Friday, March 15, 2019

Gifts to Bring Home from Champagne


Wine-Knows will be in the Champagne district of France in June.  While bringing home heavier-than-norm bottles of Champagne may not sound enticing, below are some suggestions for light weight alternatives than can easily be transported back in luggage.

 Wine-related gifts
One of my favorite items to bring home is a Champagne stopper to keep in those precious bubbles.  I usually buy a dozen and gift them with a bottle of sparkling wine.   Another eye-catching present is an insulated cover for a Champagne bottle.

The best place to buy wine-centric gifts in Champagne?  There is none better than the Veuve Clicquot’s gift shop in Reims which offers a mesmerizing collection of gorgeous items.

 Edibles
The most famous food specialty in the Champagne district is the Biscuits de Reims.  These brightly colored pink cookie-like sweets have been produced in Champagne since the 17th century and can be found throughout the area packaged in pretty boxes for travel.


   Another yummy souvenir is chocolate bouchons (champagne corks).  What         wine-lover wouldn’t be impressed with a box of beautifully wrapped                   bouchons?  My favorite chocolatier is Vincent Dallet in Epernay (he also 
   makes Biscuits de Reims).


Last but not least there is foie gras.  Produced in the nearby area of Alsace, foie gras is one of France’s classical gourmet products.  Packaged in small metal tins, it can easily be transported in checked or hand luggage.

        
         Clothing
Champagne is <100 miles east of Paris.  I love shopping in Reims for clothes as there is a wide assortment of small boutiques and many have the latest fashions from the City of Light.   Interested in a silk scarf?  Most of the Champagne houses offer a scarf with their logo….or a tie for men with their logo.

      
         Alcohol
If you’re not up to bringing home full bottles of Champagne, perhaps you would consider half bottles?  Small formats are not easy to come by in the US so why not pick them up while you can…and have a travel memory as well?

Bon Voyage!

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