Champagne Master Class Recap
Plus a wine-fueled trip to NYC and October champagne events!!
Greetings, readers!
Last week we had the pleasure of hosting our friend and incredible sommelier, Camille Freytag, in the Mabel Gray wine cave. This collaboration was years in the making, born out of our visits to the Champagne region.
Every time we travel to Reims (Champagne’s capital), we find ourselves spending long nights at Le Wine Bar, a cozy bar with an unassuming facade in the ‘place du forum’.
Picture this: the bar is dimly lit with empty champagne bottles displayed on every surface - a detail you don’t notice until someone points out the 1990 Salon ‘S’ Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs over your shoulder. The list is thousands of bottles long - featuring hundreds of grower-producers, rare vintages, bucket list Burgundy, and magnums galore. You order sliders and an order of mini tacos and settle in to find a bottle from your birth year. It is reasonably priced. The wine bar’s greatest asset - Camille - arrives tableside with the calming confidence of Marilyn Monroe. She knows every bottle intimately (base vintage, plot, aspect, soil type) and recommends something that suits your mood and budget. You are in heaven.
After having this experience a few times, we finally invited her to us in an attempt to return the favor. Yes, her first visit to the States was to sunny Hazel Park, Michigan. She and I hosted a Champagne Master Class on a Sunday afternoon where she chose five cuvées from her favorite producers to taste and discuss. It was truly an honor to hear her insight on climate change, micro terroir expression, and the multitude of winemaking philosophies coming into popularity in recent vintages. She studied enology in college, so she naturally approaches most wines from the vineyard perspective. Her work takes her to visit with winemakers all over champagne; walking the land and cellars to understand the minute differences from plot to plot. It is no surprise to me that she has befriended some of the most influential young producers in the region.
The morning after the Master Class, Camille & I flew to New York City with a wine-fueled itinerary. The French are known for leisurely, multi-course meals over philosophical conversation. Sadly, I am an animal, and packed our days with a new destination every few hours. Here are some of our favorites from the trip:
This seems to be the “beginning of a beautiful friendship,” as they say. I look forward to seeing her in champagne in 2025, and to hosting her at Mabel Gray many times in the future. Thank you to our Champagne Society for being so welcoming to her. Please follow her on social media and drop in at Le Wine Bar if you ever find yourself anywhere near Reims — she’d be happy to hear you’re from friendly metro-Detroit.
I’m also thrilled to announce our CHAMPAGNE VS. EVERYBODY series. We’re hosting two interactive blind tastings in October where we will blind taste true champagnes alongside other sparkling wine methods from across the globe (think: prosecco, cava, etc.). I bet we will be fooled. You’ll vote on your favorites, enjoy some heavy table snacks, and learn a bit about how sparkling wine is made. This tasting is perfect for wine novices and enthusiasts alike. There might be merch, too!
Click the link here to book.
Can’t wait to see you there. À bientôt!
xo
Paulina
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Oh I can't wait for October! See you then.