Dec 30 2008
A Bubbly New Year
Veuve Cliquot estate
Tomorrow night, thousands, nay millions, of bottles of champagne will be popped, sprayed around and drank. As I try to figure out where, and if, I’ll be having a champagne toast this New Year’s Eve, I couldn’t help but reminiscing about my semester in Paris and my visit to the champagne cellars in Reims, France. I visited the Pommery and Veuve Cliquot-Ponsardin champagne houses. Touring the champagne valley may sound luxurious and extravagant, but in actuality, it’s less pretentious than it sounds.
While the Pommery and Veuve Cliquot houses and showrooms aren’t exactly modest, the best part of the tours, and the most important part of any visit to the region, is walking through the chalk and limestone 
caves in which each and every bottle of champagne ferments for well over a year. Even if damp, dusty, cool wine cellars don’t appeal to you, never fear, for each visitor is rewarded with a glass of bubbly at the end of the tour. So whether you’re toasting with Andre, Veuve or Dom Perignon, Happy New Year!!
Read more about the Veuve Cliquot empire in the recently released book, The Widow Cliquot by Tilar J. Mazzeo and about the Champagne valley in the Michelin Green Guide for the Alsace Lorraine Champagne region.
Read more: France, Holidays, Michelin, TravelJess
