RHEIMS: Tattinger Champagne

I have certainly had wine in France, many times, but never before on a tasting tour, and of the prime three:  Champagne, Bordeaux and Cognac.  Champagne is a region, but there are actual cities of Bordeaux and Cognac.

Located a hundred miles east of Paris, the commercial centers are Rheims and Epernay.  The area was devastated during the Hundred and Thirty Year Wars, and especially World Wars I and II.  However, since the Middle Ages, the region kept returning with reputation.

The 49th parallel crosses this portion of France, and also Vancouver Island, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Quebec.  You wonder why these areas don't also produce good sparkling wine.

The cool temperature increases the acidity level, ideal for Champagne.  Chardonnay is the dominant grape, but also Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and the latter two are red grapes.

Tattinger, Moet et Chandon and Veuve Clicquot were established between 1734 and 1772, in that order.  Since 1999 about a third of a billion bottles annually have been shipped.  However, 40 new Champagne villages are soon to establish.

Every day we've had so far has been sparkling blue with few clouds.  The temperature was just right for walking the 20 minutes to Tattinger, pronounced:  teh:ta~:zhay (not tay:teen:djuh):

Elvis arranged a private tour for us.  First, a movie of Taittinger, followed by the cellar tour, led by Catherine:

That's a Nebuchadnezzar bottle closest to me.  They only produce this size on special order:

Unlike the general public, we were ushered into a special tasting room to experience their standard, rose and expensive:

The amount poured was generous.  We also received gifts, and Elvis got a bottle of champagne:

Close by was Veuve Clicquot:

Note the correct French:

Veuve Clicquot – vøhv klee:koh (not voov)

It was closed, as most champagne tasting rooms.  This is why we were not able to tour Moet et Chandon:

Moët et Chandon – moh:eht eh shah~:doh~ (not moh:ay)

Here is how to pronounce the popular champagnes.

We had lunch at Brasserie St. Maurice:

I had a real escargot meal with some Bordeaux:

Took a photo of Elvis with the owner.  Amazingly enough, Elvis is almost a decade older than him:

Stopped by the Reims Cathedral:

Final photo of La Fountaine Sube:

Tomorrow, on to Bordeaux.

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