This is a grand staircase indeed. It leads 60 meters down into the old chalk mines below the town of Reims. There are 24 km of these tunnels and all the Veuve Clicquot champagne that is aging can be found here. Veuve translates to widow in French and the name of the champagne is "Widow Cliquot". She was the widow of the champagne house owner who died at 31. She ran the business for 61 years after his death and is credited with many of the innovations that have gotten us to widely available champagne today. Of course she has not gotten the respect that she is due, but that is par for the course in the early 1800's. She wanted only one level of quality for her champagne and that was "exceptional". One example of how this is achieved is that the legal minimum ageing requirement is 18 months and the champagne here is aged here for 3 years. With the vintage years aged for six years, This has been Leslies favorite champagne since the heyday of the fizzy Fridays. So it was high up on our list of places to visit. It did not disappoint!
All smiles
Ready to enter the mecca of great champagne
Orange is their color so here they represent the bubbles of the champagne with orange bubbles
Ah, but we are here already
The maps of Reims and Epernay vineyards
Wine holders that look like hand cream
Let the swag times roll
Happy socks for only 30 euro
Reminiscent of the coke red bubble sign
Bring it on!
I love my Veuve Cliquot pillows
Yes, I am thirsty and ready
The logo projected on the floor of the cellars
Looking up to ground level 60 meters up
Chalk corridors
Hand carved out of the rock
She ran the company for 63 years after her husbands death. Her image is on the top of each of the Veuve bottle
