A Grand Day Out - in Champagne
What a great day last Friday was!
I was in Champagne taking one of my clients and some of their top customers on a fascinating and fun-packed day in France.
I'm finding that some of my clients are uncertain, amidst all economic the doom and gloom, whether or not to carry on with client hospitality and marketing of many types. One thing is certain though and that's the fact that looking after your existing customers and making sure they stay with you is a lot easier and less costly than losing them and having to look for new customers.
If you decide that you do wish to offer your best clients something to show them that you value their custom, then what better and more original way to do so than to give them an experience they couldn’t find elsewhere and that they’ll remember for a long time to come? The chances are that they will stay your customers for a long while to come as well.
What made the day so memorable ? Well, we covered the entire spectrum of champagne in a few hours, from the glamour and elegance of Moët & Chandon to the wonderful and little-known Salon des Vignerons Indépendents in Reims where, tasting glass in hand, you can meet and chat with hundreds of wine makers from all 4 corners of France, not to mention trying some great wines. All that and we still had time for a superb lunch too.
It was an early start mind you. 05.30 saw us all at the check-in desk at Manchester airport for a 06.40 flight to Paris. At that time in the morning the conversation in the plane was not very lively but the sight and taste of a great array of croissants and pains au chocolat wating for us in our coach when we got off the plane did wonders to restore our spirits.
A 90 minute drive later and we drew up at Moët & Chandon in the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. This is the street that has been described as the most expensive piece of real estate in the world – and it’s not because of all the elegant buildings, magnificent though they are.
No, it’s to do with the hundreds of millions of champagne bottles – I’m not exaggerating – that are lying quietly in the cellars under your feet as you walk down the avenue. It’s a sobering thought – although "sobering" may not be the best word.
If you’ve ever been to Moët & Chandon you’ll know that it’s very stylish. Loads of chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and beautiful antique furniture all around. It was a familiar sight for me as I worked at Moët for almost 10 years. Thanks to my former contacts we were able not just to have a private tour of the cellars but after the tour we were also invited to a special vintage champagne tasting in one of the private rooms.
We were served both vintage white and vintage rosé from the 2003 harvest and both were superb.
2003 was an extraordinary year, one of the hottest on record, with a very early and very small harvest. So abnormal were the weather conditions that year that only two champagne houses dared make a vintage 2003, Moët being one of them. The gamble certainly paid off and both wines were amazingly rich in colour, flavour and aroma after only a relatively short time in the cellars. Much as I like non-vintage champagne I was really struck by the extra dimension you can enjoy in a vintage.
Next stop was lunch at La Table Kobus – a fun parisien-style bistro five minutes walk from Moët. It’s a lively restaurant with, surprise, surprise a wide selection of champagnes which we tried our best to get through: Henri Goutorbe, Vazard Cocquart, René Geoffroy, names that you just don’t see in the shops in England, more’s the pity.
The highlight of the day was waiting for us in Reims at the city’s exhibition centre.
The Salon des Vignerons Indépendents takes place every year on the first weekend in November and it’s well worth the trip. Some 250 or so wine makers from all over France converge here to show their wares so that you can buy direct from the grower. Some great wines, some real characters to meet and talk to, excellent prices and just a lot of fun.
To make it even more special, all around the edge of the hall are dozens of stalls selling gastronomic delights such as cheese, chocolate, oysters, honey, meats and much more. It’s a real wine and food lover’s paradise. Entrance is all of €5 per person.
The fair was open until 9 p.m. but we had to get back to catch our flight home. Still, we had the consolation of gaining an hour on the way back so that we arrived back in Manchester at around 9.30 p.m. a little weary, but with some fantastic memories and happy clients.
If you’d like to know more about trips to Champagne just drop me an e-mail at
sparkle@champagne-discovery.co.uk for more details
Next year we’ll be going out there frequently to take our clients to the well known places and to show them some of the hidden gems. There’s lots going on in Champagne if you know where to look and I’d be delighted to help you.
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