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The club had a beautiful
weekend of sunny weather in the Champagne Region for its annual weekend
excursion away.
Some of the group took an extra couple of days before we all gathered
to meet our guide in Reims. |
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Owing to the huge amount of damage to the City during the First World War - 80% of the city was destroyed - many of the narrow medieval streets have been replaced by wide boulevards, and the buildings that rose from the rubble have a distinctive art deco style, as can be seen from the Carnegie Library, the façade of the Opéra Cinema, Saint-Nicaise Church and the Grand Theatre.
Right: The Carnegie Library.
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The present Reims Cathedral was completed by the end of the 13th -century, with the west front added in the 14th -century based on 13th -century designs. The façade is adorned with over 2300 statues, and the exceptional stained glass windows mix styles from the Middle Ages until the 20th century. The work of the famous Russian painter, Marc Chagall can also be admired in the cathedral through the stained glasses installed at the back, and on the side of the cathedral.
Left: The group outside Reims Cathedral.
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Right: Passing a shop that sells the famous pink biscuits from
Reims. They should be dunked in champagne to fully enjoy them! |
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Enjoying a drink after lunch.
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| The village of Oger is
surrounded by vineyards. The village was awarded a gold medal for its flowers last
year.
Right: The group outside the village of Oger. |
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During the visit was to the champagne cellars of Jean Milan, our guide, Claire, told us about the
grape types that are used to make champagne. It is made with a blend of 3 types:
Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, which have dark skins and white flesh, and Chardonnay,
which are white grapes.
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| The grapes have to be harvested by hand, as machines are not as selective as people. It takes about 100 days from flowering until the grapes are ready to harvest. Each vineyard is given a quota of how much
it is allowed to harvest. This year’s quota is lower than last year’s, as the crisis has reduced the demand for champagne and the cellars cannot accommodate a large amount of unsold bottles.
Right: Our guide at the winery of Jean Milan in the village of
Oger. |
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The grapes are regularly checked and when they have a sugar content of 12%, the growers are given a date when they are allowed to harvest them. It is strictly forbidden to harvest before the given date, but it can be done a day or two later. The harvest involves quite an organisation, as many workers have to be brought in to pick the grapes. Usually a vineyard employs the same people each year.
Left: The guide explains the importance of the geographic
location.
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| The grapes are then pressed. Each type of grape is pressed separately, and a press can deal with 4000 kilograms of grapes. After 3 hours of pressing, about 2550 litres of juice are produced. This juice is collected and stored in large aluminium tanks. A smaller
amount is stored in oak barrels, which give a different flavour. However, the barrels carry more risk as they cannot be sterilised like the aluminium tanks, and sometimes a whole barrel turns to vinegar and is lost. Only one sort of grape is stored in a vat. |
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The juice stays in these tanks for about a year. This is the first fermentation and the product is wine with an alcohol of 12% and without bubbles. In March the different grape sorts are blended and in April the wine is bottled, with the addition of yeast and sugar.
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| To get the typical champagne bubbles,
the bottles are stored on their side in the cellars at a temperature of 10 to 12 °C and 80% humidity. They stay like this for 3 years. During this time, sediment forms, which has to be removed. This is done by tipping the bottles to nearly vertical with the neck of the bottle facing down. The bottles are turned a little each day so that the sediment slowly settles on the cap. The neck of the bottle is then put into a machine at a temperature of –30 °C. The champagne next to the cap freezes hard, along with the sediment. The machine removes the caps with the frozen sediment attached. The bottles are then topped up with liqueur d’expédition (champagne and sugar), corked and foiled, and are ready for sale. |
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Claire decided to teach us the art of "sabrage". She brought a sabre from behind the counter and asked
for a volunteer to cut off the cork and neck of the bottle. |
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We went outside for some careful instruction.
Safety first!
Onlookers were asked to stand well back.
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| Our volunteer decapitated the bottle – and had all her fingers intact
afterwards - much to everybody's delight!
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| A visit to a champagne house is never complete until one has had a chance to taste the product.
We then went back into the tasting area, and had three different types of champagne. First, a glass of Brut Spécial, then a glass of Brut Réserve, which had been 1 year in a barrel, and lastly a Symphorine 2002.
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