Jon Catt
Champagne Harvest 2017
The Comité Champagne have announced the yield for the Champagne harvest. 10,800 kg per hectare including 500kg per hectare to be unblocked from the reserves. The Minister of Agriculture has just announced that the French wine harvest would be ‘historically low’. Yields in some wine making areas such as Bordeaux and the Jura have been…
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Three Days of Champagne Picnics
Between June 3rd-5th more than 400 independent winemakers will turn France into the largest picnic area in Europe. This will be the seventh time the event has been held. If you’re in the Champagne region 34 winemakers will be ready to welcome you. This is nine more than last year and shows the importance of…
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Temporary Summer Bar in Epernay
A temporary Champagne bar will be open on April 28th in the courtyard of the Syndicat des Vignerons, 19 Avenue de Champagne. L’Eté des Vignerons will last until September 3rd. The first bar was opened here in 2016. It was the idea of a group of young Champagne makers. In two months they sold 500…
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A Sparkling Match for Cheese
My client asked a simple question to the Champagne makers he met that day. Which cheeses go with which Champagne? They all looked puzzled and replied that cheese was only served with red wine. I was intrigued and decided to do my own research. In the last few years people in the French dairy industry,…
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Roundabouts & Champagne Flutes
The villages in the appellation are well known for their Champagne themed decorations. The Aube has one new one and another in development that will add to an already rich collection. Hautvillers is famous for its iron hanging signs. These can also be seen throughout the Champagne making area. Some villages have murals. Old presses…
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The Angel of Champagne
When you visit most of the important Champagne houses in Reims today the buildings you see were either rebuilt or restored after the First World War. About 90% of the town was destroyed by German bombs. The inhabitants were lucky to have the many Champagne cellars to take shelter in. Underground schools were set up…
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Champagne of the Sézannais
The Champagne vineyards of the Marne don’t just stop at the end of the Côte des Blancs. Just under them are those of the Sézannais. They continue over the border with the Aube at Villenauxe-la -Grande. Fontaine-Denis is just a stone’s throw away and it was here I met Florent Collet. Florent has run the…
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Faking it & Break ins – Champagne Crimes
In November thieves tried to rob a Champagne warehouse in Prunay. They fled empty handed when the alarm went off. There are crimes like this throughout the year but they tend to reach their peak with the approach to Christmas. In 2012 the Plan Champagne was set up. This was a partnership between the police…
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December Delights in Epernay
Do you want a taste of food prepared by some of the region’s top chefs paired with great Champagnes? If so Epernay on December 10th is the place for you. In 2000 the first Habits de Lumière was held in Epernay. Three days of festivities to mark the end of the year. The Avenue de…
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