Afternoon Champagne visit & tasting class near Epernay

About this tour

Slip into a family-run Champagne house in Mareuil-sur-Ay for an afternoon grounded in how the region's signature wine actually gets made. You'll descend into 1850s-dug cellars, decode the winemaking mechanics via a traditional press, then sit down for a proper tasting class where you'll nose out aromatics, match flavours blind, and compete to identify three different bottlings—including a Grand Cru vintage. Local pastries and charcuterie round out the 90 minutes.

Highlights

• 19th-century cellars carved straight into the chalk
• Hands-on olfactory training to spot subtle flavour notes
• Blind tasting challenge across three distinct Champagnes
• Grand Cru vintage included in your pours
• Local food pairings with each glass
• Expert-led walkthrough of press and production

What to expect

You'll arrive at 4pm and be walked through the estate's cellars by someone who knows the family's methods inside out. The traditional press tells the story of how grapes become liquid. Then you'll settle in for the tasting: first a quiz to warm up your palate, followed by an olfactory session where you learn to catch subtle differences. The blind round is the real test—three glasses, no labels, and you're guessing which is which. Food and wine arrive together. By 5:30pm you're done.

Good to know

Arrange your own transport to Mareuil-sur-Ay. Under-18s can't participate in tastings but the cellar tour works for younger visitors if adapted. Dietary needs or allergies? Let them know ahead. Flat shoes recommended for cellars.