From selecting the perfect grapes to blending and bottling your own champagne using the traditional Champagne production method, this bespoke experience allows you to immerse yourself in the world of fine champagne production. The process includes handling the Champagne bottle, which is crucial for secondary fermentation and disgorgement, ensuring the quality and tradition of your vintage.
Experience the ultimate luxury in the Champagne region with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to craft your own personalized vintage champagne.
The Personal Vintage experience offers an exclusive, hands-on journey where you can design and create a champagne that is uniquely yours. From selecting the perfect grapes to blending and bottling your own champagne, this bespoke experience allows you to immerse yourself in the world of fine champagne production. Whether you’re a connoisseur or simply seeking a rare and memorable experience, this is the perfect way to indulge in the heritage and artistry of the Champagne region.
Exclusive Champagne Experience: A Private Journey into the Heart of Champagne Craftsmanship
Embark on the most exclusive and immersive experience in the Champagne universe with a private appointment at at this exclusive Champagne members-only club. This rare and intimate visit offers an unparalleled opportunity to discover the artistry, dedication, and craftsmanship behind our partner's renowned champagne production. Guided by experts, you'll be taken through every step of our meticulous production process, from vineyard to bottle, while enjoying a curated tasting of our exceptional cuvées.
What's Included:
Vineyard Exploration: Wander through the scenic vineyards where the grapes are carefully cultivated, and learn about the unique terroir that shapes the character of our champagnes.
Private Winery and Cellar Tour: Gain exclusive access to our state-of-the-art winery and cellars, where you’ll observe the intricate processes that define our award-winning cuvées.
Meet the Winemaker: Enjoy a personal meeting with our skilled winemaker, who will share the secrets behind the creation of our exceptional champagnes and the philosophy that drives our work.
Tasting of 5 Cuvées: Savor a curated tasting of five of our partner's finest cuvées, each representing the best of this Champagne's house craftsmanship. This is your chance to taste the elegance and complexity that make our champagnes so special.
Gastronomic Experience: Indulge in a private lunch or dinner prepared by your private chef, cooking right in front of you. This personalised dining experience is perfectly paired with champagnes, elevating the flavors of both food and wine.
Masterclass & Personal Vintage Blind Tasting: Deepen your knowledge of champagne through a masterclass led by our partner's experts, followed by a blind tasting of your very own Personal Vintage—an unforgettable chance to create your unique champagne blend and discover your own taste profile.
This exclusive, tailored experience is the ultimate way to immerse yourself in the world of fine champagne and to create lasting memories at one of the most prestigious houses in the Champagne region.
Please note: This experience is available by private appointment only.
Understanding Champagne
Champagne is not just any sparkling wine; it is a symbol of luxury and celebration, produced exclusively in the Champagne region of France. The champagne production process is a meticulous and time-honored tradition that dates back to the 17th century, largely unchanged since the days of Dom Perignon. This intricate process is what gives Champagne its delicate bubbles, refined texture, and complex flavors.
To truly appreciate Champagne, it’s essential to understand the different types available. Non-vintage Champagne is a blend of wines from multiple years, offering a consistent house style. Vintage Champagne, on the other hand, is made from grapes harvested in a single exceptional year, showcasing the unique characteristics of that particular vintage. Prestige cuvée represents the pinnacle of a champagne house’s offerings, often made from the best grapes and aged for extended periods to achieve unparalleled depth and complexity.
Grape Varieties and Blending
The magic of Champagne lies in its blend of grape varieties, each contributing unique characteristics to the final product. The primary grapes used are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. Pinot Noir adds structure and intensity, Chardonnay brings elegance and finesse, while Pinot Meunier offers fruitiness and roundness.
The grapes are meticulously hand-picked to ensure only the best quality fruit is used. Once harvested, they are gently pressed to extract the clear grape juice, known as cuvée, which forms the base wine. The blending process, or assemblage, is a critical step in champagne production. It involves combining wines from different grape varieties, vineyards, and sometimes even different years to create a harmonious and consistent final product. This art of blending is what allows each champagne house to maintain its signature style year after year.
Fermentation and Ageing
Fermentation is where the transformation from grape juice to wine begins. The clear grape juice is placed in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks or oak barrels, where it undergoes primary fermentation at a controlled temperature of 64-68°F. During this process, the natural sugars in the juice are converted into alcohol, resulting in a still wine with high acidity.
Some champagne producers also employ malolactic fermentation, a secondary process that converts the sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid, reducing the wine’s overall acidity and adding complexity. After fermentation, the wine is aged in a cool cellar for a minimum of 15 months for non-vintage Champagne and at least three years for vintage Champagne. This ageing process allows the wine to develop its unique flavors and aromas, contributing to the overall quality of the final product.
Riddling and Disgorging
Once the ageing process is complete, the Champagne undergoes riddling, a traditional method used to clarify the wine. The bottles are placed in special racks at a 75-degree angle and are gradually turned and tilted by a skilled riddler. This process helps to collect the sediment, or lees, in the neck of the bottle.
Disgorging follows riddling and involves removing the sediment to ensure a clear, pristine Champagne. The neck of the bottle is frozen in an ice-salt bath, trapping the dead yeast cells in a small ice plug. When the cap is removed, the pressure inside the bottle expels the frozen plug, leaving behind a clear and sparkling wine.
Dosage and Corking
During disgorgement, a small amount of wine is lost, which is compensated for by adding a mixture known as dosage. This blend of white wine, brandy, and sugar adjusts the sweetness level of the Champagne, tailored to the style desired by the champagne house. The amount of sugar added varies, creating different styles such as Brut, Extra Brut, or Demi-Sec.
Finally, the bottle is corked and secured with a wire cage to withstand the internal pressure of the carbon dioxide. Depending on the style and the champagne house’s preferences, the Champagne may be aged further in the bottle, allowing it to develop even more complexity and depth before it is ready to be enjoyed.
By understanding these intricate steps, you can truly appreciate the craftsmanship and dedication that goes into every bottle of Champagne, making it a timeless symbol of celebration and luxury.
