RSSA Day Tour of Champagne
Nov 26
Trong picked us up in front of our apartment at 7:30 a.m. for our one day tour to the Champagne Region north east of Paris. We were warned to dress warmly and knew why as we watched the temperature gauge on the mini van dip significantly as we drove out to the country. Apparently, the champagne grapes need a cool temperature and we were a little unprepared for standing in the vineyards at 9 in t he morning in maybe plus 2 degrees centigrade. However, we were more prepared than our tour mates, a mother and daughter from South Carolina, Suzie and Sidney. It was mighty cold there for two Southern Belles but we all survived and learned about pruning the vines from our tour guide Trong.
Trong explains the three types of grapes that go into the making of champagne: pinot nor, pinot meuniere, and chardonnay. Vines are planted on a slope for maximum sun exposure and the chalky soil of this region is ideal for growing conditions. This type of soil retains moisture and makes irrigation unnecessary.
The vineyards stretch for miles in all directions and are are owned by various champagne barons, many of whom are families who have had their business for generations. However, because play station has become so popular with youngsters in France, they are finding it difficult to entice young people to participate in the work involved in keeping the family business going. As a result, migrant workers from the eastern European countries are taking up the pruning jobs and living in the country for 7 months of the year earning 9 euros an hour and then retuning to their families for the remainder of the year with their relative riches.
You will notice how low the vines are pruned. This keeps them close to the warmth of the ground and requires that during the pruning and picking season the workers must bend over to carefully clip the buds or to snip the clusters of ripe grapes. Apparently for the first few days the amount of ibuprofen consumed by workers with aching backs is very high. As we commiserate with the workers who we now see in the fields crouched over pruning the plants, Trong assures us that they are fortified by their flasks through this arduous process.
The windmill in the distance marks the place where executives from the Mumm Champagne dynasty meet for special occasions and conferences. Apparently, Madonna was invited to one event but when she arrived by helicopter, the local population of this small rural village were terribly offended by her insensitivity. She has not been invited since.
We drive sensitively by mini van into the small town of Verzenay forewarned that the townsfolk are extremely suspicious of strangers as this village is in the region where the Germans and French ‘duked it out’ in the first world war. This town as well as many others in the region were badly bombed by the Germans and many burial grounds and memorials to Allied soldiers dot the surrounding countryside.
In spite of our apprehension of perhaps missiles of rotten tomatoes we are graciously greeted by Henriette the daughter of founder Jean-Claude Mouzon. She, along with her husband, are now the owners of this small champagne operation. Henriette relays in French the entire process which is translated by Trong.
Henriette is very proud of their grape crushing machine. It was bought by her father after many years of saving his money This machine operates with a bladder system that inflates and gently crushes the grapes which saves doing it by hand but cost him $200,000.
We enjoys sipping the various blends of Henriette’s finest and we particularly enjoy the Grand Cru Verenay, although the Brut Tradition is lovely as is the Brut Rose. The tasting is a convivial event and at 11 o’clock in the morning, it is a somewhat light headed experience. However, we are soon whisked away to a restaurant in Reims for lunch.
After a typical French midday repast we rolled out of the restaurant and off to the less intimate tour of the Mumm ‘factory’. The next pictures show part of the process of removing the sediment. The bottles are turned (called riddling) on increasing angles for 6 to 8 weeks until the sediment sits in the neck only.
At that point the neck of the bottle is frozen and then the intermediary cap (like a beer cap) is removed and voila, the frozen bit pops out! Of course, the process is now mechanized. This is called disgorging.
The Mumm’s cellars are vast and it seems much like looking down a metro tube. Space is needed, however, as here are stored hundreds of millions of bottles of champagne.
The ancient vintages are locked away for many years. The official taster, however, accesses this cellar once a year to ensure the consistent taste that Mumm’s has developed over many years. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it.
The Mumm’s museum displays a vast array of vintage machines that have been improved on over the years. Here is an old corking machine.
After Mumm’s we were taken for an in-depth tour of the cathedral at Reims.
The Reims Cathedral was awe inspiring. We particularly liked the Chagall stained glass created in 1974. We bought postcards rather than try to get a good picture of that. Here is another modern stained glass in the church.
Finally, before returning to Paris, Trong took us to a library close to the cathedral that is dedicated to the Americans in gratitude for Kennedy’s generous donations in rebuilding the cathedral after the war. We particularly liked the art deco staircase and light fixture.
We arrived back at our apartment at 7:30 in the evening. To find out details about this tour go to their website at: www.parischampagnetour.com