Ode to Champagne
Written by Carrie Pacini on August 17, 2009 – 4:31 pm -“I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and I drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it, unless I’m thirsty.” ~ Lily Bollinger
If I were to imagine heaven on earth it would be located in Champagne in the so-called “sacred triangle” that includes Epernay, Reims, and Chalons-en-Champagane. Champagne is like a magnet for wine lovers. My husband and I landed in Paris and drove straght to Reims for our first stop! 
Reims is known for producing countless champagne lables like Krug, Lanson, G.H.Mumm & Cie, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Louis Roederer, Ruinart, Piper-Heidsieck, Pommery and Charles Heidsieck.
In Champagne you will find all types of French cuisine in the restaurants. The region borders Belgium so there are plenty of Flemish dishes on the menu as well. The regional cuisine has traditionally been rustic and hearty and include a selection of game such as venison and wild boar which are prepared as roasts or casseroles or in a potée champenoise (a stew from the Champagne region). I also notice some dishes with unusual names that are derived from the Flemish origin and traditionally contain ingredients such as beer, chicory, prunes and raisins.
Our dinners included dishes made with Ardennes ham (Belgium’s answer to Prosciutto di Parma), Boudin Blanc that are sausages made with pork, eggs, milk and some seasoning and sometimes truffles, chestnuts, foie gras or other ingredients are added. We discovered patés and terrines made with roast rabbit or roast thrush flavoured with juniper berries that were delish!
We enjoyed a rosé by Ruinart one of the oldest Champagne Houses and also discovered a a Champagne made by Henri Abele that has a smiling angel on the label. You can also find this angel in the Gothic Cathedral Notre-Dame at Reims.
We visted the House of Taittenger Established since 1734. Taittinger is now one of the few family owned Champagne houses in the region. The house uses Chardonnay as the dominant grape for the brand making, creating a light and elegant taste. The oldest parts of the cellars are located on the site of Gallo-Roman chalk mines dug in the 4th century. The tour was informative that ended with a tasting of your choice. We tried and feel in love with Taittenger rosé.
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Founded in 1772 by Philippe Cliquot. This was the first champagne house to distribute rosé champagne in 1775. Philippe’s son, François inherited the company but died in 1805 of a fever, leaving his 27 year old widow Barbe Nicole Ponsardin behind becoming the Veuve (widow) Cliquot. She was very successful, and is considered as one of the most impressive business women of modern times. It was the official champagne of the Danish, Swedish and English courts, and it was also drank at the celebration of the Queen’s silver jubilee in 1977.
Although we did not get to visit the House of Krug, it is my favorite champagne. If you are planning on visiting be sure to check the hours of the tours and tastings for any specific champagne house you want to visit during your stay. Our next stop Puligny-Montrachet!
Tags: and Chalons-en-Champagane, champagne, Epernay, Reims, rosé, Ruinart, Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Posted in OPMOM Series, Touring The French Countryside, Travel | No Comments »
