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Cossy Champagne

Champagne Houses

Champagne houses vary. We visited a smaller house in a small village west of Reims.

Walking up the hill, we passed rows of vines. Some belonged to F. Cossy and some did not. Seemingly, they all ran together on the hill side. In reality, they did not.

That’s what makes this area so special. Even though vines run up and down the hills, through the small villages, and next to the winding roads it’s different than in many places. You won’t find acres of vines for as far as you can see which are all owned by one winery.

Here, an entire row may be owned by different people. One person may have vines which go a few feet or a few hundred feet. It doesn’t mean the whole hectare belongs to one person.

We set off to the small village of Jouy-les-Reims in search of a Champagne house a sommelier friend suggested. Traveling on narrow roads through small villages, we thought we may have made a wrong turn and were actually driving on a private lane. We’ve driven on a lot of roads similar to these. This time, we were following the GPS and wondered if we had entered the wrong address.

Houses and buildings perched so close to the road we could reach out and touch them. Vines with small bunches of remaining grapes begged to be photographed. There would have been no room to meet another vehicle. Maybe we were on the wrong road.

Turning a tight corner, we arrived at the address. Since it was a house and not what we were expecting, I called the winery owner. We were in the right place and she was on her way to meet us.

Some of her vines were ones we had passed. This time, we could photograph them. And, taste the remaining grapes. So sweet. She has other vines in a neighboring village.

Sophie Cossy had taken over the winemaking part of their family business when her father unexpectedly passed away. She was only 25 at the time. Young for a winemaker of a Champagne house. Their family had been farming these vineyards since 1764. They had been bottling under their own label since the 1950s.

The tour of her operation and the tastings were outstanding. Of all the Champagnes we tasted…these were among the best.

If you are in the Champagne area or are planning a trip, do not miss this house.

If You Go: Located in the 1er Cru village Jouy-les-Reims. You will be on the western outskirts of Reims. Check their website for visiting information, champagne-cossy.com.

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Ay, France…I want to Go Back

Ay, France

We spent part of day in Ay. We should have spent more time there.

Why?

Only five minutes from Epernay and 30 minutes from Reims, Ay sits at the foot of the Reims mountain, among the slopes of a UNESCO World Heritage vineyard. For wine drinkers, these vineyards are classified as 100% Grand Cru. Special.

A thousand years old, Ay-Champagne is renowned for its vineyards since the Gallo-Roman era.

We went to visit La Cite du Champagne, a museum. Keep in mind, this isn’t a normal museum. During the guided tour, we learned about the history of the revolt of winemakers in 1910 and 1911.

They were revolting against the poor quality of champagne supplies brought in from other countries. Some of the larger houses were thought to be creating inferior Champagnes. A few smaller Champagne houses and growers got together and burned down big Champagne houses in 1911.

Yes…they burned several during these riotous times.

After a tour of the underground limestone caves, our visit commenced with tasting the Champagnes unique to Champagne Collet.

Wandering around town, we discovered more about Ay.

Rene Lalique, born here in 1860, is known as one the greatest jewelers of all times as well as a master glassmaker. His style is instantly recognizable, having a major influence on the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements.

Female figures, flora, and fauna were his main sources of inspiration.

Perfumers sought out his designs for their bottles, cities asked for him to design and build their fountains, and car manufacturers wanted Lalique radiator caps.

His presence is felt throughout the town with statues, glass displays, and special street markers.

There is still more to Ay, France. We just haven’t discovered it yet.

Guess that means we will have to go back for another visit.

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Vacation Rentals…What Do You Want?

A few More Vacation Rental Tips

I know I have posted some tips to think about before you rent a vacation home, apartment, or flat. The following are some tips from readers, from personal experience, and from other travel professionals. They are by no means complete.

If you have tips or suggestions…please send them my way.

  • Read the reviews before you book. All of them. The good, the bad, and the ugly ones. If you keep seeing the same issue or problem in several reviews, chances are there is a problem or issue. If you only see one person who rants about the place, he or she either had a genuinely bad experience or they just like to complain. Keep reading.
  • Look at the dates of those reviews. If there was a problem three years ago, has the owner addressed that complaint in a more recent post? Are the most current reviews from two years ago? If so, you may want to look at another place with more current reviews.
  • Does the owner or manager speak your language? If you prefer they respond in English, is that one of the languages spoken? Or, are you going to have to rely on your college French to understand what you are renting?
  • Do you have the ability to contact the owner or manager? Both before and once you arrive. By phone or email? Does it say how soon they will respond? What about after you arrive? Will there be someone to talk to if a problem should arise once you unpack your bags?
  • Read the description. If it says two bathrooms, great. Keep reading. Do those bathrooms include toilet, sink, tub, shower, or what? Never assume a bathroom has all the above. We have stayed in generously sized apartments with three or more bedrooms and had only one toilet. We had three showers in separate rooms, but one very small room with a toilet.
  • Check the location before you book. Check street view, Google earth, and map view. You may find out the apartment that looks fantastic inside is located next to an industrial warehouse or a train station. Maybe not what you want. What is located around it? How does the building look on the outside? Is it neat or does it look run down? Is the street filled with bars and nightclubs? If so, your sleeping may be affected.
  • If you want laundry facilities, add that to your filters when looking at places. Many apartments in Europe have one facility which is both a washer and a dryer. You just use the appropriate button. It might be a good idea to take a few laundry pods with you. Be sure to label them and secure them in a resealable plastic bag. Put them in your checked luggage. If you are only carrying on your luggage, be sure to bring powdered pods. Label them well or leave them in their original container. I buy a small package of them so I can leave them sealed in their original bag. There is no doubt what they are if TSA wants to look at them.
  • Many times, apartments do not have bars of soap. Or, they have really tiny ones. If you are there for a longer time, it would be a good idea to bring your own soap. If I stay in a hotel and do not use the multiple bars there, I will toss one in my bag and take it with me when I travel to Europe. I already take my own shampoo, so why not soap?
  • When you return home, be sure to write a review on the site where you booked. Your comments may be what someone else was wondering about.

I will have more suggestions later. Do you have anything to add?

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JY’s in Colmar…A Favorite

If you have ever been to a Michelin starred restaurant, you will understand what sets them apart.

In Colmar, JY’s is a perfect example and an amazing restaurant. It’s food, presentation, service, and so much more.

Salmon tartare with avocado, light sauce, and tiny edible flowers to start.

No, that is not an egg. Served in a real eegg shell, this in-between course tasted like a tropical pina colada.

Delightful wines…of course.

After many courses, including dessert, espresso and dessert bites finished our three hour lunch.

On our way out we had the opportunity to meet the chef.

A fantastic experience. Thank you JY

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Cremant

Cremant

Cremant means creamy in French and is the word used to denote sparkling wine made in the “Methode Champenoise” in any region other than Champagne.

For instance, Cremant de Loire is in the Loire area. Sparkling wines here are most likely made from Chenin Blanc or Cabernet Franc grapes.

Cremant de Bourgogne (Burgundy), Cremant de Jura, and Cremant d’Alsace are other regions. In the Alsace it might be made from Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc or even Gewürztraminer.

Each region uses their blend of grapes.

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WineSellar Award

WineSellar did it again. They won Best of Award of Excellence 2019

What does this award mean? 
These wine lists display excellent breadth across multiple wine growing regions and/or significant vertical depth of top producers, along with superior presentation. Typically offering 350 or more selections, these restaurants are destinations for serious wine lovers, showing a deep commitment to wine, both in the cellar and through their service team.

Only 1,244 restaurants were awarded this! With over 15 million restaurants world wide that means 1 in every 12,000 restaurants have received this honor! 

It could be why we love this place! Lunch…dinner…or a bottle of wine…it’s all fantastic.