Private Champagne Tours
Come with me to Champagne! Have you ever wanted to visit the Champagne region but did not know where to start? Then my private tours are the perfect opportunity for you to discover the greatest wine region of France with me as your guide. I have been living in Reims for over a year and have experienced so much in the past year that I want to share with you.
The Champagne region of France has so much history behind it, the first kings of France were anointed and crowned in Reims starting in the 5th Century. The rolling hillsides, incredible champagnes, the passionate people and gastronomic experiences makes Champagne a must visit region.
My Champagne Tours give you an inside look on the region where we will taste and experience champagnes from both the maisons and the growers. This trip will allow you to visit Champagne and see all the local spots firsthand. You will experience the very best of the Champagne region and enjoy exclusive experiences that will have you leaving with unforgettable memories.
This tour is perfect for Champagne lovers no matter your prior knowledge or experience. We will learn, discover, taste and explore all the beautiful sites the Champagne region has to offer!
SAMPLE ITINERARY
9 AM
Private pick up in Luxury Vehicle
10 AM
Vineyard visit, cellar visit and tasting with an Organic or Biodynamic Champagne Grower
12:30 PM
Lunch on Own - Reservations can be made on your behalf.
2:30 PM
Manoir Henri Giraud
Check into our private Manoir in the Grand Cru Village of Aÿ equipped with an indoor pool and spa which focuses on specialized chalk treatments highlighting the terroirs of Champagne.
5 PM
Tour and welcome dinner at Champagne Henri Giraud
We will have a private tour and discover all things Henri Giraud. An incredible Champagne house that focuses on a sense of place with hand picked oak barrels from the local Argonne forest. Wines are aged in oak barrels and toasted locally to create a balance with the wines. Chef de Cave Sebastian hand picks both the oak trees and the toasting levels for the barrels. After the tour we will have an unforgettable champagne dinner in the Manoir.
DAY 2
Tuesday
8 AM
Breakfast at the Manoir
10 AM
Cellar visits and tasting with Champagne Vilmart
Champagne Vilmart is located in the Montagne de Reims in the Premier Cru village of Rilly-la-Montagne focuses on both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Laurent and Thomas Champs represent the 5th and 6th generation of the family house, which focuses on expressing the beauty of the soils. Reserve wines are kept in large oak barrels and the wines have an incredible depth and complexity and are a true expression of how beautiful Chardonnay can be from the Montagne de Reims.
1 PM
Intimate lunch in Reims, more details to come…
3 PM
A visit to the village of Hautvillers and the tomb of Dom Pérignon
6 PM
Dinner and Champagne Masterclass focusing on some of the smaller growers in Champagne.
DAY 3
Wednesday
8 AM
Breakfast at the Manoir
11 AM
Tour, Tasting and Private Lunch at Champagne Philipponnat
Champagne Philipponnat is the oldest wine maker in Champagne. The house was established in 1522 in the Grand Cru Village of Aÿ. We will get to go into their 18th Century Cellars and learn all about their wine making and techniques. We will get to visit the most famous Clos in Champagne, Clos de Goisses, followed by a tasting and an immersive champagne lunch.
3 PM
Tour and Tasting at Champagne Alfred Gratien
Champagne Alfred Gratien is located in the Champagne capital of Epernay. Alfred Gratien has been using oak barrels since the beginning of the house in 1864. Nicolas Jaeger is the Chef de Cave who learned first hand from his father for seventeen years before taking over the family business. All wines are vinified in oak barrels, there are close to 1,000 different barrels that keep the wines for a minimum of six months. These champagnes are absolutely incredible and showcase centuries of know-how.
6 PM
VIP Champagne Dinner Experience
DAY 4
Thursday
8 AM
Breakfast at the Manoir
1 PM
Intimate Champagne Lunch
3 PM
Transfer to 5* hotel in Reims; free afternoon in Reims
7 PM
Dinner and Champagne Masterclass with Champagne Tattinger
We will sit at the table of Thibaud IV Count of Champagne and discover the poetic and musical atmosphere of medieval banquets while sipping on Comtes de Champagne. We will then indulge in an epicurean dinner in the Residence of the Counts of Champagne, a jewel of the 13th century, which has always been a high place of reception where artists, lords and merchants from all over the world were received on the occasion of the coronation of the Kings of France.
DAY 5
Friday
We will focus on some of the my favorite growers in the Montagne de Reims.
10 AM
Cellar visit and tasting with Champagne Nicolas Maillart
Nicolas Maillart is located in the Premier Cru village of Écueil and has vines in the Premier and Grand Cru villages of the Montagne de Reims. Nicolas focuses on Pinot Noir but also has plantings of Chardonnay in site specific plots. Reserve wines are partly matured in barrels and he works with each plot separately to create wines of both power, elegance and finesse.
1 PM
A very special French Fryday experience at one of my favorite places in Reims
Au Revoir
This will be an unforgettable experience that will show you some of the best that Champagne has to offer. This trip will offer the ultimate in Champagne luxury. Staying at a private Manoir, guests will enjoy a flawless level of service as well as a gastronomic dinner with some of the regions best champagne. Come to the Champagne region for an incredible week of private tastings, lunches with the growers and intimate dinners at some of the best champagne houses.
Note: This is a sample itinerary and changes could be made due to growers availability and needs in the vineyards. We will stick as close to this itinerary as possible and will share with you final details four weeks prior to departure.
Pricing
— $8,500 USD per person double occupancy
— Payment of $3,500 USD per person non-refundable deposit on booking based on double occupancy
— Balance of $5,000 USD per person due six weeks prior to departure based on double occupancy
— Single occupancy please inquire
— 5 nights accommodation at private manoir, 1 night accommodation at 5* in Reims, all transportation in the region, food & beverages included
— Trip Totals include hotel stays, tours, meals and visits on all of the above, including gratuity. Hotels include breakfast each morning.
— Trip total does not include travel to and from the region; however bespoke add-ons including additional tours, activities, arranging travel from Paris to Champagne, and any other requests during your trip can be accommodated and an extra charge will be added based on requests.
— Travel insurance is highly recommended