What happens when you take one of the world’s most celebrated wines and submerge it 60 metres beneath the waves, surrounded by darkness,...
by Lucy Edwards · source ↗
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Tucked away in the Barséquanais, Les Riceys isn't just any Champagne village. It's the largest by vineyard area in the entire region, with over 840 hectares under vine. But it's not just size that makes it special. Les Riceys is the only village in Champagne that can legally produce all three of the region's appellations: AOP Champagne, AOP Coteaux Champenois, and the elusive AOP Rosé des Riceys. That alone should earn your attention.
For centuries, the power of champagne has resided in its blend; its ability to weave together villages, vintages, and grape varieties...
If your understanding of Champagne ends at the chalky slopes of Épernay and the stately maisons of Reims, it’s time to look further south. The Aube, long the quiet, Pinot-driven ugly cousin of the region, has remained in the shadows for much of Champagne’s modern history. For decades, the grandes maisons discreetly sourced fruit from its bucolic hillsides south of Troyes, while rarely acknowledging its origin. The reason? The Aube was considered second-tier; useful, but not worthy of celebration
