Barging in France: Burgundy

Does it get any more indulgent than sampling exceptional wines at the vineyards of Burgundy’s oldest wine company? Since its founding in 1720, Maison Champy has been producing award-winning wines, and it’s the newest stop on Finesse’s itinerary.

Photo:Champy Gate

Why are they special?

Maison Champy owns around twenty-one hectares of vines, with most on the Côte de Beaune. Premium white wines and select red Burgundy make this French region famous

They produce both white and red wines, and the Grand Cru is their most prestigious. Another speciality of this experienced wine-maker is Pernand-Vergelesses premier crus, known for its intense ruby color. Planted in 1158 by the monks of the Abbey of Maizières, Le Clos de Bully in this region is one of the oldest in Burgundy. Maison Champy harvests organically to preserve and highlight the true character of the unique terrain where the grapes are grown.

History of Maison Champy

The Champy family established themselves in the early eighteenth century and the French Revolution aided their ambitions to buy more land in Beaune. In 1779, the civil war enabled them to expand its influence in the region and the family acquired additional land to plant more vineyards.

Maison Champy prospered again in the nineteenth century after supporting the scientific discoveries of Louis Pasteur. Because of their forward-thinking attitude, their wine cellars were the origin of the invention of pasteurization in the 1860s, although the dairy industry now associates itself with it.

However, Maison Champy didn’t limit itself to just winemaking and science. Inspired by the unveiling of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the company invested in engineering at the turn of the nineteenth century. In 1890, a winery, fermentation cellar, and wine cellar were all built in the innovative ‘Eiffel’ style.

Photo: Maison Champy

Within a decade, Maison Champy was exhibiting its wines at fairs and international exhibitions, gaining a formidable reputation as one of the best winemakers in Burgundy. They won gold medals for two successive years in 1889 and 1900 at the Universal Exhibitions in Paris.

Today, Maison Champy is still a major player in the Côte de Beaune, exporting its prestigious wines all over the world.

New addition to Finesse’s 2022 itinerary

You can enjoy the Maison Champy wine-tasting experience, lunch, and vineyard tour on the French Hotel Barge Finesse’s classic cruise itinerary. Families can also choose to visit the vineyard, where staff offers younger guests a juice tasting.

The visit to Maison Champy starts after breakfast on the Wednesday of every cruise. After guests drive through the UNESCO-listed Côte de Beaune, they arrive in Beaune, the capital of Burgundy’s wine country. Finesse’s captain will escort the guests through the vineyards, telling them about the surrounding landscape and the vineyard itself. On arrival at the wine house, a wine expert will take over to give a private tour of the wine cellars and a wine tasting experience. Guests will learn the winemaking process for the region’s finest Premier and Grand Cru wines, tasting two Premier Crus and three Grand Crus, including a selection from a top plot.

A private lunch will follow at CUVE 17. This unmissable and unique dining venue has been created from one of the winery’s historic wooden wine vats, known as “cuves”. An exceptional four-course seasonal lunch (including cheese) is served with wine pairings of Premier and Grand Crus. Guests will choose in advance from a range of dishes on a set menu which changes throughout the year.

Following the Maison Champy experience, guests visit the stunning 15th-century Hôtel-Dieu Hospice and return to the barge for an afternoon cruise past the charming little town of Chagny.

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