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Champagne Vineyard Walk
Wednesday 4 - Sunday 8 June
Champagne of course means countryside and this walk takes us away from the big cellars of Reims and Epernay into the vines of the villages such as Aÿ and Le Mesnil. Along the way well taste at many of these villages (since we have arranged around 300 Champagne tours over the years - we have a good few cellars to choose from!) We are based in Aÿ and offer a choice of accommodation, 3* Manor house or 2* equivalent gite, both owned by Champagne growers. Well have dinner together in Aÿ tonight, with several champagnes to enjoy as an introduction. On the ½rst days walk we cover the Grands Crus of the Montagne de Reims, the famous Pinot Noir vineyards of Ambonnay, Bouzy, and Aÿ. Our ½rst tasting will be in Bouzy, After this well have a picnic in the vineyards then drop down into Mareuil-sur-Aÿ for another tasting. From here we follow the Marne canal to Aÿ. Next day, we walk through the majestic vineyards of Aÿ across into the premier crus of Dizy, Hautvillers and Cumières.
Wednesday 3 - Sunday 7 September
Vineyard Walks
Theoretically this is a Pinot Meunier vineyard but we will see Chardonnay and Pinot Noir too. In Dizy we visit Gaston Chiquet, a good grower here, who has a rare blanc de blancs as well as the attractively soft and fruity Pinot based Champagnes that you might expect. After this we climb up to the pretty village of Hautvillers where we stop for lunch. After exploring the village we drop down to the Marne for a tasting in Cumières with Champagne Geoffroy. This is only one village away from Dizy, but stylistically it could be 100 miles with the champagnes being powerful, almost brutal in character. The next day we tackle the Grand Crus of the Côte des Blancs. First we walk round the Bute de Saran, largely owned by Moët and the source of the white grapes for Dom Perignon, and then arrive in Cramant, the most sheltered and warmest of the villages. Avize with its classically vinous wines is next. We stop for lunch here with Petit-Le Brun. The village of Oger is next, then at the walks end, in le Mesnil, we taste with one of the growers. These Champagnes are more assertive with strong, perhaps mineral character. So
In Philipponnats Clos des Goisses
we will have walked out the most of the great terroirs of Champagne and hopefully have come to understand them too. Dinner tonight is at a good restaurant in one of the villages. On the last morning we explore Aÿ on foot stopping off for a tasting or two! The walk ½nishes in time to catch the lunchtime TGV or an afternoon ferry if you are driving back to the UK.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Meet in Aÿ Dinner Overnight Aÿ. 2* gite or 3* hotel up-grade. Walk in the montagne de Reims. Picnic lunch. Walk in the Vallee de la Marne. Lunch. Walk in the Côte des Blancs. Lunch. Dinner. Visits in Aÿ.
Includes
4 nights 2* equivalent (limited availability) or Manor house good 3*, breakfasts, 5 meals with wines, visits & tastings. Mini bus support, Walk Guide. Maximum party size is 16. Rating - Gentle.
Date Date
4 June 3 Sept
Hautvillers
Price £ pp Price 675 £ pp
Sole occupancy Sole 65 occupancy
Deposit £ pp Deposit 150 £ pp
Hotel Upgrade Hotel 130 Upgrade
699
65
150
130
57
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