(Contributed by K. Lewis) – My favorite tasting experience I have ever had was during the Summer of 2017 in Paris, France. I went on this trip with my mom and aunt, and after exploring the city throughout the weekend, we ended our trip with a wonderful Champagne tasting on a small boat sailing down the Seine River. The tasting consisted of three different Champagnes. I knew I really liked wine at the time, but this was one of the first times I remember gaining an understanding of the fact that different types of sparkling wine actually taste very distinctive with their own unique set of flavors.
Champagne Tasting in Paris with Family
The service that we received was fun, friendly, informative, and interactive. Our server provided an extensive background on what champagne really is, where it comes from, and how it is made. He told us what to expect before we took our first sip of each glass, and left plenty of time in-between each tasting for us to ask questions and discuss the wine while we continued our sailing tour of the city. Of the three champagnes, two were dry and one was very sweet. I learned that the dry ones were called Brut and Brut Reserve and the sweet one was called a Demi-Sec. They were all delicious, but I was very excited to try the sweet one because it was unique to me, and tasted like a dessert!
The Three Champagnes in Our Tasting
As we continued to sail down the Seine while tasting exquisite bubbly Champagne, I realized this was one of the best days of my life. The experience was so unique because it took place on a small boat, and we were treated to the sights of Paris. We sailed past the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the d’Orsay Museum, and many other beautiful must-sees of Paris. The day was cloudy but warm, and it felt like the perfect setting to fall in love with Champagne. I can’t wait to go back one day and explore more of the beautiful wine that Europe has to offer!
Sailing Down the Seine on a Warm Cloudy Day