A big day was in store as we left early to drive south to the Côtes des Bars. This is the most southerly part of the Champagne and the town of Bar-sur-Seine is closer to Chablis than it is to Reims! It is an important region accounting for 20% of Champagne’s production and yet has always been in the shadow of the more prestigious areas further north.
Our first stop was at Maison Devaux. Formed in 1987 when the Devaux House merged with the Auboise cooperative and comprises 500 growers representing 800 hectares of vineyard. We were hosted by the excellent Cathy Mathieu who delivered a concise family history before leading us for a short walk around the grounds, a clear Seine river and the dovecote.
This was followed by a superb tasting which focussed on their top level D range. Covering a mix of Brut, Extra Brut, Rose, Blanc de Blancs and Vintage, this was a fascinating tasting. We finished with the rare 2013 Stenope – a collaboration between Devaux and Michel Chapoutier of Rhone fame. Utterly delicious.
From Devaux, it was twenty minutes to the restaurant Le Val Moret where we dined on sturgeon gravadlax, perfectly cooked beef and another Baba – but this time with a special Troyes liqueur.
Having made the executive decision not to have coffee as we were running late, we arrived at the renowned Champagne house – Maison Drappier. What followed was a truly magnificent presentation by Samuel who conveyed the essence and spirit of Drappier that had us all hanging on his every word. Drappier has a stunning cellar that was first dug by monks in the 12th Century. They use a lot oak foudres for keeping their reserve wines and there is a wonderful sense of history emanating throughout the building.
We finished our tour and entered an elegant Salon where we tasted an excellent selection of Champagnes that gave us yet another insight into the nuances of the region.
A top day!
