After doing a tour and tasting at Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (VCP), we decided to stop by La Vinocave…read moreon our way back to the Reims train station. This shop is located on the Place Drouet D'Erlon which is lined with restaurants, chocolatiers, patisseries, bars and cafés and is a 5 minute walk from the station. My sister needed to buy a specific Champagne brand as a belated wedding gift for a friend who loves Champagne. She wanted to buy a bottle of Ruinart Champagne (Ruinart's the oldest champagne house in France). The people at VCP recommended that we visit La Vinocave to buy Ruinart. We took their advice and we were not disappointed. My sister was able to buy a Ruinart at the price point she was willing to pay. I really really wanted to buy something to bring home but I packed light for this trip and I did not have room for more things! They have so many different brands of Champagne! I have not never even heard of many of them. It's worth coming in here just to see the collection and learn or get a recommendation from the very knowledgeable owner!

Cave tour was sufficient, gift shop was great and FOOD IS AMAZING! We were so tired and wanted to…read morego back for a nap and took a shot and had lunch at Veuve. The burger was incredibly flavorful and cooked perfectly- it was a little crisp on the edges- which was nice- the sauce on the burger was exceptional. The avocado toast was delicious served with tomato and pickled onions. Fries were good - everything was so tasty!!!

Cafe Clicquot -- A Perfect Champagne Moment!…read more Absolutely loved Cafe Clicquot! The warm orange decor was so cheerful and stylish -- totally on-brand and instantly uplifting. The staff were wonderful, friendly, and attentive without hovering (which I really appreciate). We ordered glasses of Yellow Label and Rosé, both perfectly chilled and just fabulous -- because really, what's better than sipping Champagne in Champagne? We also shared a charcuterie board, which was generous and delicious, and finished with the apple dessert topped with Chantilly cream -- honestly to die for! The texture, the sweetness, the cream... pure heaven. The whole experience felt refined yet relaxed, and for around USD $95 total, it was an absolute bargain for the quality, service, and ambiance.

We arrived at about 9:15pm at Le Coq Rouge after trying unsuccessfully to get into two other…read morerestaurants without reservations. The place was buzzing and after initially being told that they were full, the owner ran after us as we were leaving and offered us a table. This wine bar is an absolute gem. Not only were we warmly welcomed but we had an amazing wine tasting paired with a delicious charcuteries/cheese plate, melt in your mouth meatballs, mini sardines. The real Stars of the experience were of course the wines. We went By the glass, starting with a delicious Philliponat brut Champagne, an Alice Corton, and then a Cotes du Rhône. If we come back to Reims, we will definately call ahead to make a reservation, or get down on our knees to beg for a table.

What a wonderful place! Terrific ambiance. Really packed with locals. Loved the sounds of everyone…read morespeaking French, the clatter of wine glasses, and the whirring of the hand cranked meat slicer. The tables are really close together and the candle light is magical. You can't help but get to know your neighbors which added to the convivial atmosphere. They have an extensive wine list, by the bottle for the most part. It wasn't a problem to consume with the steady stream of nibbles we ordered. The Iberico was delicious. We also got the Mont d'Or: a baked rind cheese served with a baguette, roasted potatoes and salad. It was luxurious. The cheese was enclosed in a wooden basket and when baked turned molten in the middle while the rind became cracklingly crisp. Wow! I suggest their cote du bouef. Others ordered it, a huge platter of melting cheese, beef, roasted potatoes and more. Oh and dessert we had a duo of crime brûlée (vanilla and pistachio) which came with crime brûlée ice cream on the side. The staff speak French and were happy to help even though they were so busy. A real gem.

Day two of our journey through Champaign country. We stopped at TAITTINGER for tasting. Blown…read moreaway...the tour of the facility, excellent, the gift shop...yes, promised myself would not buy anything...but did. The presenter was nothing less than fantastic...explaining in detail the various Champaigns and the process. We were merged with another group to increase the numbers but were not loss in the crowd. When visiting France, Paris in particular take the time to visit..saunte...

A must visit when close to Paris, it is not a far drive or a train ride to Reims. It is advised to…read moremake reservations before you arrive and the tour is wonderful. The caves are vast and the history, and the craftsmanship of the riddling ismind-boggling,. It is nothing like you'll see in Napa Valley or in the western world. The caves here hold millions of bottles. The history of the family, the champagne house architecture and of course the champagne makes this a fun and cultural experience. Now, shipping back to the U.S. is allowed, just be prepared to pay $$$$.

Largish Champagne shop outside the cathedral. Lots of small producer champagne, a reasonable…read moreselection of 1/2 bottles. Quite a few large format bottles, too, and some older vintages. A good variety to choose from, including the ubiquitous yellow label. Prices here seem a tad higher than the other two shops, but the selections barely overlap. Staff is not overly friendly or itching to help you. 15 euro min on CC purchases.

We had a fantastic experience here - the staff spoke English and was happy to make some…read morerecommendations for us, all of which were spot on and not very pricey at all. They were friendly - when we ducked in out of the pouring rain, he even offered me a paper towel to dry my glasses. The prices seemed competitive to me and cheaper than the champagne houses. They had an extensive selection of small and large producers.

First off, to be clear, this is a review of the cellar tour, NOT the cafe; that's another review…read more That being said, Veuve Clicquot is a massive champagne winery with a fascinating backstory. I won't get into that here, but, if you take a winery tour, you will hear about it. There's actually a movie on Netflix detailing it as well, but the winery points out what they got wrong. Anyway, this place is easy to get to, either from Reims itself, or on a day trip from Paris. From Paris, you could take a bus, or take the TGV (45 minutes to an hour), from Gare de l'Est (be sure to validate your ticket before you board!). If traveling locally, if you have a vehicle, they have lots of parking in their lot across the street. Once you arrive, check in at the front desk, then they will direct you where to go. Be on time - seriously, you're super rude for something like this if you're late. They will try to accommodate you if you are, but just plan extra time. Anyway, where you go after checking in depends on which tour you booked, and there are several options. Your level of booking will impact the champagne you taste at the end, but my guess is the tour is relatively the same regardless. You start the tour with a quick video and intro to the tour guide, then it's off to the cellars. The cellars are actually crayeurs, or old chalk mines from way back. These cellars are deep, hence dark and cool, which makes them ideal for making champagne. While on the tour, they'll discuss the history, the technology, the craft, and so on, all in different chambers of the crayeur. Interestingly, Veuve Clicquot actually invented a technique that revolutionized champagne making at the time, a process that is still done today (though via much more modern methods). They do two to three tours at a time, so if one crowd gets rowdy, I can see how that would get loud, as others have said in other reviews, but it was not an issue on my tour. The culmination of the tour, and probably also the loudest part, is the tasting. Again, depending on what you booked, you will have varying levels of quality. This part is particularly fun, and the tastings are delicious! They provide lots of detail about the wine, how it's aged, its flavor, and so on. It's very interesting, and even more so if you're a fan of the brand. After the tasting, you return back to the main building, though a different entrance than you left. They do have a boutique with lots of great items, including some famous vintages (such as 2015), so it's definitely worth taking a look. If you feel so inclined, grab a bottle of La Grand Dame, then hit up the cafe outside (which is a different review). Overall, this place is really quite amazing, and they've got things organized incredibly well. If you can only choose one or two tastings in your time here, this would be a solid one to choose.

I love Veuve, but the tour and tasting was only ok…read more Three tours happening what seems to be almost simultaneously, where we could here a child singing from another private group. It made it very difficult to hear our guide even after getting much tighter as a group. The tasting took place in the dark crayeres, which was cool, but would have been nice to sit down and relax in a nicely lit room like other tastings like Ruinart, which is also owned by LVMH. Why not keep it consistent??

This is a must if you plan on bringing champagne back home with you. Not only is it much cheaper…read morethan buying directly from the champagne houses, but the staff here are incredibly knowledgeable and will help walk you through you palate and match it to any variety they feel would be a good fit. We left with around 4 bottles, all around the price of what one Pommery or Taittinger vintage would go for. And not only are these bottles not available in the United States, but they are seldom available in Paris. If you go to Reims for champagne, this is a must do. But make sure that this is around the end of your trip there, or else you'll be lugging around heavy ass bottles all day.

One of three Champagne stores near the cathedral. Fairly large shop spread out in 3 smallish rooms…read morethat are chock full, so there is a cramped feeling. There is also still wine and spirits available here, something you won't find in the other two stores, so this one is a bit more of a one-stop store. The champagne room has lots of great stuff. Many small producers available. Some older Krugs and Salon. Very good prices.