When we think of champagne, we first think of the joy it brings. “Come quickly, I’m tasting the stars!” were the exact words of Dom Pérignon when he first discovered champagne; the champagne bubbles bring most people excitement and can usually be linked to a fond memory; a special celebration. Secondly, the names of champagne come to mind such as Veuve Cliquot, Moet et Chandon, Mumm, Pommery, Taittinger, etc.
We all know the big names when it comes to champagne, which is why I want to introduce you to a bit, less recognized champagne that’s just as enjoyable.
When my family visited the Champagne region in December 2018, we chose to tour one of the smaller Champagne houses; Dom Caudron, founded by Priest Dom Caudron and the vine-growers of Passy-Grigney who, before, relied on an income from the grapes.
This Champagne house offers a thorough tour beginning with showing you their antique presses, once used to crush the grapes for the champagne.
The grape used for this champagne is 100% or mostly the Meunier.
To give you a comparison, the famous Veuve Cliquot, Yellow Label, is made up of a variety of three different grapes:
50-55% Pinot Noir
15-20% Meunier
28-33% Chardonnay
From here, they take you into a little movie theater where they show you a small clip on how their grapes are grown and harvested followed by a walk through on their current, modern process.
This tour is very informative, meaning, they really take you through the process of how their champagne is made. From the history and the growing and harvesting of the Meunier grape, to how the champagne is made.
Now for the important part; Where you can get it in the United States:
- Wine By the Bay
- This place is a special gem located in Downtown Miami, and I will HAVE to tell you more in another, future post!
XX,
Simply Gabrielle Marie
Simply Gabrielle Marie 