Craft Your Personal Vintage: A Bespoke Champagne Journey in the Heart of France’s Most Celebrated Wine Region
Uncover the art of Champagne creation with a once-in-a-lifetime, hands-on experience that blends craftsmanship, heritage, and refined indulgence. Nestled in the prestigious heart of the Champagne region, this exclusive journey offers you the rare opportunity to craft your own vintage champagne—from vineyard to bottle—under the guidance of master winemakers.
Whether you're a dedicated oenophile or simply seeking an unforgettable escape into the world of fine wine, this bespoke experience invites you to become part of the centuries-old tradition of Champagne artistry, all while enjoying the luxuries of a private appointment at an elite members-only maison.
About This Experience
This exceptional experience begins in the storied vineyards of Champagne, where the region’s unique terroir imparts its signature elegance to the grapes. You’ll be guided through each stage of the winemaking process—from grape selection and blending to bottling, riddling, and disgorgement—using the méthode traditionnelle that defines the world's most prestigious sparkling wines.
The pinnacle of this journey is the creation of your Personal Vintage—a tailor-made champagne blend that reflects your own palate and preferences. Set against a backdrop of rolling vineyards and vaulted cellars, this experience is as intimate as it is luxurious, offering rare access to one of Champagne’s most revered houses.
What’s Included
Vineyard Immersion
Begin your journey among the vines, where you’ll learn how the region’s microclimates and soil composition shape the character of each varietal.
Private Winery & Cellar Access
Enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of a cutting-edge winery and centuries-old cellars. See where tradition meets innovation in the hands of master craftsmen.
Meet the Winemaker
Spend time with the house’s acclaimed winemaker in an intimate setting. Discover the philosophy, techniques, and subtle artistry that go into every bottle.
Tasting of Five Signature Cuvées
Take part in a guided tasting of the maison’s most iconic cuvées, hand-selected to showcase the diversity, complexity, and elegance of Champagne at its finest.
Personal Vintage Creation & Masterclass
Engage in an in-depth masterclass, followed by a blind tasting that culminates in the blending of your own bespoke champagne. Guided by experts, you’ll create a vintage that is uniquely yours—bottled, labeled, and aged to perfection.
Gastronomic Champagne-Paired Dining
Experience a private, chef-prepared lunch or dinner where each course is harmoniously paired with cuvées selected to elevate and enhance every bite. Prepared before your eyes, this is Champagne dining at its most refined.
Highlights
A rare, hands-on champagne-making experience from grape to glass
Private access to one of Champagne’s most exclusive maisons
Personalized cuvée blending and bottling for your own vintage
Sommelier-led tastings of exceptional cuvées
Intimate masterclasses with leading Champagne experts
Fine dining with private chef and champagne pairings
The ultimate luxury for wine lovers and collectors alike
Who This Is For
This experience is designed for discerning travelers, wine enthusiasts, and collectors seeking a deeper connection to the traditions and terroir of Champagne. It’s perfect for those who appreciate authenticity, exclusivity, and the joy of creating something truly personal and timeless.
Why We Chose This Experience for You
"To create your own vintage champagne in the company of master artisans is more than indulgence—it’s immersion in a legacy of precision and passion. This rare opportunity blends craftsmanship with luxury, offering our clients not just a taste of Champagne, but a signature bottle of their own story." – Sybarite Team
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.
