Champagne
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Champagne
Champagne 'Le Longue Weekend' Self Drive
12 - 15 April 2007
Our innovative programme of self drive trips is aimed at the more independent traveller, who would still like to spend a couple of days in a party being taken to Champagne visits in the company of a local wine expert. The wine guide will assist you in buying a good selection of champagnes at good prices direct from the wineries.
You will taste at least 25 champagnes over the course of the weekend, starting at breakfast, as well as receiving a special welcome and generous tastings at houses that we have been visiting for many years. On every tour we have at least one meal as guests of one of the houses. At many of our small, top quality growers you’ll be able to buy Champagne direct for less than £10 a bottle. Many of the top cuvées are also superb value too.
Our base for the weekend is the Grand Cru rated village of Ay - Champagne villages and vineyards are subject to a complex quality rating rating - and a Grand Cru rating denotes that the vineyards are of the highest ranking. Ay is home to Bollinger, Gosset and many less famous but great value growers.*
12 - 15 April 2007
£299.00 
Tour completed.Three nights in very simple en-suite accommodation, continental breakfasts, very informal introductory tasting on the first evening of Roger Brun champagnes, two days guided wine visits and tastings in the company of a local guide
(from 09.00 - 18.00 - evenings are unescorted), local coach for the Saturdays Champagne tastings, two buffet lunches with champagnes (half a bottle per person and water).
Sole Occupancy: £50.00
Deposit: £75.00
Room Upgrade: £120
Champagne 'Le Longue Weekend' Self Drive
On this tour please make your own way to Champagne, which is an easy drive from Calais or a short train journey from Paris. Aÿ is a centre of the Champagne trade, home to Bollinger and many houses and growers. You stay at a simple B&B or at a 3* Manor house, both owned by Champagne vignerons. A member of our local team meets you here.
Our early evening tasting is with Henri Goutorbe who makes Classic Champagnes from Aÿ and the villages nearby. Over the course of the weekend, we visit Ayala, (now resurgent under Bollinger’s control), the Côte des Blancs for lunch with A. Jacquart and taste with Leclerc-Briant, a small négociant with an interesting range of organic ‘single vineyard’ Champagnes.
The next day our wine touring is on foot as we walk round Aÿ, visiting De Meric and stopping for lunch with Roger Brun. Return home next day. You can leave the region after lunch and be back in London or the south east by mid evening.
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