Victoria's visit to Champagne France

In February 2026, I visited the city of Épernay, located in the Champagne region of France. I was quite impressed by the beauty, cleanliness, and peaceful atmosphere of the city — a stark contrast to Paris (and London, too).

Avenue de Champagne

The first destination I headed to was Avenue de Champagne, one of the most prestigious and expensive streets in the world, home to millions of bottles of Champagne in the cellars underground.

On this avenue, one can find a statue of Dom Pérignon, located at the Moët & Chandon office. Many mistakenly believe that Dom Pérignon invented sparkling wine. In fact, he disliked the bubbles in wine and sought to eliminate them, viewing the fizz as a defect. Monsieur Pérignon introduced blending technology in Champagne, pioneering the idea of mixing different grape varieties.

First Champagne House: Champagne Gosset

Let’s take a look at the first Champagne house I visited: Champagne Gosset, officially the oldest wine house in the Champagne region (Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house, but Gosset holds the title of the oldest wine house). The history of “Maison Gosset” dates back to 1584, when Pierre Gosset, Lord and Alderman of Aÿ, founded a négociant business. By the end of 1993, Champagne Gosset had joined the family-owned Renaud-Cointreau group, which has since focused on maintaining the house’s distinctive style.

At Gosset, only stainless steel tanks are used (no oak), and they never perform malolactic fermentation (MLF). MLF is a process where a type of bacteria transforms harsh malic acid (which tastes like green apples) into a softer, creamier lactic acid (similar to that found in milk).

I tasted six different wines from the house, and my favourite was Grande Réserve Brut NV. This entry-level Champagne tastes so superb that one might mistake it for an expensive vintage, yet the price for such quality is quite reasonable.

The Museum of Champagne

Next, I visited The Museum of Champagne (Château Perrier, 13 Av. de Champagne, 51200 Épernay). Here, you can learn about the history, geography, and geology of the Champagne region, including how it all began long before there was land (spoiler: it was once underwater).

Day Two: Château de Boursault

On day two, I visited Château de Boursault in the village of Boursault, just a 10-minute drive from Épernay. This stunning castle was built between 1843 and 1850 by Madame Clicquot Ponsardin, known as Veuve Clicquot (Widow Clicquot), who owned the Veuve Clicquot Champagne house. The château was sold by her heir to the Berry family of Canada from 1913 to 1927 and served as a military hospital during both World Wars. Today, the Château de Boursault brand of Champagne is made from grapes grown in the vineyards surrounding the château and is aged in its cellars.

Champagne House Number 3: Deutz

The third Champagne house I visited was Deutz, formerly known as Deutz & Geldermann. This Champagne producer is based in the village of Aÿ and was founded in 1838 by William Deutz and Pierre-Hubert Geldermann. I witnessed the process of disgorgement, where frozen sediment is removed from the bottles.

Next Stop: Champagne Comtesse Lafond

Next, I visited Champagne Comtesse Lafond. If you’ve seen the Netflix Christmas film Champagne Problems, you’ll recognize this grand castle. Located on Avenue de Champagne, right in the heart of Épernay, this Champagne house offers cellar and castle tours, tastings, and sabrage workshops. They also have two beautiful dogs who will charm you into playing with them, making you forget all about the wines!

Final Visit: Champagne de Venoge

The last Champagne house I visited was Champagne de Venoge, founded in 1837 by Swiss émigré Henri-Marc de Venoge. This historic house, located on the prestigious Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, is known for its elegant style, distinctive bottle shapes, and pioneering spirit. It was the first to release illustrated labels in 1838 and the first to produce a Blanc de Noirs in 1988. They even made first illustrated labels for Dom Perignon Champagne! LVMH wanted to buy these old labels from de Venoge but the latter house declined the offer.

Don’t forget to check out our Champagne range at Cellar Door Wines to discover the region. I am planning to return to the Champagne region soon, so stay tuned and follow our Instagram for videos from my trips — we’ve already posted some!