LVMH’s Les Journées Particulières Begins at the Source of Dreams in Champagne

The journey begins in the vineyards of Champagne, with Antoine Dauphin, Head of Vineyard Development at Veuve Clicquot. At the Manoir de Verzy, the garden offers a panoramic view over the vineyards of the Montagne de Reims, historic plots selected by Madame Clicquot herself.

Through a gate lies Clos Saint-Basle, where monks were growing vines even before the French Revolution. For visitors who pay attention, this is where the history of champagne quietly unfolds: a place that may look like any other vineyard at first glance, yet holds a secret that is hidden, invisible.

That secret is the way the plot has been carefully replanted over time. Part of Clos Saint-Basle was renewed in a process that required multi year planning, patience, and precision in line with natural cycles. First, the existing vine stock was removed.

Then the soil was given at least a year to regenerate, with Veuve Clicquot winegrowers using cover cropping to restore life and structure to the earth. Only after this phase were young pinot noir plants introduced, the grapes that will eventually contribute to future vintages…