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 Sparklink wine and grapes

NB.  This is a sparkling wine from the Cote D'Or, not a champagne.

Champagne - description of the region:

 

The champagne vineyards only occupy about 2% of the total wine producing regions of France, however they stretch over a large area from the Aube river to the town of Reims.  It is strange that one of the more northerly wine growing regions in France should be responsible for such an excellent wine - this is down to a number of factors, including the chalky soil which helps to keep the vine optimally watered.


Official Reims website.  Official Epernay website.

 

Great Champagne wines:

 

The Champagne Grand Crus are: Ambonnay, Avize, Ay, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant, Louvois, Mailly-Champagne, le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry, Puisieulx, Sillery, Tours-sur-Marne, Verzenay and Verzy.   There are about forty Premier Crus.

 

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Champagne recommendations:  Although it pains us to admit it, we've never spent much time in this area.  Usually we just see it as we are rushing through on our way further south.  Actually we did stop in the area, but it was back in 1987!  At that time we noted that Reims is worth visiting, but we did our Champagne tasting in Epernay.  Here all the champagne houses offered free visits (for children) with a small charge for tasting (adults only!).  The producer of Champagne Mercier offered a fantastic visit through miles of underground cellars on a laser guided electric train.  If you can add to our knowledge about Champagne wines, museums, wine tours, favourite producers etc. we'd love to hear from you!  Please use our feedback form.

Useful websites on wine:


        - The wine spectator website.

        - Wrath of Grapes website.

        - The Grape Escape - online wine guide.
 

 Champagne specific websites:


     - Champange Dot Com - for Champagne lovers everywhere!
     - The Richard Juhlin Champagne Club.
     - Moet et Chandon website.
     - Champagne - Cristal, Moet, Dom Perignon and more, next
       day delivery to your door.