All About Champagne

Since my recent journey to the Champagne region of France, I have writing and planning a number of posts, several which you will find on my blog this upcoming week. It was a fascinating region, one that I recommend you visit, and I had the opportunity to taste plenty of delicious Champagnes. This is a region with a rich and vibrant history, and which remains relevant today as well. Though there is much tradition in Champagne, they are not adverse to change, and there are a number of mavericks and innovators in the region. Though you will find plenty of producers holding true to the traditions too.    

My journey was part of a journalist trip, sponsored by the Center for Wine Origins and CIVC, and we stayed in historic Reims, though we also traveled to several other villages in the region. Our itinerary included visits to eight Champagne Houses, Cooperatives and Growers, including Penet-Chardonnet, Philipponnat, Mailly Grand Cru, Bruno Paillard, Nicolas Feuillatte, Pierre Gimonnet, Jacquesson and Collard-Picard. We met winery owners and winemakers, toured vineyards and cellars, tasted many different Champagnes, paired Champagnes with our meals, learned much and had great fun.

I felt it would be very helpful to my readers to compile the links to my Champagne related posts in a single place. This post will be that repository, and as such will be constantly updated when I write another article about Champagne. Some of these articles were written before my trip, and others afterwards. The posts will be listed in chronological order, from oldest to newest.

An Early History of Champagne: Part 1
An Early History of Champagne: Part 2
An Early History of Champagne: Part 3
Bound for France: Champagne!
Rant: Protecting Champagne From The U.S.: (Part 2)
Ten Things You Should Know About Champagne
Six More Things You Should Know About Champagne
Grower Champagne: Viva La Revolución!
Champagne Day: October 28 (Plus a Contest!)
Champagne Collard-Picard: The Sublime Cuvee des Archives
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils: Trésors de Champagne
Champagne Bruno Paillard: The Art of Assemblage

And the following posts are not directly connected to my Champagne trip, but they deal with important  and relevant Champagne issues so I thought that they would be of interest.

Rant: Barefoot Cellars, Avoiding My Champagne Questions
Rant: Protecting Champagne From The U.S.
Rant: Champagne is Elitist
The Widow Clicquot & Champagne