Champagne Alfred Gratien

Useful Information

Location:	30 Rue Maurice Cerveaux, 51200 Épernay. (49.038869, 3.961058)
Open:	APR to OCT Tue-Sat 10-18. NOV to MAR Tue-Sat 10-17. [2023]
Fee:	Discovery: Adults EUR 30, Children (12-17) EUR 8, Children (0-11) free. The Footprint: Adults EUR 50, Children (12-17) EUR 8, Children (0-11) free. Cellar only: Adults EUR 15, Children (12-17) EUR 8, Children (0-11) free. [2023]
Classification:	Cellar
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=1 km, VR=18 m.
Guided tours:	D=90 min, Max=8.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:	Champagne Alfred Gratien, 30 Rue Maurice Cerveaux, 51200 Épernay, Tel: +33-326-54-38-20, Fax: +33-326-54-53-44. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1864	founded by Alfred Gratien.
1905	winery managed by Gaston Jaeger.
1951	cellar managed by Charles Jaeger.
1966	cellar managed by Jean-Pierre Jaeger.
2007	cellar managed by Nicolas Jaeger.

Description

The cellars of Champagne Alfred Gratien are one kilometer long and 18 m below the surface. In other words, this is one of the small Champagne producers. In the cellar over a million bottles slumber in the darkness and silence. Despite the name, the company is owned for more than a century by the Jaeger family.

There are two visits offered, the Alfred Gratien «Discovery» Visit and the Alfred Gratien «The Footprint» Visit. The tour is the same, the difference is the tasting afterwards. The first includes two emblematic cuvees, Alfred Gratien Brut and Alfred Gratien Cuvée Paradis Brut Millésimé, the second three, Alfred Gratien Blanc de Blancs Millésimé, Alfred Gratien Millésimé, and Alfred Gratien Cuvée Paradis Brut Millésimé. Quite pompous and complicated names, we hope the wine actually lives up to its name. But the best thing is, they are the only champagne cellars which actually offer a toru without tasting, which we think is a very good idea. Some visitors do not want to consume alcohol but are nevertheless interested in the heritage. Also, the wine is in most cellar tours quite expensive, between 15 and 25 € for a 0.1 l glass of wine is definitely not a bargain. That's the second bonus of this tour: with two glasses for 15 € they are half as expensive as the others.