Reims – The Champagne capital
In “modern times” Reims is best known as the capital of Champagne, home to many of the world’s most famous Champagne producers. This makes the town the perfect starting point to explore both the region and the legendary drink.
However, the city’s history stretches back to Roman times and has played a crucial role in French history, notably as the coronation site for French kings.
The city itself is incredibly charming, with three of its buildings listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The most famous is, of course, the Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral, considered one of the most important Gothic churches in France. From the 12th to the 19th century, French kings were crowned in Reims. The cathedral was built in the 13th century, except for the west front, and was damaged during both World Wars. In 1974, new stained-glass windows were created by the artist Marc Chagall.
Outside the cathedral, you’ll find a statue of Joan of Arc, who escorted the Dauphin, the crown prince, to Reims for his coronation through English-occupied territory.
Right next to the cathedral is the Archbishop’s Palace, or Tau Palace, built between 1498 and 1509. This is where the French kings stayed during the coronation festivities. The third notable church, the Abbey Church of Saint-Remi, is almost as large as the cathedral. It’s located a bit away from the city center but close to several Champagne houses, which are indeed the reason for our visit.
Visit of of the Champagnebesøk
I had done a little research on a Norwegian blog called the “Champagne blog” and decided on two Champagne houses to visit. We followed the recommendations for Ruinart and Veuve Clicquot. There are many options for full visits. Not all houses offers full tours, but many have bars where you can enjoy a drink even if they don’t offer guided tours. The price of these tours also varies a lot.
We had two somewhat similar tours since both have their wine cellars in the famous chalk caves under the city, yet each was unique. Even though we did them back to back, it did not feel too similar since they both focus on their house’s history as well as the general Champagne production.
Ruinart was the priciest but also the best. Despite ongoing construction, the Ruinart house was impressive. We sat in a beautiful room with deep, comfortable sofas and learned about the house’s and Champagne’s history from our knowledgeable guide. One highlight was a replica of a painting from King Louis XIV’s court, clearly showing a Champagne cork in the air. (I later saw the original painting in Château de Chantilly just outside Paris. More on that in a future post.)
When the king and his court started drinking bubbly wine, it quickly became popular among the elite and eventually the masses.
UNESCO World Heritage “Underground Cathedrals”
The Champagne house Ruinart was founded by the nephew of the visionary monk Dom Ruinart who left his home in Champagne to live in a monastery near Paris. This is where he first heard about the bubbly wine popular among young aristocrats. Dom Ruinart and Dom Perignon were both at the Abbey in Hautvillers near Épernay. Nicolas Ruinart started the Champagne house after learning about this wine from his uncle.
In the mid-1700s, Ruinart and other Champagne houses began using the chalk caves under the city, originally created from quarrying stone for building. These caves proved perfect for storing wine due to their consistent temperature and humidity. They are still used today and are also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We toured the caves, learning about the development of corks, wire cages, riddling, and disgorging, all the processes that make Champagne unique. After the cellar tour, we returned to the tasting room to sample four different Champagnes. I’m no expert, but everything was delicious! I must admit, I have a soft spot for the sweeter varieties.
La grande dame de Champagne
At Veuve Clicquot, we also toured the cellars and learned about Madame Clicquot, who took over the business at age 27 after her husband’s death. Known as “La grande dame de Champagne,” she created the first vintage Champagne using grapes from a single year. She also invented the riddling table, asking some help to drill holes in her dining room table to store bottles at an angle, allowing the yeast to collect in the neck.
The riddling process was a manual process before, but now they have machines to turn and tilt the bottles little by little.
Madame Clicquot was also the first to produce a blended rosé Champagne by adding red wine to the white. Her innovations are particularly impressive given the male-dominated industry at the time.
Global reach
Madame Clicquot was one of the first producers to export Champagne to new markets like the USA and Brazil. Transporting the fragile bottles was risky, with up to 90% breaking during transit.
Fortunately, an Englishman improved the bottles making them thicker and added the now-familiar wire cages, ensuring the corks stayed in place.
Smakingen hos Veuve Clicquot ble gjort nede i den mørke kjelleren, etter at vi hadde gått fra rom til rom, oppkalt etter tidligere arbeidere. Noen steder var det litt filmer og bilder og andre steder fikk vi se ulike metoder og maskiner de bruker.
Our tasting at Veuve Clicquot took place in the dark cellars after exploring rooms named after former employees. We sampled the classic Yellow Label, whose distinctive label color emerged from an attempt to differentiate the drier Champagne for the British market from the sweeter types. The yellow-orange label quickly became a globally recognized trademark.
Veuve Clicquot’s motto as you exit: “Only one quality, the best.” The vintage years are engraved on the stairs leading out of the cellars, marking the exceptional harvests.
“Une seule qualité, la meilleure.”
What makes Champagne so special?
To be called Champagne, several criteria must be met. The grapes must come from a specific geographic area known as Champagne, which includes five sub-regions: Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côtes des Bar, and Côtes de Sezzane. Only certain grape varieties are allowed. The most important is the Chardonnay, a white grape, as well as the two red grapes Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
The wine must be aged in bottles for at least 18 months. Cellar masters blend wines from different years to maintain a consistent taste, unlike other winemakers who might emphasize vintage variations. That is why Champagne cellars have different years of wine stored in the quarries.
Vintage
Vintage Champagnes are very rare. They are made from a single year’s harvest, and are only produced in exceptional years and must be aged for at least three years in the bottles before hitting the market.
Champagne is aged in bottles with yeast residue, which often gives it a slight aroma of bread dough. The yeast is gradually removed to clarify the drink as much as possible. Madame Clicquot was the first to perfect this process using her dining table as a riddling table.
The bottles are slowly tilted to a vertical position, allowing the yeast to collect in the neck. The neck is then frozen, and the cork is opened, causing the ice plug with yeast residue to shoot out of the bottle. A bit more liquid is added to top off the bottle before it is finally corked.
Reims
A visit to Reims is almost mandatory if you want to dive into the wonders of Champagne. Here, you’ll find the industrial origins of the major Champagne houses, their export strategies, and the business acumen that has made Champagne an exclusive luxury item for centuries. Besides its Champagne heritage, Reims is a typical French city with great shopping, beautiful cathedrals, and excellent cafes and restaurants.
Something ExtrA
We often consult the Michelin Guide and found the restaurant l’ExtrA, which looked enticing. What we didn’t know before arriving was that this restaurant employs individuals with various challenges, such as mental disabilities. However, the service and food were impeccable.
The Michelin Guide doesn’t consider social factors when selecting restaurants; it’s all about the food and service. But for us, knowing the restaurant’s mission made the experience even more special.
If you find yourself in Reims, I highly recommend this restaurant. It’s located near the market hall, a lively area with bars and restaurants. It’s a great place to explore in the evening.
Tip: Many French restaurants offer lunch at a more affordable price with a set menu. Lunch is typically served between 12 and 2 PM. Consider skipping an expensive hotel breakfast and enjoy a coffee and croissant at a local café instead, saving your appetite for lunch. And if the café does not have croissants, you can often just buy it at the nearest boulangerie and bring it with you to the café.
Restaurant l’ExtrA is in the same area as Krug, Jacquart, and Louis Roederer, so you can check if they serve lunch while you’re there.
Ruinart and Veuve Clicquot are on the opposite side of the city, along with Vranken-Pommery, Martell, and Taittinger. Be sure to check their websites for opening hours, as many are not open on weekends.
In Reims, you can stroll from one Champagne house to another, though they are a bit more spread out than in Epernay, which was our next stop.
The French are increasingly better at speaking English, especially in tourist-oriented places. However, if you don’t speak French and it’s your first time in France, brushing up on some language tips might be helpful to get the best service.
Continue your trip in Champagne by reading more about our experience in Épernay.
Our Recommendations in Champagne:
Champagne houses:
Restaurant:
Cafés for breakfast, brunch or lunch
Drinking Champagne:
- Champagne Jacquart
- Villa Demoiselle at Vranken-Pommery
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