 
Their 70ha vineyard, exclusively planted of Pinot Noir (75%) and Chardonnay (25%), is classified 100% Grand Cru, the top of the range. In the 324 “crus” (or vine-villages) representing the whole Champagne area, only the grapes grown in 17 of them are judged worthy to wear the Grand Cru appellation. Rare and expensive, those very special grapes are usually used as part of the blend of the Prestige Cuvees of the Grandes Marques. As an exceptional and almost unique case in the whole of Champagne, Mailly Grand Cru makes every single of its 500.000 yearly bottles exclusively out of Grand Cru grapes coming from its own vineyards. To learn more about Champagne Mailly Grand Cru, visit www.champagne-mailly.com  Visiting the family Tribaut in Champagne. From the left : Sebastien T., Jean T., Isabelle & JP, Jean's Grandpa (replica!), Francis T. and Jean-Marie T.  For four generations, the family Tribaut have proudly run their vineyards and winery situated in the lovely village of Romery, between the Vallee de la Marne and the Montagne de Reims. Romery is lying next to Hautvillers, the birth place of Champagne. Their 50 hectares of vineyards are planted with 30% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier and provide Jean-Marie Tribaut and his team sufficient harvest to elaborate the whole of his Champagne range without buying in grapes. 25 hectares of their vineyards are situated in Romery and the surrounding villages combining the qualities of the Montagne de Reims and the Vallee de la Marne. This is supplemented by another 25 hectares extending over to the Cote des Blancs. Tribaut nowadays produces 500.000 bottles a year, every single one of them maturing a minimum of 36 months in their underground chalk cellars where, without any temperature regulation, the temperature will remain steady all year long at 12°C. All of their Champagne have won numerous awards and are renowned in many European countries. For this reason, we are proud to make Tribaut available for all South African connoisseurs. To learn more about Tribaut visit www.champagne-tribaut.com  Joel, Nicole and their children visiting us in Franschhoek  Follet-Ramillon is a small family-owned winery located in Belval-sous-Chatillon, a typical village of Champagne in the Vallee de la Marne, between Reims and Epernay. Joel and Nicole Follet own 6 hectares of vineyards (mainly Pinot Meunier) that they manage entirely by themselves all year through. Their new cellar, completed in 1999, is modern and efficient. Their current production amounts to 40.000 bottles a year and allows them to have full control of the whole process. We have been very impressed by the care they take at every step of the making of their Champagne and by the outstanding quality of their wines. If you are lucky enough to travel in Champagne, don’t miss paying them a visit. You will be sure to get a warm welcome and if you want to experience true hospitality, you might even choose to stay overnight in their delightful guest cottage adjacent to the winery… |