Take 30 Kiwis, place into a gorgeous 17th century chateau, and ferment with a couple of visits to nearby champagne houses and what do you have? One amazing weekend in France!
Visiting the Champagne Region
When my friends Kat and Claire invited me to help celebrate their joint 30th birthdays in a chateau in France in the Champagne region, I didn’t need to think twice. At the end of November, 30 Kiwis made their way to the tiny village of Mairy-sur-Marne, near Reims, ready to have our champagne tastebuds educated.
Tasting Champagne at Ernest Remy
Our first stop was the house of Ernest Remy, which dates back to the 19th century. The house makes predominantly dry champagnes, and the current wine-maker, Tarek, gave us a tour of the facilities and cellars, including the caves that extend well under the ground. Both Ernest Remy and our next stop are Grand Cru houses, meaning they only take the very top grapes.
Serious faces for the history of the vineyard and surrounding area
Demonstrating the sedimentation process in the cellars
As you may be aware, the term ‘champagne’ is protected and can only be used for sparkling wines produced in this particular region of France. It’s located in the northeast, about a two hour drive from Paris. Within the region, there are more than 100 Champagne houses. Many are closed in winter, but some like the two we visited are still happy to take groups if you pre-book.
Toasting Ernest Remy himself
My favourite was the 2004 vintage, followed by the Brut Blanc de Noirs – but the rosé was certainly very pretty too! It was fascinating to learn about the history and process of making champagne, especially from the wine-maker himself. Ernest Remy is located in the village of Mailly-Champagne, and on the hill nearby overlooking Verzenay we admired the Mumm windmill.
Tasting Champagne at Ployez-Jacquemart
The house of Ployez-Jacquemart began in 1930, meaning it is more recent but no less fascinating – we visited tunnels that had been covered up when the house was occupied by Germans in WWII! Here again, our guide began with an explanation of the history of the house and the region, before moving on to the specifics of the wine production process and the wines that the house produces.
Rosé – corks are added later in the process
All the bottles are hand-stacked – impressive!
A wine-press
Our Champagne Chateau
Of course, accommodation for 30 isn’t always easy to find – fortunately we were in France where chateaux are scattered around the countryside. My amazing friends organised for us to stay at the incredible Chateau de Mairy, where we enjoyed the gorgeously decorated rooms, huge dining room and ballroom, and the beautiful grounds. Our hosts also provided an incredible meal on the Saturday night, which we accompanied with (what else) Champagne!
The morning view from my bedroom window
Gazing down the hall
Beautiful large kitchen
Even though we were out of season, the beautiful sunshine that France provided and the awesome tours given by the houses that were open meant we had a brilliant weekend. And there’s nothing like being able to say you stayed in a chateau in Champagne!
Check these links for more information on Ernest Remy, Ployez-Jacquemart or the Chateau de Mairy.
Have you ever been to the Champagne region? Are you a sparkling wine fan?
