Champagne

Disclaimer: What you are about to read next are impressions and stories from our first trip to the most famous sparkling wine region in the world. It is intimidating and even unfair to try to capture in just a few sentences the richness, expertise, and centuries-old traditions of this magical land, and the titanic work of these people. So, imagine a beginner’s guide sprinkled here and there with adventures, practical advice (of the “what not to do” variety ), and a few legends to help you better understand the inner workings of champagne.

Beginnings (both ours and the nectar’s)

24.12.2025 – Christmas Eve – We find a bottle of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs under the tree. You know that saying “ignorance is bliss”? We didn’t have the slightest idea about Ruinart, but I’m not lying to you when I say that the moment I tasted that first glass, it hit me instantly. Such finesse, such perlage, such elegant notes… what is this? And just like that, we found ourselves planning our very first trip to Champagne.

Cin Cin! 🥂

Used to celebrate the new year, inaugurations of buildings and ships, weddings, baptisms, name days, Formula 1, and so many other things… champagne makes its appearance on the most special occasions and is practically a nectar synonymous with celebration. However, what might not be known is that champagne appeared out of a pure mistake in the 17th century (even though the Romans had planted vines in the area since the 1st century), when the beverage began to re-ferment in the bottle and explode in cellars, which earned it a matching nickname: “le vin du diable” (the devil’s wine).

We laugh and joke about it, but at the time, the causes of the explosions were unknown and caused many accidents—we don’t know if they were fatal or not, but it wouldn’t be out of the question.

The origins of champagne are linked to the name of a monk named Dom Pérignon (we already know the influence of monastic orders on wine, especially in France), but upon closer inspection, we find that the story is nothing more than a beautiful marketing strategy… the real inventor was none other than a British man.

Quelle horreur! 😮‍💨 an ordinary Frenchman would say, but… we still recognize Dom Pérignon’s contribution in terms of perfecting the process. He created the first “blanc de noirs” from Pinot Noir and tried to stabilize the troublesome bubbles, which at the time were seen as a defect. Whether they like it or not, the British played an extremely important role in the French wine industry (see the article about Bordeaux), and when we talk about champagne, the strength of the bottle—which the British would also perfect—plays an essential role.

Nota bene: Since 1891, the Champagne region has claimed its rights and declared by law that only wine produced in the area of the same name can be called and sold as “Champagne”. The rest is sparkling wine, cava, prosecco, etc., but not champagne.

Region or wine? Both! 🍾

Champagne is both the name of the magical beverage and the region, specifically the northernmost wine-growing area of France, at the limit of the wine “belt”, namely at 49° N latitude. Not quite as cold as in Mosel 🥶, but imagine an annual average of 11°C (brrr! 🥶) and about 15°C during the wine-growing season (April – October, cf. WSET).

You would think that now, with global warming, it would be warmer, with clearer and hotter days, but the phenomenon expresses itself in varied, if not extreme ways: hail, strong winds, drought, etc. Spring frost is actually the main “enemy” in the region because, during the March-April period, temperatures below 0 degrees can destroy the freshly budding vines. And as you can imagine, if the buds die, the chances of the vines recovering are slim, so in conclusion: a ruined harvest 😢.

We landed this year in mid-May, but just two weeks before we arrived, many vineyards in both the Champagne and Burgundy regions were hit by a wave of freezing temperatures, so producers turned to sprinklers, electric heaters or candle heaters (paraffin), and wind turbines to prevent the vines from freezing 🥶.

From what I read recently, about 40% of this year’s grape production in the Champagne area was impacted by the late April frost wave… but… there is hope, especially due to the way champagne is produced 🤞.

The Effervescent Triad 🍇

But let’s start with the beginning, namely: which grape varieties are “allowed”* for cultivation in Champagne?
(*allowed – because France and because rules 😅)

The correct answer is 8 varieties, but the Holy Trinity is what you need to remember: Chardonnay (white) + Pinot Noir (red) + Pinot Meunier (red)

Varieties that are perfectly suited to the coldest wine region in France:

• Chardonnay (white) — 31% of crops: brings acidity, elegance, and freshness (gives birth to the famous “blanc de blancs”, meaning champagne made from white varieties).
• Pinot Noir (red) — 38% of crops: the predominant variety, but very demanding and delicate, the “backbone” of “blanc de noirs” champagnes (white from black – for those finding out for the first time… yes, white wine can also be made from black grapes / red varieties 🤯).
• Pinot Meunier (red) — 31% of crops: or Meunier for short, a grape that was once said to be a filler, but proved to be a reliable partner because it is highly resistant to frost and brings fruity notes and balance.

And yes, you guessed it, about 90% of the champagnes marketed today are actually blends, not just of different grape varieties, but also from different years (on the label you will see the terms “non-vintage” or, more recently, “multi-vintage”, meaning a mix of grapes / wine from several years).

It might sound negative or strange to some, but quite the contrary, I think it is actually a kind of Plan B, which ensures not only consistency (the “signature” style of the most famous producers) but also a safety net from an economic point of view (especially in cases of bad weather that usually threaten the harvest).

The process in short

The traditional or champenoise method requires the second fermentation to take place directly in the bottle (this is where the bubbles come from), whereas with prosecco, for example, it happens in steel tanks. This results in one of the notable price differences 💸.

Regions and quality levels 🗺️

There are 5 regions in total:

• Côte des Blancs (Chardonnay)
• Côte de Sézanne (Chardonnay)
• Montagne de Reims (Pinot Noir)
• Côte des Bar (Pinot Noir)
• Vallée de la Marne (Meunier)

Unlike other wine regions, in Champagne, individual vineyards do not receive Grand or Premier Cru status, but rather the entire village. Curious, because obviously not all plots have the same quality level, and famous champagne producers (aka “grandes marques”) collect grapes from these villages to later make their “house blend”.

Accommodations, gastronomic spots, and wine bars 🏨🍽️

We decided to stay in the largest city in the region: Reims and visit vineyards and other attractions from there (once we got there, we learned about the competition between the two unofficial capitals: Reims and Épernay).

Reims – a name I mispronounced as “rem” and not “rans” the entire time we stayed in France 🫣 – charms you instantly with its historic air and especially with its cathedral that looks embroidered, famous for the coronation of 33 French kings.

We trusted Airbnb this time and chose a tiny but chic apartment in the city center, so we could walk everywhere.

We had a bakery around the corner where we got some baguettes that were absolute sci-fi 🥖. However, as many know, France isn’t great when it comes to coffee or, better said, specialty coffee shops, so we went with filter coffee or, when in doubt, the classic espresso.

In Reims, we chose to visit the oldest champagne house in the world: RUINART (for obvious reasons mentioned at the beginning 🥂).

We made the reservation two weeks before we arrived, and to give you an idea of how much I wanted to visit the place, I had only found two available spots, but the tour was in French. I told myself I would reactivate my latent high school knowledge and that would be it… we’d focus on the practical side.

We arrive a few minutes early and what a reception… what an entrance 😍 absolutely spectacular! I’ve visited many wineries, but what I saw here… is hard to describe. In terms of design, the main building resembled a champagne bubble: lots of glass, mirrors, and limestone—the region’s signature rock—precisely to elevate the experience.

The young lady at the reception helps us and somehow manages to stick us to another English-speaking group. We start the tour outside, in the open-air museum-style gardens, then we descend underground, to about 38 meters deep, into the chalk galleries (“crayères”) which, apparently, connected champagne houses during the wars. Now, Ruinart’s 8 km of underground galleries—a UNESCO heritage site—house no fewer than 3 million bottles of champagne, the equivalent of tens of millions of euros.

Dating back to 1729, the house of Ruinart was founded by Nicolas Ruinart from Reims, inspired by his uncle, Dom Thierry Ruinart, the one who came up with the idea of perfecting the “wine with bubbles”. The house’s emblem variety is Chardonnay—a versatile and adaptable grape, which however acquires more refined notes in the Champagne terroir. They also work, of course, with the Pinot brothers, all varieties being brought from the Grand and Premier Cru plots in Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims.

Although the connection is sometimes disputed, I still consider that soil considerably influences the profile of wines. In this case, Chardonnay from Côte des Blancs stands out through elegance and structure; we find citrus and green apple notes, as well as delicate pastry and almond aromas.

The galleries are impressive, the tour is extremely interactive visually and auditorily, and at the end we return to one of the main buildings. More precisely, to the main tasting salon, where we find displayed the first painting in which a bottle of champagne is represented—a painting commissioned in the year 1735: Le Déjeuner d’Huîtres (The Oyster Lunch).

The tasting included 3 types of champagne:

• Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
• Ruinart Blanc Singulier
• Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

I remembered what I had learned in class regarding how you feel the champagne bubbles on your palate and cheeks (compared to a classic sparkling wine)—a remarkable, non-aggressive, and delicate fineness. Brioche, toast, cherries, and roses harmoniously intertwined with notes of grapefruit and green apples. A sublime experience all around!

It’s interesting to mention the group we were with on the tour: 98% were tourists in the area, but it wasn’t very clear what they were there for (nor to the guide) and who were… somehow… just there. It was very obvious that they didn’t understand what they were drinking, because at the end, almost all of them left more than half of their glasses filled with Dom Ruinart Rosé. A champagne that takes “only” 12 years to be produced and matured, and which sells for a minimum price of €350. What a waste 🥲

Escapade in Épernay: The Avenue of Millions

Intoxicated both literally and figuratively, we take a tram, then a train to Épernay—a very convenient option, especially if you don’t have a “sacrificial” driver. It’s a picturesque ride of about 30 minutes that cuts through the most epic vineyards in Montagne de Reims.

We arrive in the small town of just 22,000 inhabitants, which nevertheless holds the most expensive avenue in the world: Avenue de Champagne. We stared continuously and took countless photos, absolutely spellbound by the opulence of the 19th-century mansions belonging to Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, etc. The mansions were one thing, but the fortunes were not on the surface, but underground, where we found more chalk galleries.

We switch gears and go for a more spontaneous experience this time—this after seeing the parking lot full of tour buses—and arrive at the MERCIER champagne house. A shorter tasting by 30 minutes, a price 4 times lower than Ruinart, and a more “popular” champagne.

The house of Mercier attracted attention from the very beginning through marketing: the largest “foudre” type barrel, the first silent movie advertisement, and the first champagne house to allow tourists to visit the underground galleries. The experience was interesting nonetheless: we rode through the 18 km long underground galleries on a little train again (similar to the one in Cricova and Mileștii Mici, but automated), watched short videos, had games, and a tasting at the end.

When it comes to wine bars…🍸

Although we did thorough research, we ended up in random bars anyway. And although everything we drank was exceptional, the surprise element came when we asked for the bill 💸.

The starting price for a glass of champagne in Reims and Épernay is €12. We kept thinking that maybe we hadn’t chosen the right bars, maybe it was inflation… but that was pretty much the reality.

On our list were:

• Le Trésor – Champagne Bar
• Épicurien
• Caviste
• De la Poissonnerie des Halles (mega recommendation, but with advanced booking)

Practical recommendations (learn from our mistakes)

• Get off the beaten path: It is important to check off at least one renowned champagne house, but the experience of smaller, family-owned or “boutique” wineries is even more special. Venture through lesser-known villages without an appointment, but armed with a little French . We didn’t get to due to the limited time, but next time we definitely will!

• Prepare your budget: Put money in the piggy bank and under the mattress, you’ll need it, whether you go boutique or mainstream.

• Logistics in vineyards: As in many other wine regions, there is no train, bus, or vehicle connecting the vineyards or wineries to each other. You’re lucky that some large houses are on the same street, so at least you can do tastings in a more organized way (both in Reims and Épernay).

• Reservations are mandatory: For large houses, booking the cellar tour in advance is a must (about 2 weeks before) and comes with a price tag that is usually stinging (starts from €25/person… at Ruinart it was €110/person). Also, good restaurants require a reservation (like everywhere in France, bien sûr ).

• Accommodation: Depends on what you want. You can spend the night at wine hotels, but we had a pre-set budget, and a night’s stay at such a hotel exceeded €200. So we decided to invest in tastings rather than accommodation.

• Food: Trust Google Maps and you will surely find good options in and out of towns. Again, keep in mind that you need reservations in advance.

• The cities: Reims and Épernay are both beautiful. We would stay in Reims again if we returned; English is spoken a bit more often because it’s full of international tourists (USA and China, especially).

Are we coming back? Hmm… Despite the maximum rating, I think I would think twice before returning. The vibe was rather “pretentious”, but if we were to return, we would surely choose a different route… more focused on boutique houses… maybe.

Fin