Summer's end with friends : Vignettes from Paso Robles Wine Country:

Earlier this month, just before summer was about to come to an end, off we (Ann, Marion, Luisa, Emanuel, Norma, John and I) went to Paso Robles Wine County. Our adventure included two wineries in the Adelaida District (Daou Vineyard and Tablas Creek Vineyard). Daou is know for its Bordeau style wines whereas Tablas Creek is know for its Rhône style wines. We also visited Niner Wine Estates, a family owned estate winery, in the Willow Creek District. Niner's estate vineyards include, Bootjack Ranch in the Geneseo District, and Heart Hill Vineyard in the Willow Creek District, Paso Robles; and Jespersen Ranch in the Edna Valley. Besides wine tasting at these wineries we ate lunch at Niner Wine Estates and Daou Vineyard. Our culinary outings also included the Hatch, and the Grace and Rose restaurants. It was a perfect summer's end with friends.

Heart Hill Vineyard, Willow Creek District, Paso Robles © Spaswinefood

Through vignettes this post will highlight our explorations. I look forward to future sharing of each wine country activity. First, here is an intro to Paso Robles Wine Country.

Welcome to Paso Robles Wine Country

Paso Robles American Viticulture Area (AVA) established in 1983 is a large and very diverse wine region. It is home to so much diversity in wine, with over 200 wineries in the appellation. Paso Robles 11 sub-appellations showcase the uniqueness within Paso Robles  Wine Country.  Its 40,000 vineyard acres, produce more than 60 wine grape varieties – from Spanish  (Albariño, Verdelho, Tempranillo) to Italian (Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Barbera), Bordeaux to Rhône, including the area’s heritage variety Zinfandel. The most widely planted varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Chardonnay. The “Other Red” varieties such as Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, and others (like Portugese Touriga Nacional). 

Our visit was only an introduction to what the AVA has to offer. Paso Robles not only has fascinating wineries but also has an amazing culinary scene. What follows are some vignettes from our two-day adventure:

Day 1: Niner Wine Estates, and The Hatch

We arrived in Paso Robles and drove to Niner Wine Estates to begin our wine country adventure.

Wine Tasting and lunch: Niner Wine Estates

We did wine tasting over lunch at Niner Wine Estates, 2400 Highway 46 West, Paso Robles.

The hospitality at Niner starts on “Heart Hill,” where century-old trees are planted in a heart shape. The food is equally romantic, sourced from a chef’s garden with over 300 edible crops in addition to their own honey and eggs; look for dishes seasoned with lavender, lemon verbena, and magnolia petals. While vegetable heavy, the menu often features unusual cuts like rib eye spinalis and pork secreto. Wine Enthusiast

Niner welcomed us with a Zinfandel Nouveau wine. 

Exploring Nine Wine Estate © Spaswinefood

While we waited for our reservation time we explored the garden area. Soon we were seated on the outside patio.

Welcome to Nine Wine Estate Restaurant © Spaswinefood

We chose some wine flights to taste.

Wine Flight, Nine Wine Estate © Spaswinefood

Wine Flight, Nine Wine Estate © Spaswinefood

We ordered a cheese and charchuterie platter to accompany our wine tasting.

Cheese and Charchuterie Platter, Nine Wine Estate © Spaswinefood

Wine Flight, Nine Wine Estate © Spaswinefood

After the appetizer and wine tasting we ate lunch. Niner Wine Estates RESTAURANT made the Wine Enthusiast 2026 list of best winery restaurants. After a most delicious lunch and wine tasting we did our hotel Ckeckin.

Dinner:  The Hatch

We met later for dinner at The Hatch,  rotisserie and bar founded in 2015, located in downtown Paso Robles.

Time for Dinner: Hatch Restaurant © Spaswinefood

Our dinner at The Hatch began with some appetizers (corn bread and artichokes), and we all selected a wine or drink. 

CHEERS!! Hatch Restaurant, Paso Robles © Spaswinefood

We loved our dinner at The Hatch. After dinner we toured downtown Paso Robles a little before heading back to our hotel. Do not forget to take a stroll down 13th Street where you will find an appealing mix of tasting rooms, boutiques, coffee shops, and live music on many weekend nights. Also, do not forget to checkout the sweetest little downtown square, just a block away.

Day 2: Wine Tasting Tablas Creek, Wine Tasting and Lunch at Daou Vineyard, Dinner at Rose & Grace Restaurant

Wine Tasting Tablas Creek

Tablas Creek Vineyard, one of Paso Robles premier wineries, was our first winery stop of the day. The story behind this winery is one of a partnership between two international wine community families. The families are Perrin of Château de Beaucastel (a winery located in the southern Rhône valley, France, which is noted for its Châteauneuf du Pape wines) and Hass of Vineyard Brands. They were convinced that Rhône grape varieties would do well in California's Mediterranean climate. After a search they decided on the west side of Paso Robles. Their winery established in 1989, it is now 37 years old. Fortunately I have had the pleasure of visiting this winery over the years. 

Tablas Creek, 9339 Adelaida Road, Paso Robles, pioneered California’s Rhône movement and has close ties with the famed Château de Beaucastel in France. Its grapes are dry farmed and biodynamic. Tablas Creek was the first Regenerative Organic Certified™ vineyard in the U.S. This Paso winery tops my list because it is hard to pass up their Rhône-style blends and Rhône varietal wines.

Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles © Spaswinefood

Our wine tasting at Tablas Creek was our first event of the day. 

Tablas Creek Wine Tasting © Spaswinefood

We gathered around a large Table for an OUTDOOR Focused Flight Tasting.

Tasting Rhône Style Whites & Reds, Tablas Creek © Spaswinefood

Tablas Creek winery offers a number of tasting options. We enjoyed exploring both their white and red flights. 

Wine Tasting and Lunch at Daou Vineyard

Wine enthusiasts visiting Paso Robles head to Dauo Mountain for one of the best views in town.

Welcome to Daou Montain © Spaswinefood

Daou Mountain began as Hoffman Mountain Ranch when in 1961, Dr. Stanley Hoffman, a Beverly Hills cardiologist, moved his family to Paso Robles to follow his dream of becoming a winemaker. The property would become known for producing notable wines, and the birthplace of Paso Robles modern winemaking. Hoffman hired André Tchelistcheff as a consultant, and together, they developed the Hoffman Mountain Ranch vineyard and winery, the first gravity-flow winery in America and first commercial-scale winery in Paso Robles. When the Daou brothers Georges and Daniel acquired the original Hoffman Mountain Ranch property, they completely restored the original redwood winery preserving a vital part of Paso Robles history. Today it is one of the must visit wineries in Paso Robles.

Welcome to Daou Montain © Spaswinefood

 Dao Vineyards at 2777 Hidden Mountain Road, Paso Robles has continuously produced some of the finest Bordeaux style wines in Paso. Though their flagship wines are in the triple-digit range, they also have excellent, more moderately priced offerings. From their tasting patio, it is hard to find a better view of Paso Robles Wine Country. 

Wine & Appetizers, Daou Montain © Spaswinefood

Appetizering Moments Daou Montain © Spaswinefood

More Appetizering Moments, Daou Montain © Spaswinefood 

We loved these vegetable, cheese and charchuterie platters. Our lunch plates were equally delicious. Beyond the fantastic lunch with great wines, the views from Daou Mountain are world class.

Wine Country Heaven: Daou Montain © Spaswinefood

Put this winery on your list!

Dinner: Rose & Grace Restaurant

After a beyond amazing wine country day we met at Rose & Grace for dinner.

Grace and Rose, Paso Robles © Spaswinefood

We arrived at Rose & Grace at day's end.

Dinner: Grace and Rose © Spaswinefood

Dinner at Grace and Rose was a perfect way to spend a summer's end evening with friends. It has great farm to table food, a great wine list, excellent service, all paired with good friends, meant our time here was priceless!

One End of Summer Evening: Grace and Rose © Spaswinefood

When we left Grace and Rose that evening with full stomachs and happy memories.  

It is hard to beat summer's end in Paso Robles with so many wonderful wineries and a vibrant culinary scene. We were treated so well at the Paso Robles wineries and restaurants we visited. If you are looking for a wine country adventure Paso Robles is a must. I invite you to join me in my travels in Paso Robles, California, and elsewhere in the sharing of these adventures at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon and at Spaswinefood  on  Bluesky  and Facebook. 

CHEERS!!

Sharon

Summer's End Vignettes, September 2026

Paso Robles, California

© Spaswinefood

 Hatch Restaurant, Paso Robles © Spaswinefood

Wine Tasting, Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles © Spaswinefood

June at Tablas Creek Vineyard © Spaswinefood

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Sunshine, fine wines and rainbows

February 16, 2026 was a bright sunny day in the North Atlantic as we cruised north. That day at sea we attended a fine wine tasting in the Santa Fe dining room. We were on way to the Canary Islands, and looking forward to stops in Tenerife and Lanzarote. Our trip from Rio de Janeiro to Santa Cruz del Tenerife, Canary Islands was eight days at sea. It was smooth sailing all the way. Of course we are always ready for taking in the sea views along the way. Spotting rainbows on our morning walk added some special charm.

Chasing Rainbows, North Atlantic © Spaswinefood

We always enjoy walks around the cruise ship deck while at sea. For us it is the perfect thing to do on a sunny sea day. Since our cruise from Rio de Janeiro to the Canary Islands included many activities during sea days, we also chose to attend wine events. That February day it was a fine wine tasting.

Fine Wine Tasting, Princess Cruise © Spaswinefood

Sunshine, Fine Wines and Rainbows

In case you wonder what is fine wine? I love the following description by Courtney, WSJ, May 22, 2026:

There is no classification of “fine wine,” or a universally agreed upon definition. However, fine wine usually refers to a wine that has been carefully handcrafted using pristine fruit, often from top regions where wines are able to ripen to perfection while retaining enough acidity, creating an experience in the glass that is equal-parts delicious and interesting. Certain traits like an intense concentration, refreshing acidity, perfect balance, complex flavors, a long finish or a clear sense of place can also signify that a wine is a fine wine.

Wine doesn’t have to be long-aged to be considered a fine wine, though this is a common misconception. However, many fine wines are made in such a way—with enough acidity, tannic and concentration—that they are able to age for years if you’d like to. Because of the higher standards, more expensive approaches and higher demand, many fine wines are expensive. On the other hand, you could also discover a wine with all the traits of a fine wine without the hefty price tag (often when the wine comes from an up-and-coming region). 

In conclusion a fine wine is defined by its overall high quality versus its age-worthiness. While some  excitement may come from searching for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, far more excitement can be experienced by discovering your favorite fine wine. It was a Sunshine, Fine Wines and Rainbows kind of day. More like Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows (Lesley Gore) feeling than Chasing Rainbows kind of day.

 Sunshine, Fine Wines and Rainbows, Princess Cruise © Spaswinefood

Besides tasting wines while at sea we love to walk. 

In the Mood for Rainbows © Spaswinefood

That day it just happen to be a double rainbow day. According to National Geographic:

 In this phenomenon, a faint, secondary rainbow appears above the primary one. Double rainbows are caused by light being reflected twice inside the raindrop. As a result of this second reflection, the spectrum of the secondary rainbow is reversed: red is on the inner section of the arch, while violet is on the outside.

Double Rainbow over Atlantic Ocean © Spaswinefood

After viewing rainbows that sunny morning it was wine time.

Fine Wine Tasting

Our fine wine tasting was held around mid-day in the Santa Fe dining room of the Sapphire Princess. 

Princess Cruise © Spaswinefood

The wines were paired with small bites.

Small Bites Pairing, Princess Cruise © Spaswinefood

Small Bites Pairing (Vegetarian), Princess Cruise © Spaswinefood

The wines included in this fine wine tasting were:

1. Beau Joie Brut, Champagne, France NV

Drinking Beau Joie Brut champagne brought back memories of earlier champagne explorations in France.

Champagne Time, Ma Cave Fleury, Paris © Spaswinefood

This champagne also brought back memories of an earlier visit to the Champagne houses in Épernay. Beau Joie Champange house is located in Épernay.

Épernay, Capital of Champagne © Spaswinefood

2. Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2023 © Spaswinefood

3. Shafer, Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, Napa Valley, CA 2022

Shafer, Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, Napa Valley, CA 2022 © Spaswinefood

4. Bodegas CARO, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2019

 Bodegas CARO, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2019 © Spaswinefood

5. Masi Campofiorin, Vento, Italy

Masi Campofiorin, Vento, Italy 2020 © Spaswinefood

6. Caymus, Cabernet Sauvignon, California 2021

Caymus, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2021 © Spaswinefood

The three red wines in the tasting included:

Bodegas CARO, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2019 

Masi Campofiorin, Vento, Italy 2020

Caymus, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2021

Tasting the Fine Reds © Spaswinefood

Taking a Closer Look: The Fine Reds © Spaswinefood

The beauty of being introduced to these fine wines during a cruise is that you can enjoy them later in one of the ships restaurants. We did so at Princess's speciality restaurants. This one of the reasons why we purchase the premier package, which includes fine wine offerings.

Time for Fine Wine © Spaswinefood (Original by Princess Photographer)

After stops in the Canary Islands we headed back out to sea again. For sure the wines that were part of the earlier fine wines tasting was a wonderful wine adventure kickoff at sea.

Fine Wine Tasting, Princess Cruise © Spaswinefood

Here's to Sunshine, Fine Wines and Rainbows Days

Further along I explored Canary Islands wines (see Canary Islands Volcanic Wines). From there, as we cruised onto Casablanca, Morocco, and onwards to Spain, we attended another wine tasting that was advertised as a Tuscan Wine Dinner at sea that was inspired by Frescobaldi. Then, as we cruised into March month, it brought us to the Mediterranean Sea, and onwards to Spain. February 22, 2026 at the Crown Grill we gathered to taste wines from around the world. 

International Wine Tasting, Crown Grill © Spaswinefood

I can not think of a better way to welcome our arrival into the Mediterranean Sea than tasting wines from 'around the world. I invite you to join me in my Atlantic Ocean Sea travels and elsewhere at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon, and at Spaswinefood on Bluesky and Facebook. I am so looking forward to sharing more on my vine-filled sea cruising explorations. 

CHEERS!

Sharon

February, 2026

Cruising towards the Canary Islands and onwards

© Spaswinefood

Fine Wine Tasting, Princess Cruise © Spaswinefood

Sabatini's © Spaswinefood (Original by Princess Photographer)

Sunshine, Rainbows and Fine Wines © Spaswinefood

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Could dinosaurs and age-worthy wines be a thing?

I have a passion for travel and wine adventures. Our summer 2026 roadtrip turn into dinosaur adventures when we visited Alberta and Utah. This obviously got me thinking about some potential connections between dinosaurs and wines. Given that dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic Era (252-66 million years ago) then age-worthy wines comes to mind as a worthy connection. Hence this post will explore possible connections between dinosaurs and age-worthy wines. 

T-Rex Statue, Drumheller, Alberta © Spaswinefood

So What's the Connection?

Perhaps you are wondering how topics like dinosaurs and wines might connect. I soon discovered that the Museum of Science noted one connection:

Did you know that the extinction of dinosaurs is the reason we have wine? In this video, we dive into the reasons that scientists believe that wine is a result of this mass extinction. First, dinosaurs were large creatures that knocked over trees, and without them forests grew denser, allowing vines to flourish. The lack of dinosaurs also led to the diversification of birds and animals, which eat fruits and distribute their seeds. Finally, the debris created by the impact event caused the climate to become much warmer, which was ideal for grape plants. (Museum of Science)

That is fascinating however, I see a possible wine connection. Given that dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic Era (252-66 million years ago) then age-worthy wines comes to my mind as a perfect match. Indeed both require time to evolve and both are hot topics.

Dinosaur National Monument, Utah © Spaswinefood

Dinosaurs and Age-worthy Wines

We set out on a roadtrip in June, traveling eastward through Nevada, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico before heading north through Nebraska and North Dakota to enter Canada in Manitoba. After Manitoba we headed west onto Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Later, we would cross back into US from Alberta,  traveling through North Dakota into Colorado, and onto Utah and Nevada. Our summer roadtrip turned into a focus on dinosaurs during our drive through Alberta and Utah. In case you are wondering Alberta and Utah are world-famous hotspots for dinosaur fossils. Alberta has a denser, more concentrated record for late Cretaceous skeletons and massive bonebeds (Dinosaur Provincial Park), while Utah has a broader timeframe with an incredible diversity of its Jurassic and Cretaceous species. 

Another T-Rex Statue, Vernal, Utah © Spaswinefood

Actually our focus on dinosaurs really became clear by the time we arrived in Drumheller, Alberta known as the Dinosaur Capital of the World. There many opportunities to learn about dinosaurs in Drumheller, such the Tyrrell Museum, dinosaur statues throughout town. A statue of the World's Largest Dinosaur is located in Drumheller. The statue is actually 4.5 times bigger than a real T-Rex (Tyrannosaurus rex ). It measures 86 feet (25 meters) high and weighing 65 tonnes (145,000 lbs). 

In Drumheller you will soon discover that in terms of the geological time scale Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic Era.  Mesozoic Era is divided into three periods: the Triassic (252 to 201 million years ago) when the first small dinosaurs appeared, Jurassic (201 to 145 million years ago) when giant plant-eaters and meat-eaters grew large, and Cretaceous (145 to 66 million years ago) time of famous dinosaurs like T- Rex ruled before going extinct, with birds being the only living dinosaurs today. Dinosaurs (non-avian) went extinct 66 million years ago, except for birds (avian dinosaurs) being the only survivor. 

Tyrrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta © Spaswinefood

Perhaps you are wondering how might dinosaurs and age-worthy wines connect. Just as dinosaurs have great appeal so does age-worthy wines. Age-worthy wines gets attention because these wines have the ability to chemically transform over time. High in acidity, tannins, or concentrated sugars age-worthy wines will evolve slowly in the bottle, by replacing simple fruit notes with deep, layered tertiary flavors like leather, earth, and dried fruit. 

Just as dinosaurs evolved over time there are some wines that can age for decades in a bottle. Since less than 5% of wines produced are age-worthy therefore they have great appeal. A typical AI generated response for wines with aging potential is:

- high levels of tannins, acidity, or sugar. Top choices include bold reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo (Nebbiolo), and Bordeaux blends; high-acid whites like German Riesling; and fortified or sweet selections such as Vintage Port and Sauternes. 

Wikipedia notes that the aging of wine is influenced by:

The ratio of sugars, acids and phenolics to water is a key determination of how well a wine can age. Grape variety, climate, vintage and viticultural practice come into play here. Grape varieties with thicker skins, from a dry growing season where little irrigation was used and yields were kept low will have less water and a higher ratio of sugar, acids and phenolics. The process of making Eisweins, where water is removed from the grape during pressing as frozen ice crystals, has a similar effect of decreasing the amount of water and increasing aging potential. (Wikipedia)

Adding to the above discussion, other sources also note:

- Champagne has aging potential, due to the acidity, and aged champagne (Vintage Champagne) has increased in popularity. 

- Fortified wines, which typically range from 12% to 14.5% alcohol, are bolstered with grape spirit. This raises the alcohol level to between 17% and 22%. The addition serves two purposes: it stops fermentation early, leaving residual sugar, which acts as a powerful preservative. This is why fortified wines can survive for centuries. While some age-worthy dry red wine might reach its peak at say 40 years whereas, a top-tier Vintage Port (I have been most fortunate to have enjoyed many excellent port wines over the years) or Madeira (see earlier article) can still be improving at 100 years.

Moet & Chandon Vintage Champagne © Spaswinefood

In conclusion, there are four characteristics that can make wine age-worthy: High levels of tannins, acidity, sweetness, and intense primary flavors (usually you need two or more of these present). Wine Folly's article on age-worthy wines gives a great overview. A Winediva article has some great suggestions on acquiring age-worthy wines.

Just in case you are curious as to why dinosaurs have such appeal. Mark Wittor (author and artist) commented on their popularity:

Our many talks and roundtable discussions touched varied topics but several central themes emerged, of which one was the prevalence of dinosaurs in virtually all palaeontological PR exercises. Whatever we discussed - the history of museums, the palaeoart industry, public interest in research or palaeontological influences on cinema - dinosaurs were almost always involved. Even if they weren’t a main focus, their influence there - catalysing certain events, influencing decisions, eclipsing other outreach topics. It would be wrong to say popularising palaeontology is totally synonymous with popularising dinosaurs, but for better and worse, these animals have a major role and influence over public outreach of palaeontological science.

Similarly the Utah Geological Society notes:

When many people think of dinosaurs, what comes to mind are large animals like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops that lived during the Mesozoic Era, the so-called “Age of Dinosaurs.” The majority of dinosaur paleontologists now agree that birds evolved from a group of theropods (meat-eating dinosaurs). Therefore, not all dinosaurs went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous Period, 66 million years ago, only what we call the non-avian dinosaurs. The avian dinosaurs (birds) are still here and are the most diverse and abundant group of vertebrates on land. In that respect, we are still living in the “Age of Dinosaurs”!

There is no doubt that dinosaur statues and exhibits attracts attention; so does age-worthy wines. I will close with a worthy example from one of my earlier articles on Vintage Madeira:

Yes, I travelled halfway around the world to taste a Blandy's Verdelho Solera Madeira 1870.

1870 Madeira Pose, Restaurante Sto António, February 2019 © Spaswinefood

We came to the island of Madeira to celebrate our 7th #Winelover Anniversary, February 11- 15, 2019. Did I say, the very first Madeira winery stop, on our list was Blandy's? 

#Winelover Visit, Blandy's Madeira, February 2019 © Spaswinefood

The day we visited Blandy's Madeira Wine Lodge there was a decision to purchase a special Madeira (see earlier article).

YES, dinosaurs and age-worthy wines are indeed a thing. This post is an intro to Dinosaurs and Age-worthy wines. I look forward to exploring this theme further and invite you to join me in the sharing of our adventures in Alberta, Utah and elsewhere at Wine Travels with Dr. Sharon and at Spaswinefood  on  Bluesky and Facebook. Stay tune to discover what age-worthy wines I will pair with these adventures!

CHEERS!

Sharon

August 2026

Summer 2026 Roadtrip

© Spaswinefood

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Note: Besides the Vintage Madeira example, Vintage Port and Champagne are two more examples of age-worthy wines.

Port Wines

Lisbon, Portugal, December 2013

Before arriving in the Algarve we spent a weekend in Lisbon at the Adegga Wine Market. While it was so enjoyable to meet the producers and the winemakers, tasting the wines was even more special.

1961 Kopke Colheita Porto © Spaswinefood

1957 Kopke Colheita & Niepoort Colheita  © Spaswinefood

1937 Kopke Colheita Porto © Spaswinefood

Yes, these port wines will knock your socks off and so here is another port to calm you down.

Niepoort 20 Years Old Tawny Port © Spaswinefood

Needless to say the #winelover community in Portugal is awesome.

 #Winelovers at the Adegga Wine Market, 2013 © Spaswinefood

Champagne 

Champagne-Ardenne, France

May 2018

After lunch in Hautvillers we continued onto Epernay to continue our Champagne wine country explorations. This would include a visit to Möet & Chandon.

The Möet & Chandon Connection
We encountered our first Möet & Chandon vineyard sign in Hautvillers. Perhaps this is not surprise given Möet & Chandon owns 1,190 hectares of estate vineyards, and it has growers in 230 villages throughout Champagne-Ardenne. Möet & Chandon founded in 1743 in Epernay, France is one of the most famous and largest Champagne producers. 

Möet & Chandon Vineyard, Hautvillers © Spaswinefood

The village of Hautvillers has a special connection to this Champagne house. The connection of course is Dom Pérignon. Later, we would visit Möet & Chandon Champagne House, home to the famous Dom Pérignon Champagne. The day of our tour, as we entered the parking lot, we noticed a Dom Pérignon garden with statue dedicated to the monk.

Möet & Chandon, Epernay © Spaswinefood

If you take a closer look at the sign you will discover that Dom Pérignon (1638 - 1715), the Benedictine monk, was a cellar master at the Abbey in Hautvillers. The sign also notes that the Dom Pérignon brand is the property of Möet & Chandon Champagne House.

Dom Pérignon, Möet & Chandon © Spaswinefood

How could we not tour Möet & Chandon Champagne House, home to the famous Dom Pérignon Champagne? Our early day trip to Hautvillers obviously set the stage for this visit.

Tasting Champagne at a family winery, encountering Dom Pérignon history, eating lunch at a village cafe made our springtime visit to Hautvillers so very special. Indeed there is so much to discover in the villages of Champagne. This article is part of a series of articles that I have written about our travels throughout Champagne Wine Country. Discovering the history of this wine region first hand is hard to beat.

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