Champagne Morize Père et Fils
by
Kathy Sullivan
Summary: Champagne Morize is a small, boutique champagne house with vineyards in three AOCs. Visitors will discover a charming and warm welcome. When visiting ask about the Rosé des Riceys wine which is difficult to find in Paris and Reims. The goal of the champagne house is to produce the very best wines possible.
Champagne Morize Père et Fils is on the Route Touristique du Champagne. Visitors to Champagne Morize will discover the front of the building a reminder of a French chalet with its three peaks over the door. On an April visit we were delighted to see spring flowers blooming just outside the doors. Nearby an immense champagne bottle with the Champagne Morize label adds to the scenery. Overhead a wrought iron hangar holds the champagne house name depicting the three generations of owners.
Inside and just before the reception area, numerous nostalgic and wine-related items add to the ambiance of the visit. Look for stained glass depicting family members and a miniature 3-dimensional display of the tasting room. Also be sure to examine the model of a stone cadole. Traditionally a cadole was used to protect the vineyard workers from inclement weather. We stopped to visit a cadole prior to stopping at Champagne Morize (pictured). A sign for a cadole we saw as we traveled in Champagne said, “The technique for building is simple: flat stones toppling each other and set in a crown shape, up to the roof. At the very top, a hole to allow for the extraction of the smoke. The door, low, is always facing east, away from the prevalent winds.”
The tasting room, recently renovated, offers a thick, heavy counter and table top made of limestone (pierre calcaire). The side of the long tasting counter is of red tile as is the floor. The wall behind the counter has two cask heads with decorations.
Champagne Morize Père et Fils was established in 1830. The family has been producing wines for three generations. The champagne house in the Aube department is located in Les Riceys. It is about two kilometers from the Burgundy border and is known for its three Designations of Origin. Champagne Morize vineyards with seven hectares (17 acres) are located in the appellations of Champagne, Rosé des Riceys and Côteaux Champenois. The wines are produced only from the family-owned vineyards. The only grape varieties used in the Champagne Morize winery are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The cellars at Champagne Morize date back to the 12th century. Originally the cellars were used for producing still wines prior to making champagnes. A steep stairway leads to the cellars. The right side of the stairway is lined with various sized wine bottles. A tour of the cellars shows detailed arches with thousands of bottles stored.
Wine and Champagne
After our tour we were offered a tasting of two wines: the 2011 Rosé des Riceys and the Brut Rosé. The bottles have the coat of arms on the labels. The 2011 Rosé des Riceys, the first still wine we tasted made in the Champagne region, was a translucent light red color with notes of raspberries. The taste was crisp with minerals and spices on the finish. The wine had mild tannins. The wine was produced with whole cluster fermentation. It takes four to seven days to press and continue to ferment. They noted that it is economically better to produce champagne than Rosé des Riceys. However Rosé des Riceys is a traditional wine for the region.
Brut Rosé was a champagne with a red color and orange hue. The dosage was 10 grams per liter. The champagne was disgorged October 2014. Maceration was four to seven days using the saignée method. The saignée method is the process of macerating on the skins for color. The wine offered notes of raspberries. It was crisp with a touch of citrus.
Wine Tourism
We learned on our tour that the Rosé des Riches is a difficult wine to find in Paris and even in Reims. When visiting Champagne Morize use the opportunity to discover this special wine.
Champagne Morize is located on the Route Touristique du Champagne.
Champagne Morize
122, rue Gén. de Gaulle
B.P 8 - 10340 Les Riceys
Tél: 03.25.29.30.02
Article written April 2015
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