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Three grapes, three terroirs

A day from Reims to taste each of Champagne’s three main grapes in the area where it dominates: Pinot Noir on the Montagne de Reims, Chardonnay on the Côte des Blancs, Meunier in the Marne Valley. Three growers, lunch halfway, and glasses to compare.

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  • 8 hoursfrom Reims to all three areas and back
  • 3 grapesone grower for each
  • €660 (~$740 USD)per vehicle, by sedan

What each grape brings to the glass

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier cover almost all of Champagne’s vineyards, and most Champagnes are a blend of them. Four old varieties are still allowed (Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris), but they take up only a tiny share of the vines.

In a blend, you can no longer tell which grape does what. The simplest way to find out is to taste each one on its own ground. Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims gives the wine its body and structure. Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, planted on chalk, makes a finer wine with more tension. Meunier from the Marne Valley brings fruit and softness. A blanc de blancs is made from white grapes only, almost always Chardonnay, and a blanc de noirs from black grapes only: taste them on the same day, and the two terms start to make sense.

For each area, we choose a grower whose wines show off its grape: a Pinot Noir from the Montagne, blanc de blancs from the Côte, a wine led by Meunier in the valley. We book all three visits; their names and times are in the written program you receive after booking.

Length
about 8 hours, door to door
Pickup
your hotel, the train station or your address in Reims
Visits
three growers: one on the Montagne, one on the Côte des Blancs, one in the Marne Valley
Lunch
in Épernay or Aÿ, paid at the restaurant
Best for
people who already love Champagne and want to understand what they are drinking

The Montagne, the Côte, the valley: one loop

Here the day starts at 9:30 am. Depending on the growers’ appointments, the loop can also run the other way.

  1. 9:30 amReims

    Heading for the first grower

    Your chauffeur picks you up wherever you are staying, or at the train station. The first grower is on the Montagne de Reims, half an hour’s drive at most.

  2. 10:00 amMontagne de Reims

    Pinot Noir

    Pinot Noir dominates on the Montagne de Reims, above all on its southern side facing the Marne, in Bouzy and Ambonnay. Both villages are ranked grand cru, the top classification. The first grower lets you taste the body this grape gives the wine.

  3. 11:30 amCôte des Blancs

    Chardonnay

    Twenty minutes farther south, across the Marne. Here the vines are almost all Chardonnay, planted on chalk just below the surface. The second grower pours their blanc de blancs, sometimes made from several grand cru villages along the slope.

  4. 1:00 pmÉpernay or Aÿ

    A break by the Marne

    In Épernay or Aÿ, we book a table at a restaurant that is open that day; you pay for the meal there.

  5. 2:45 pmMarne Valley

    Meunier

    West of Épernay, Meunier takes over. The third grower puts it front and center, sometimes in a wine made from Meunier alone. It is the least known of the three grapes, and often the surprise of the day.

  6. 4:15 pmReims

    The valley road home

    About thirty-five minutes’ drive. Drop-off at your hotel or the train station around 5 pm, with the bottles you bought along the way.

Times are approximate: the loop follows the appointments the three growers give us. Allow about two hours of driving for the whole day.

Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier, side by side

The day’s three grapes, in the order of the loop, and what to look for on a label.

GrapeWhere you taste itWhat it bringsOn the label
Pinot NoirMontagne de Reimsbody, structureblanc de noirs, alone or with Meunier
ChardonnayCôte des Blancstension, finesseblanc de blancs
MeunierMarne Valleyfruit, softnessblanc de noirs, alone or with Pinot Noir

Price for the car and chauffeur

One fixed price per vehicle for the full day, quoted before you book. It stays the same whatever the number of guests, up to the vehicle’s capacity.

Sedan

up to 3 guests · Mercedes C-Class, GLE or Tesla Model Y, depending on availability

Full day
€660 (~$740 USD)

Van

up to 7 guests · Mercedes V-Class

Full day
€790 (~$885 USD)
With 7 guests
€113 (~$125 USD) per person

If the day runs longer

beyond the planned time

Extra hour, sedan
€75 (~$85 USD)
Extra hour, van
€90 (~$100 USD)

Tastings and lunch come on top of the price of the car and are paid on site: we book the visits for you and tell you their price before you confirm. For 8 guests or more, ask us for a quote.

What is included, what you pay on site

Included in the price

  • The car and your chauffeur, from your address in Reims and back
  • Fuel, tolls and parking
  • Your chauffeur waiting during the visits
  • Planning the route and booking your visits with the houses
  • Lunch for your chauffeur

Paid on site

  • Tastings at the three growers, priced for you before you confirm
  • Lunch, at the restaurant
  • Any bottles you buy, at cellar-door prices
From Paris

The full day from your Paris hotel

From Paris, the loop runs in reverse: the Marne Valley first, since it is on the way, then the Côte des Blancs and the Montagne. Allow about two hours’ drive from central Paris; the day is then quoted on request, and for reference, our Champagne day trip from Paris is €1040 (~$1165 USD) per vehicle by sedan.

See the day trip from Paris · The full day from your Paris hotel

Questions we often get

What do grand cru and premier cru mean?

They describe villages, not houses. The old échelle des crus (literally, the ladder of growths) rated each wine village to set the price of its grapes. Villages rated 100% carry the grand cru label, those rated 90 to 99% the premier cru label: 17 grands crus and 42 premiers crus under the rules of the appellation.

Can we really cover three areas in one day?

Yes. The loop adds up to about two hours of driving in all, split into drives of fifteen to thirty-five minutes. With three visits of about an hour each and lunch, the day fits into its eight hours without rushing.

Will we taste the rare grapes?

Rarely. Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are planted in tiny amounts, by only a few growers. If it matters to you, tell us when you book: we look for an estate that pours them, but cannot promise one.

Under-the-Radar Champagne Growers or Grape Varieties & Grands Crus: which should we pick?

Under-the-Radar Champagne Growers stays on the Montagne de Reims and compares three family estates. Grape Varieties & Grands Crus crosses three areas to compare three grapes: it is the day for understanding what goes into a blend. If Chardonnay is all you care about, the Nothing but Chardonnay day stays on the Côte des Blancs.

Are there days we should avoid?

Sundays, yes: very few growers open their doors. Mondays are best avoided too, because some estates in the Marne Valley close that day. Tuesday through Saturday, the three visits are easier to schedule.

Can we make it shorter?

Yes, with one or two areas instead of three, quoted on request: the Montagne de Reims is the closest to Reims, while the Côte des Blancs is about forty minutes’ drive.

How do we book?

Send us the date, the number of guests and your pickup address, through the form or by phone. We reply within 2 hours during the day with the plan and the fixed price. Your booking is confirmed once you sign the quote.

How do we pay?

By card (secure payment link) or by bank transfer, when you book. We do not take cash. We can issue the invoice in your company’s name.

What languages do your chauffeurs speak?

Our chauffeurs speak French and English. A Japanese-speaking guide is available on request, at extra cost.

What if we need to cancel?

Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before pickup. Between 48 and 24 hours, half the price is due, and the full price after that. The houses have their own cancellation terms for their tours. Details are on our cancellation and refund page.

More days in Champagne

Each day is priced per vehicle and planned around your dates.

Guides to help you plan your visit

All three grapes, each on its home ground

Tell us your date, the number of guests and where to pick you up. We reply within 2 hours during the day with the plan and a fixed price.

Request a quote +33 6 51 49 90 81
Google reviews

What our clients say

4.9
★★★★★
52 Google reviews

★★★★★ 5.0 on Tripadvisor · 3 reviews

★★★★★

Louis and his team were outstanding! The communication was quick, clear, and accurate. Our driver Abdellatif was on-time and professional. 5-star service. Louis checked in through our day. We will always use VTC Reims for our annual trip…

GCGlen Campbell
October 2026
★★★★★

We had a wonderful experience in September. We decided to visit France for my wife’s bday week on rather late notice. I wanted to include some special visits as we both enjoy champagne. We were able to get a wonderful Dom Perignon tour w…

TDThomas Donahue
October 2026
★★★★★

Thank you to Louis for helping us schedule and to Cyril for giving us the best day trip to Reims/Champagne/Hautvillers. We had 3-4 things we really wanted to do and see, other than that we let them take the wheel (literally), and we had…

NWNikki Wyatt
October 2026
★★★★★

VTC Reims is an excellent car service for the Champagne region. I contacted them on the plane to France and received very fast response from Louis. It must’ve been middle of the night for them and yet they were prompt and booked my priva…

WLWendy Liu
September 2026
★★★★★

I hosted a group with private transfer from Paris to Champagne and also travel to vineyards all over Champagne. First class service by Cyril and his team. Beautiful vehicles and willing to accommodate some late changes in our schedule. I…

MMMatthew Massey
June 2026
★★★★★

On time. Efficient. Perfect service.

JWJennifer Wilwant
October 2026

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