Champagne Tasting Weekend October 2019

I am organising a three-day trip by coach to the Champagne region on 4-6th October 2019 for a Bromley Meetup group and is being opened up to a couple of other Meetup groups including this one. If you are interested in joining us, please RSVP so I can contact you to give further information. I will require a deposit of £50 to secure your place with the remainder spread over three payments to help spread the costs. Any questions and how to make the payments, please contact me.

Details of the trip with costs are below:

During the weekend we will visit four different champagne producers – one Grande Marque and three family producers. The advantage of taking our own coach is that enables us to bring back champagne directly from the producers. We will typically taste four to six different champagnes at each family producer with the opportunity to buy. As we will be visiting mainly smaller family producers, prices are much lower with champagne starting typically from €16-20 per bottle.

We will be based in the town of Reims which has many other attractions including a stunning cathedral, fine dining restaurants and lots of lively bars and nightlife. Our hotel is situated right on the main pedestrian thoroughfare where there are lots of restaurants and bars.

ITINERARY

We will leave from Bromley around 7.30 on Friday morning in a comfortable, air-conditioned coach - the coach has 53 seats but numbers are limited to 35 people. We will arrive in Reims late afternoon and go straight to visit one of the major Champagne houses for a tour and tasting.

During the next two days we will head towards Epernay, the Montagne de Reims and the Cotes de Blancs to visit three family producers - two on Saturday and one on Sunday morning. On Saturday at lunchtime there will be free time to wander round the town of Epernay and in the evening there will be more free time in Reims.

We will head back to the UK after lunch on Sunday, arriving in Bromley around 8.45 pm.

The tour is organised by Christos Ioannou of Criterion Wine Tours. Christos who is a qualified wine educator will escort us throughout the tour and provide advice. He also runs this tour for his own Meetup group. See comments on a previous trip: https://www.meetup.com/The-London-Wine-Dining-and-Travel-Meetup/events/247047554/

The tour includes:-

• travel throughout by full size 53 seat executive coach, crossing by Eurotunnel

• two nights bed and buffet breakfast at the 4 star Hotel de la Paix in Reims. The hotel is very centrally located, has air conditioned rooms, a trendy bar and a small swimming pool. See www.bestwestern-lapaix-reims.fr

• visits and tastings at 4 different champagne producers (1 Grande Marque and 3 family producers)

• services of Christos Ioannou as wine expert and tour guide

The cost is £399 per person sharing a double or twin room based on 30 people attending, falling to £375 per person if we are able to get 35 people to attend, with a £65 supplement for single rooms of which there are a limited number. There are also a few upgraded twin/double ‘Privilege’ rooms available for an additional cost of £45 per person (not available for single rooms).

A deposit of £50 is required to secure a place followed by three payments on 1st March, 1st May and 1st July.