Champagne and nature: Manoir de Montflbert

Today I want to speak about Manoir de Montflambert, a beautiful place where to stay if you visit Champagne region, located in the “Route due Champagne”.

7 kms north-east of Epernay, 29 km kms south of Reims, close to Ay you will find this oasis of peace, ideal to relax after a daily tour in the vineyards.

It’s all about nature and relax. The rooms are so cosy, decorated with flowers and with a dash of imagination, since each one is different from the others. Taste is the common denominator, in food as well.

Their breakfast they serve is something special: everything home made and simply fresh!

In few words I would define it as a charming and elegant B&B where each detail is minded carefully and where the owners make your staying special because of that but also because of their genuine approach which makes you immediately feeling that you are dealing with farmers who work with passion.

Yes because the Lheureux Plékhoff is a family of winegrowers and winemakers, which has been doing that for over 50 years.

The family vineyards are located in more than 15 different “crus” among the most prestigious (Aÿ, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Hautvillers, Mutigny, Avenay val d'or, Verzy, Chouilly, Oiry). This diversity enable them to provide their cuvées with the 3 grape varieties typical of Champagne: pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier – to ensure the characteristic blend of our House.

Their cuvées are produced and aged in their cellars, located in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, which are a mixture of tradition and modernity.

The wines, elaborated according to ancestral rules, are the result of an exceptional alliance between land and men, between a “terroir” and a know-how.

Champagne Charles de Casanove: family of glass makers?

Again with Champagne. Again with friends. In my opinion is the best wine to drink with good people because it's just relaxing with its light deep fragrancy. Last week I tried the Vieille France, of Charles de Casanove. We bought this bottle during our trip in Champagne in a small wine boutique and we waited for the right occasion to drink it.
This Champagne is made as both Vintage and Non-Vintage (NV). We drunk a Vintage 2004 bottle, 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir.
As usual, when I drink something new I can't wait for looking into the web some story about it and from what I get I understand if it's the wine which suits my personality. Honestly it's 50%. I didn't like so much their web page and how they approach the consumer. It looks somehow commercial. But I found the story and their long tradition interesting to communicate. In 1811,Charles Gabriel De Cazanove, a young man from a family of glassmakers, founded his own Champagne House in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. It was his son, Charles Nicolas, who contributed most to the growth of the brand, applying his botanical knowledge to the fight against phylloxera.
On the death of Charles Nicolas in 1903, his sons Franck and Joseph passed the business on to the following generations.
Nowadays, Maison de Cazanove is a special partner to the “Comédie de Reims” theatre and it is associated with artistic projects, cinema and music.
I looked into the web some reviews to understand if my sensations of creamy notes of butter and brioche were right and .... I found this interesting video which I recommend:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YqjYWCeVBwM

Enjoy and ... Drink it!

Vincent Bliard: thank You

Third generation of Champagne wine makers in Hautvillers village, close to Epernay. In this small corner of the world you will find peace and at the same time a "vibrating" atmosphere. The word "crowded" here has no space to exist. The vibration is just inside. No cafeterias, no touristic places. Narrow streets, almost deserted, lined with those stone houses where genuine Champagne farmers spend their life between the vineyards and the cellar, to grow up since the very beginning a product that will be a pleasure for all those who are passionate about Champagne and nature. Hautvillers counts more (or less) 30 families of winemakers. Chardonnay, Pinot noir, and Pinot Meneur are the grapes they are dedicated to. No attempt to grow any other grape variety in the Champagne reason. And that is the reason of their uniqueness. They do the things, they do it well and they are happy with that and grateful to such a generous terroir.

Gong back to where I started from: Vincent Bliard, recoltant manipulant, those who makes wine from the grapes they grow themselves.

They started in 1970 to grow grapes with organic method, not making use of any synthetic material. The grandfather started with this natural approach which has then been carried out by the following generation. Now Vincent and Marie run the "business" if business can be called (Marie is in the kitchen, Vincent oversees the harvest). In their 50s they show such an energy which is the proof that doing something you love keeps you young and alive in the spirit.

We "knocked the door" as usual during a fresh August morning. Vincent was in the cellar. He welcomed us and we had the chance to spend an hour with him, very fluent in English, so communication was not preventing us from deepening our knowledge in what we believe is the finest art of the world.

About wines! Their Grand Reserve is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunieur. A mix of perfumes to the nose: apple and white peach, fruit. Fragrant and mineral. What you feel with the nose is then confirmed when you taste it. A plain, complete, well balanced wine. And about brut rose? Again long tirage process on the yeast. Again manual remuage on pupitres. Again an elegant wine with strong personality. Great great great. Here the white fruit leave space for red fruit delicate notes but also to some light citrus fruit scent. Chapeau!

A picture I took of Vincent and his father!

Champagne Beaufourt: just an emotion

In Champagne region there are hectares of vineyards. Most of them are of course the place where the most popular and international brands grapes are produced. Those magnificent Maison need for sure to be visited, for your personal culture. But to really understand the Champagne soul you need to step into the small villages out from Epernay and Reims giants. You need to knock the door of one of those intimate winemakers whose priority is still passion over business. And that's why I get to know Beaufort, an organic and byodinamic Champagne producer since 1969 when André (the "pioneer") discovered to be allergic to all synthetic products used in wine growing and decided to go towards a 100% natural approach using also aromatherapy and homeopathy principles. Going back to my experience I frankly remember such a genuine atmosphere on that August sunny day that I will never forget that long and at the same time quick wine tasting in the Beaufort simple "farmer kitchen". We set down at the table with another Italian guy owner of a restaurant in Milan who was there when we knocked the door. We tasted something like 10 Champagnes of different years (vintage ones) and I promise that even if it was in the morning and even if my stomach was totally empty I didn't have any sort of effect, being such a natural product. André son (Jacques) was so nice in explaining us about those wines despite of the language barrier (no French from our side, no Italian or English on his side :) ) and it was so evident his pure love with what he does every single day that words were not even necessary, just emotions in the air. The grapes grown by Beaufort family are Pinot Noir (to produce Blanc de Noirs) and Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs). They own 6.5 hectares both, part in Polisy and part in Ambonnay,
If I had to summarize the impression I got from his wines I would say that at the nose they are very mineral and fragrant, the perfume is not aggressive. Then, when it opens, you can smell very delicate fruits and flowers. The wine is sparkling but not exploding, its "bubbles" are very elegant and "polite". The taste is really special: at the beginning it's very fresh, slightly sour. Then it opens as it did with my nose, it's less shy and it reveals all its power!

There is only one defect in this wine: you would never stop drinking it!