  This morning we enjoy a visit to Philipponnat, a smaller house that is a favourite of connoisseurs, for  a tour of their famous ‘Clos des Goisses’ vineyard. Then we return to Reims or a guided tour of the magnificent Reims Cathedral, setting for the coronation of many monarchs of France. Late in the afternoon, we visit the beautiful cellars at Taittinger, which date back to the Roman period, before driving to Taittinger’s Chateau de la Marquetterie near Epernay, where we have a fabulous private dinner.

• Day 4 - Visit to Camille Savès & Gosset

  On our final morning we drive to the south side of the Montagne de Reims to Grand Cru village of Bouzy, famous for its powerful Pinot Noir-based Champagne and red wines. Here we visit leading grower-producers, Camille Savès. Our next stop is Gosset, the oldest wine house in the region, for our final tour and tasting. We leave the region in the afternoon, returning by Eurostar to London.