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World Wine Travel Writers Reminisce Over Summer Sips
This month, our World Wine Travel writers are remembering travel moments over a glass of wine and “nibbles”. In France, late afternoon is apéro time, where we do just that. I’m thinking about a trip to the more rural Côte des Bar of Champagne this spring, just before we left for our time in the US. Our other writers will have some fun memories to share so be sure to look to the bottom of this post for links to their posts!

(click on any photo for a full-size slide show)

Côte des Bar: Champagne’s Quieter Corner
It’s easy to get to Reims and Épernay from Paris by train, but the southern Côte des Bar region is much more remote. The Côte des Bar is closer to the northern corner of Bourgogne, Chablis and Côte Chatillonais, than it is to the northern cities of Champagne. The soils are similar to those in nearby Chablis, though the primary grape grown here is Pinot Noir.

A Drive to Champagne Vaucelle
From Dijon (our home for half the year) however, it’s just a 90 minute drive through beautiful French countryside. The route follows the Seine river and the small towns along the way make the time go quickly. After a winery visit, Le Garde Champêtre is a great stop for lunch or dinner. Even though it’s located in rural Gyé-sur-Seine, it was 100% full on a Tuesday in April at lunch!

Champagne Vaucelle
If you think things never change in traditional regions such as Champagne, think again. I met with Thomas Cheurlin and Jérémy Bovy at Wine Paris in February. They explained that Thomas had decided to develop a new brand separate from the Champagne House Thomas Cheurlin which is distributed mainly within France. Thomas decided to use only estate vineyards and to concentrate on producing premium bottlings for restaurants and export. The vineyards are certified HVE3 (High Environmental Value) and VDC (Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne). Concentrating exclusively on estate grapes, the new brand is classified as a grower-producer. Jérémy, the marketing director, invited me to visit in the spring. We toured one of the vineyards with a beautiful view over the 5 valleys from rivers entering the Seine. In the cellar, we tasted through the whole line. Each Champagne had a unique identity which showed beautifully in the glass. I’m a big fan of rosé Champagne made by saignée method; that is, Pinot Noir grapes are crushed and the skins stay in contact with the juice for a period of time to give color and flavor to the base wine. Most rosé Champagne is made by adding a bit of Pinot Noir still wine to the normal white base wine to provide color. A saignée method rosé Champage ends up with more body and flavor compared to the more typical blended rosé Champagne. I purchased a bottle at the winery and brought it back to the US with me when we returned this spring.

Disclosure: None required, I purchased the Champagne at the winery.

Champagne Vaucelle Le Suchot Rosé
100% Pinot Noir from estate vineyards, a rosé Champagne made by saignée
Eye: Deep salmon color with fine, persistent bubbles.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas of cherry blossom, fresh red cherries, red strawberries, a bit of brioche
Mouth: Dry, lively fresh high acidity, surprisingly rich body, medium alcohol, medium flavor intensity, medium plus finish. Flavors follow the aromas with cherry, straberry and brioche.
Observations: This wine does indeed have more body and flavor than many Champagnes, it tastes like real rosé made into Champagne. The dosage at 10 grams is spot on to balance a lovely refreshing acidity. Well done!

Champagne Vaucelle Suchot Rosé with Grilled Vegetables and Romesco Sauce
Today’s food to pair with our Champagne came from another trip this spring. Visiting Barcelona, we took a fun cooking class and one of the dishes we learned was grilled vegetables with romesco sauce. It has become a staple at our house! The recipe from our class included a couple of ingredients which I have not been able to find in the US, so I have been using a slightly modified version of this recipe from NY Times. The key ingredients are roasted red peppers, roasted tomatoes, garlic and almonds/hazelnuts. If you want veggies to disappear, serve them with romesco sauce!

World Wine Travel Writers Share Trips, Sips, and Tastes
Take a look below at the ideas shared by my fellow World Wine Travel Writers

• A Wine to Enjoy Around the Campfire by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Montefalco Rosso, New Favorite Tuesday Wine by Avvinare
• Our Central European Whirlwind – Prague, Vienna, and Budapest – Paired with Wine by Culinary Cam
• Sipping, Nibbling, and Hiking Through the Finger Lakes by Side Hustle Wino
• South Dakota Wine and Other Summer Sips by Cooking Chat
• Summer Wine Adventures: Cedar Lake Cellars by Our Good Life
• A Day at Champagne Vaucelle Remembered at Apéro by Food Wine Click!