The Champagne Train: A Buyer's Guide to the Gare de l'Est to Épernay Ride

Dérot-Delugny is a third-generation grower producer in Crouttes-sur-Marne in the Marne Valley, farming 33 acres and known for extended tank aging and rare single-varietal cuvées including the only 100% Pinot Gris Champagne in commercial production.

The best way to get to Champagne is by train from Paris’ Gare de l’Est station, an hour and a half ride through some of the most scenic riverside vineyards of the region. The train only stops twice before you reach the heart of Champagne and is a trip worth taking. Here's what to watch for out the window, and the growers worth stopping for along the way.

Minute 24 — Meaux Just 24 minutes into the ride, you will pass through Meaux, home of the famous Brie de Meaux, for me, the very best example of the style. If you keep your eyes peeled, you will see some of the cows who provide the milk to make this delicacy.

Minute 40 — Saacy & Chantmanche At 40 minutes into the ride, you’ll see the very western most vineyard in Champagne, on the south facing slope of the Marne, Saacy, and the Chantmanche, where Baron Fuenté grows their Chardonnay for the Quinconce Blanc de Blancs.

Minute 42 — Crouttes-sur-Marne: Get to Know Dérot-Delugny Just minutes after that, you can see the slopes of Crouttes-sur-Marne in the distance, where Derot-Delugny grows incredible Meunier and Pinot Gris.

We’ll linger in Crouttes even if the train doesn’t stop to talk about the range from this great grower. Many of you reading this article have met Clarire Derot, who has traveled to pour at our tent events. She and her brother Laurent cultivate 33 acres of land here and are third generation winemakers. Uniquely, they give everything an extra year in tank, as they are blessed with a winery with double capacity. This, combined with long ageing on the lees delivers a layer of complexity that many other Marne producers lack.

Three wines to know:

Their entry level brut, the Dérot-Delugny "Milieu Naturel" Blanc de Noirs Brut $39.99 has a very generous nose of clean pear, framed by some pastry dough toast. In the mouth, it is luscious, with a fine bead and great texture. The finish is dry and refreshing. It is made of 100% Meunier, and if you have never tried a pure Meunier, this is where to start!

Their most exotic offering is the Dérot-Delugny "Retour en Avant" Brut $49.99, the only 100% Pinot Gris champagne that I have ever had. It is light gold in color, and the sourdough toast nose has a note of tropical fruit that is compelling but not at all overwhelming. In the mouth, it is surprisingly conventional, and incredibly good- all clean toast and vivacious citric drive. The long finish is a great foil for food—I just had it with dim sum and it worked perfectly!

If you like rosé, don’t miss the Dérot-Delugny "Bissextile" Brut Rosé $44.99. The base of this wine is half each Chardonnay and Meunier, with an addition of 14% red wine from Pinot Noir. Since this Pinot Noir only gets ripe enough to make good red for the rosé about once every four years, they chose the name bissextile for this cuvée, the French name for leap year. I love the wild strawberry fruit and the frame of sourdough toast that this dry, clean finishing wine offers.

The Rest of the Ride

Just after leaving Crouttes-sur-Marne as the train enters a long sweeping turn, you can spot Fallet-Dart’s little hamlet of Drachy, and the Clos du Mont, their best vineyard, just on the banks of the river. Minutes later, you will pass through the vineyards of Charly-sur-Marne, where most of Baron-Fuenté’s vineyards are. At just about an hour into the trip, you will see the American Memorial up on the hill before your first stop in Château-Thierry. Fifteen minutes later you stop in Dormans, and five minutes later, on the north facing slope of the Marne you can see the village of Troissy where Gilbert Jacquesson grows great Meunier. Two minutes later, out the same window you’ll see Oeuilly, home to Tarlant, and the big Château de Boursault, the old home of the widow Clicquot and the most impressive building of the Marne Valley. That is the sign that is time to grab your bags—the train is about to stop in Épernay, home to too many houses to name, and all within walking distance!

A toast to you!

- Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer