Champagne
Autumn in the prestigious region of Champagne offers sunny days, crisp evenings, and a sea of changing colours among the vines. On a trip down the River Marne, we explored houses big and small, sampled a wide variety of vintages, and learned what makes this bubby beverage so special.
Harvested vines begin their colourful journey to domancy.
On a visit to Ruinart, we saw the recently opened a state-of-the-art tasting facility, tied together with the original building through the garden and surrounding art installations. Below us, created by the Romans, vast caves were dug out for chalk building stones, weaving their way stories and stories below.
A visit to Leclerc Briant's biodynamic winery showed us first-hand the process and various vessels used for wine maturation.
A traditional clay amphora, old french oak, a concrete egg (on its side), and most impressively, the gold-lined silver barrel.
Deep in the caves of Pierre Palliard, the yeast in action, never get tired of seeing it!
I suppose a trip to Champagne isn't complete without a visit to the birthplace, and the creator, of the beverage we love so much! This evocative sculpture was recently installed at the top of town. Looking out over the views of the valley and vineyards, it's easy to see why Dom Perignon had a smile on his face.
We took a very special visit to the library of Veuve Clicquot. The family kept records of everything: bottles and cases sold, the weather, harvest numbers, correspondence with buyers and their traveling salesmen. An incredible archive documenting Champagne at a turning point.