Private Half-Day Champagne Tour from Épernay: Hautvillers, Côte des Blancs, 2 Growers

This private half-day starts in Épernay, the capital of the Champagne vineyards, and covers two very different corners of the region: the UNESCO-listed hillsides around Hautvillers and the Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs. Hautvillers is called the Cradle of Champagne. Here the guide leads a tour of Dom Pérignon's church and the vineyard, then stops at a viewpoint in the vines and explains how the vineyard is managed. Two families of independent growers are visited. Each visit covers production, and each ends with a commented tasting, six Grand Cru and Premier Cru champagnes in all, plus other Champagne spirits and aperitifs in additional tastings. Between the two, the route runs through the Côte des Blancs, known for Grand Cru Chardonnay and 100% Blanc de Blancs. The tour closes with a commented drive along the Avenue de Champagne in Épernay, nicknamed the most expensive avenue in the world, with 200 million bottles in its cellars.