Aube, a den of gastronomes

Just imagine the vines on the slopes of valleys shaped by ancient rivers. Just south of Champagne, in the Aube region, nestle little-known terroirs that seduce not only for their scenery, but also for their fine palates.

The limestone soils of the Côte des Bar have more in common with Chablis or Sancerre than with the chalk of Avize, further north. On these exceptional terroirs and in a sunnier climate, Pinot Noir is right at home. Aube is a land of red grapes. These grapes are used to make "blanc de noirs" champagnes, which gourmets love. It's a gourmet trend, a far cry from the threadbare champagnes designed solely for the aperitif. Blanc de noirs are wines made for the table: vinous and structured.

Gourmet wines

Family-run champagne houses, such as Maison Drappier in Urville, promote this winemaking identity. Michel and his children Charline, Hugo and Antoine produce distinctive champagnes, such as the delicious Brut Nature Pinot noir sans soufre. A sapid, refined cuvée, it's an excellent gateway to discovering the distinctive character of Aube's famous Pinot Noir. Other forgotten grape varieties can be found in certain cuvées, such as fromenteau, the Champagne name for pinot gris, once very present in Aube, which makes up the cuvée Trop M'en Faut.

Aube is also home to several producers of "champagnes de vignerons", who vinify only from their own harvests (the houses can buy grapes from outside their production). in Courteron, Champagne Fleury was one of the first to dare produce its own champagne in the 1930s, then one of the first to convert the vineyard to biodynamic viticulture in the 1990s. The family's champagnes are predominantly Pinot Noir, and are deeply flavoursome, as are the curiosities of reds and rosés without bubbles. The Aube region is home to three appellations: Champagne, but also the prized Rosé des Riceys and Coteaux Champenois.

time to eat!

To discover these confidential wines at table (Élise Dechannes' Rosé des Riceys, for example), head for Gyé-sur-Seine, 2 kilometers away, to Le Garde-Champêtre. A sharp table located in an abandoned former train depot, with seven-meter-high ceilings and giant bay windows. At the heart of this cathedral, the sophisticated cuisine is fed by the garden and cooked over an open wood fire.

in Essoyes, a more discreet address is also dedicated to showcasing the champagnes of the Côte des Bars. A bistro, wine bar and wine shop, L'Union welcomes diners with carpaccio of calf's head (charcuterie is made on site), tripe à la mode de Troyes or Japanese-style breaded monkfish, always with a contemporary twist. On weekdays, a menu of between 17 and 20 euros leaves little reason to miss out. Heading back up to Troyes, the Octave restaurant carries the musicality of the département: gratin with Troyes andouillette and chaource, poultry or ikejime trout made in Aube. In the evening, the starter-main course-dessert menu is transformed into plates to share around a wine list that's also local and well-informed.

Champagne celebrations

Tastings continue this spring and throughout the summer in Aube, which is celebrating no less than three anniversaries: the 10th anniversary of the inscription of the hillsides, houses and cellars of Champagne as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 50th anniversary of the Commanderie du Saulte Bouchon and the 30th anniversary of the Route du Champagne en fête, an event organized since 1995 - over the course of a weekend, a dozen wineries open their doors and offer tastings of their champagnes.

This year's program includes concerts, exhibitions, cellar tours, a wine and gastronomy market... The region is only at the dawn of a great gastronomic effervescence.

Gourmet addresses :

• Le Garde-Champêtre, route des Riceys, 10250 Gyé-sur-Seine
• L'Union, 1 place du Général de Gaulle, 10360 Essoyes
• Octave, 23 rue des Quinze Vingts, 10000 Troyes

The program in detail:

• https://fete.aube-champagne.com/

3 questions to Rémi MAILLIU, Marketing Manager

Aube en Champagne Attractivité

What kind of visitors come to the Aube vineyards?

Often people who have fallen under the spell of a champagne, and discovered that it comes from an area they didn't know, in the very south of the appellation: Aube. This is where you can meet the winemakers. For example, you can easily visit the cellars of Maison Drappier or take part in tasting workshops at MaisonDevaux, which is housed in an 18th-century manor house set in a large park on the banks of the Seine.

What are the must-haves of the Aube region's culinary heritage?

Two products that go very well with champagne: our everyday cheese, chaource, and the famous andouillette, for those who love canaille gastronomy. Thierry's charcuterie in Sainte-Savine is delicious. For those with a sweet tooth, Maison Caffet's pralines are the best I've tasted to date.

What summer event do you particularly enjoy?

The landscape reading, organized by the Riceys winegrowers. We climb up to a viewpoint nestled in the vines, where we can understand, with the guide of the day, how man has shaped these bucolic valleys of the Aube.