is anyone open for tour & tasting on Saturday in Champagne?

We arrive in Paris Saturday am in late June and head directly to champagne for the weekend. We have an appt Monday and lunch on Sunday planned. Is anyone open for tour and tasting on Saturdays?

https://cellars-booking.taittinger.fr/visit/

thanks Howard.

Mumm is open on Saturday but I don’t recommend it.

Reach out to Vouette et Sorbée. Or better yet, have Jake reach out for you. We visited a couple of weeks ago, then had lunch at Le Garde Champetre, which I recommend.

I would recommend skipping Taittinger - not a good tour and you would be better off spending the same time and money with a nice glass of Champagne on a patio in the center of the city. However, Ruinart is open on Saturday and is a worthwhile experience - better wines poured for the tasting, a beautiful property, and a really interesting tour of thier very historic (Roman era) caves.

Roger that.

While I agree a visit to Ruinart is superior (they arguably have the most impressive caves), I disagree that Taittinger is not a good visit.

For weekend visits in Champagne, unless you reach out to smaller folks or have a connection, you are going to be limited to a few big houses. I agree with Ray that Taittinger is quite good and they are also very flexible in terms of what a visit can be (if you contact them and let them know what you are looking for). Ruinart, Clicquot, Pommery, and others in the Reims ‘Crayeres’ area are all great visits from a cellar perspective regardless of the wine quality. The Epernay houses will also be open, but the cellars are not as impressive from an artistic or historical standpoint.

If you have a favorite smaller producer, reach out. Many times, if they are available, they will be happy to receive you on a Saturday.

Just spent a couple of days in Champagne last week (not on a Saturday, however). Stayed in Reims at Domaine Les Crayeres, which was amazing. We had tried to book Ruinart but messed up (long story) so we went to Taittinger. Tour was fine (large groups though), and the caves were massive. If you go, do the more expensive tasting from the options list (better champagne).

Next day we had a driver take us. Went to 2 small producers, with lunch at Royal Champagne. Great spot for lunch, by the way. First was Ployez-Jacquemart, about 20 minutes from Reims. After lunch we went to Voirin Jumel. I would call Ployez and see if they can accommodate you. Nice, small tour (6 in the group). They have a good cave tour and take their time with you. Champagne was very nice, including a really good zero dosage. Voirin was OK, but wouldn’t go back, and the tour is pretty short.

If you get a chance, the restaurant at Domaine Les Crayeres, Le Parc, is amazing. MIchelin 2-star, and the chef’s prep fixe menu with the wine parings was incredible. Service was a choreographed event. Also recommend Le Crypto. Small place downtown with excellent food.

I did a visit at both places in one day last summer. I thought the tours were comparable. Taittinger makes a lot more different cuvees of wine than does Ruinart and some of the ones that are much less expensive than Ruinart’s “basic” wine are not as good as are the Ruinart “basic” wine but drinking the Comte de Champagne (I had the 2007 last summer) was quite special as was having the Dom Ruinart vintage blanc and rose wines. Sorry, but I just don’t see the vast differences in the experiences that you suggest. Both were fun tours. Not like spending an hour or more with a top Burgundy producer (you are in both cases going around with a tour guide), but still very glad I did both. Comte de Champagne and Dom Ruinart are two of my favorite Champagnes.

If you want to try a small producer with grand cru and an intimate tasting experience at no cost, Id recommend Eric Rodez, http://en.champagne-rodez.com/actualite_champagne-rodez-130

send him an email and maybe you can get an appointment. Phenomenal tour where he interviews you on why you chose him to visit. Great wine and visit. I have had the fortune of living in Germany for the past 4 years and it’s only 3.5 hours to Champagne by car so I have been a bunch of times. Four years ago i had no interest in champagne, now I can’t get enough. Going back in a few months. Is it snobby to only seek out grand cru from small producers? Lol. Another tasting room open on a Saturday ( no English though but it doesn’t matter it is still a lot of fun) is N. Potie. They have one Grand cru champagne for 20 euros. They also haves some nice premier cru at 15-18 euro which I stock up on every visit. As you can see, i prefer the small houses with little to no export. I did visit one large house and while it was cool to see the caves , I bought nothing except a hefty entrance and tasting fee. I would still do it, but i would still buy nothing. So much great champagne from small producers at a fraction of the cost. Have fun!