A quick stop off in Champagne
Finally got some pictures uploaded, so finishing off the trip. From Alsace, you pretty much have to pass by or through Champagne to get to Paris, so stopping there is a no-brainer. Having recently been chatting with Frank Murray about his Champagne explorations, he recommended a small producer he had been talking to, so I contacted Frédéric Minière, who was happy to have us visit. Champagne Minière is located in the small village of Hermonville, about 8 miles northwest of Reims, in the far northern reaches of Champagne. Frederic and his brother, Rodolphe took over the estate from their father in 2007, and started down the path of bottling their own estate wines, from 8Ha of vines that had until then gone to other producers. From their web site:
Grapevines have been cultivated in Hermonville since the 12th century. We are the fourth generation to work on the estate. Founded in 1919 by our great-grandfather Alfred, he created his own wine press and sold his wines to the merchants of Reims. The estate has grown extensively over the years. After completing our winemaking studies and several years of professional experience, we took over the estate in 2005 and decided to produce our own wines in oak barrels so as to promote the values of our exceptional heritage.
With almost 8Ha of land, our vineyards are primarily located in Hermonville, whose magnificent, south-east facing hillsides are flooded with sunshine. The upper hills are covered in sand-loam soil while the lower areas are loam, clay and sand. These well-draining soils contain high levels of minerals which force roots downwards to feed the vines deep within the soil and saturate the sap with mineral elements.
Frederic speaks decent english, and was very welcoming, spending a couple of hours with us touring the cellar, tasting barrel samples (a first for me in Champagne, and not an easy task at all), and opening a few bottles in his tasting room. The wines are very fresh and crisp, though obviously young. A producer to watch for sure.
Vineyards in Hermonville
Champagne Minière
Yeast and sediment collecting in the bottle during riddling
Frédéric Minière in his cellar
Bottle aging
Minière tasting room
Old and new
As we were leaving, with a few more bottles to pack, Frederic recommended a restaurant owned by a friend of his, so after making the obligatory stop at the Caves du Forum wine shop, we wandered by Restaurant Le Crypto. Of course they weren’t open yet (only Americans eat before 7:30), so we gave them our name and took the short walk over to Reims Cathredal
I feel sorry for the poor guy in the middle, forced to hold his own severed head.
Le Crypto
Veal medallions, and some amazing olive oil and herb mashed potatoes
Small, good energy bistro, excellent, simply prepared food, decent BTG wine list
The next morning we had arranged to stop in and taste at Vilmart, a favorite of ours
Random blonde tasting Champagne
Barrel room. On a previous visit we had a nice tour of the entire facility, but I think you probably have to request this specially, otherwise you’ll just get a regular tasting appointment where they set you up with the lineup of wines, and let you taste through on your own.
I like the stems they use here
This tree-lined road driving around Champagne was stunning in person
We’ll always have Paris
Well, the wine trip is over, but I’ll throw this in here for people who wanted to know what we ate and drank in Paris. Nothing overly fancy, I’m just a simple unfrozen caveman tourist, looking for interesting food and wine.
Easy drive into Paris, drop off wife and luggage at hotel, get quizzical looks from proprietor as I unload box after box of wine that needs to be consolidated and repacked, return car to Hertz, pleasant walk back to hotel.
We stayed at Hotel de Fleurie in the 6th, because, well, I love Fleurie! On a narrow, one way street, just off Boulevard Saint-Germain, good location to get everywhere, old style, but comfy enough.
I do love Paris, no other city like it
Dinner that evening was at Semilla, on Rue de Seine
If there’s pumpkin anything, she gets it
Roasted beet salad for me
If there’s veal, I get it
I believe this was Salmon
Online pictures of Semila looked a little cold and sterile, but it was warm, friendly, and energetic, a wonderful meal, and highly recommended
Semilla kitchen
Walking off dinner
Macarons are the “in” thing at the moment
The most modern store we saw all trip
The next day we had reservations for lunch, so time to wander around and do some sightseeing. Don’t think I can remember seeing no line to get into Notre Dame
Don’t know why this makes me think “How do you solve a problem like Maria?”
I expect this kind of honor from my family when I’m gone
Everybody’s working for this…
Strolling over to the 11th for lunch, the cell phone data plan paid for itself in being able to locate the nearest public toilet. We also stumbled on the huge farmers market at Place de la Bastille, which runs Thursdays and Sundays. Nearly canceled our lunch reservation.
Almost cut my hair
Happened just the other day
Feed your head, feed your head
Chernobyl Medical Center
We ate at Septime back in 2011, a few months after they opened, and just after they got written up in the NY Times as a hot new Paris restaurant. It was a very enjoyable dinner back then, so we wanted to go back this trip. Of course, between then and now it has a *, and is more difficult to get reservations. Fortunately, they also do lunch (at half the price of dinner), and (unlike dinner) you can get a lunch reservation online - if you do it at just the right time, 22 days in advance. Lunch is a prix fixe menu, with two starters, and a choice of main course. We ordered from the interesting and affordable BTG menu, but I saw a number of bottles being ordered as well from their broader wine list. We love this restaurant.
Raw Scallops with hazelnuts
Chantarelles with red escarole
Septime kitchen
Come and get it!
Vanilla gelato with hazelnut paste
Paris afternoon scenes
I’m still trying to understand this one
Chocolate ice cream at Berthillon. It’s the best, Jerry, the best.
Dinner that night was at Juveniles wine bar, a place we’d heard about for years but never tried. Pleasant, acceptable food, OK but unremarkable wine list. Fine, but no hurry to get back.
Maybe should have gone here, lots of people waiting for dinner at 9pm
Or here, Relais de l’Entrecôte
But not here
Cylon cruise on the Seine
We were told that THE historically classic breakfast spot was Ladurée, so on our last full day breathing French air, we headed there. Definitely throw-back, old time, but fun to do once
French version of Eggs Benedict
French Toast. In France they just call it toast…
After breakfast, you can head back downstairs and pick from some of the most expensive macarons and pastries in Paris
And a few more Paris scenes
Le Jardin du Luxembourg
Basilique Sainte-Clotilde
Last supper was at Les 110 de Taillevent, baby sister of the famed ** restaurant, whose name stems from it’s 110 wine by the glass offering (and also quite a bit more affordable, though the food, wine, and service were excellent). As usual, we are the first diners to arrive, and given our choice of tables.
The last time I will have to risk death standing in the middle of a busy Paris street to photograph a stupid restaurant
Open, open, open…
After almost three weeks of dining around Italy and France, time to show some restraint. We’ll just have all the starters.
And the wines we drank
So long Paris
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