Calsis

There’s nothing like drinking wine on its original terra firma. Step inside Calsis restaurant, located in Champagne’s historic cradle for Pinot Noir in Aӱ, and you’ll be wining and dining amongst the vineyards. With its expansive wrap-around windows and coveted location at the foothills of Aӱ, you can take advantage of a representative wine program, favouring producers immediately surrounding, in the Grande Vallée.

Order from a menu that is uncomplicated, modern and stylish and a wine list organised by Champagne’s terroir and associated micro-producers purely in the Marne department. Careful consideration has been given to wines from the left and right bank of the Marne River, the composition of the Montagne de Reims (including the lesser known Vallée de l’Ardre & Vesle and Massif de Saint Thierry areas) and the Côte des Blancs. There’s also a nice inventory of locally made champagne rosés.

A speciality is the impressive collection of locally made Ratafia, which they offer by the glass. At their sister restaurant, Avarum, located just down the street, I have thoroughly enjoyed a regionally-inspired dish of slow-cooked pork in house Ratafia – simply delicious.

For other wines from across France, the restaurant works with a dedicated agent to source bottles for the list. Alsace, Burgundy, Rhône, Provence, Languedoc and Beaujolais are all adequately represented with value-for-money considerations.

It's clear that a lot of heart and soul has gone into Calsis’ wine program, which has been organised in a more casual way, with the owners preferring to offer wines from producers they personally like to drink; and why not? Many of them are friends.