The Caviste Wine Shop: Grower Champagne Tasting Class

Tasting Class Location: The Caviste Wine Shop; 3443 Robinhood Rd; Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Champagne Tasted:

R. Dumont & Fils “Brut Tradition”
Jean Lallement Brut Grand Cru
Pierre OPeters “Cuvee de Reserve” Brut
Vilmart & Cie :Grand Cellier” Brut
Chartogne-Taillet Brut
L. Aubry Fils Brut Rosé

Tasting Price: $25

Comments: We frequently purchase wine from The Caviste Wine shop and when we heard they were going to have a Champagne tasting class we signed-up immediately. I’ll have to say we’re not Champagne drinkers…truthfully, after the class, I should say we were not Champagne drinkers…however, we have been to some OUTSTANDING educational tastings at the Caviste in the past (see Wine Tasting: The Caviste Wine Shop, Beaujolais Tasting) and knew this would be a great way to be introduced to “Grower Champagne” while learning about and sampling an array of outstanding Champagne from different wineries in France.

The class was limited to 12 tasters and was hosted by Russ Anderson, owner of the Caviste Wine Shop and Rick Bowman from Bordeaux Fine and Rare in Raleigh, North Carolina. Right from the start the experience was VERY different from a traditional wine tasting. Rick explained the appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) and described the different growing conditions within the region. We learned how Champagne grapes were harvested, blended & bottled, and about secondary fermentation, ageing, riddling, disgorgement and dosage. During this discussion we also began to understand the difference between grower produced Champagne and that turned out by the large wineries that mass-produce French Champagne.

As we tasted six different Champagnes Rick described the vineyard growing conditions and provided interesting stories about the growers different styles and how the geographic conditions of the vineyards could be identified in each glass we tasted. Learning and experiencing something new is always exciting and that’s exactly what this Champagne Class provided. We learned, we tasted and we all came away from the table with a better understanding and appreciation of Grower Champagne.

If your interested in wine and anywhere near the Winston-Salem area we really recommend attending a Caviste tasting event, we guarantee you will not be disappointed!!!.