Happy Christmas from Les Molyneux

 

 

Just a quick post to thank you for choosing Les Molyneux as your destination in Champagne and to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and peace, love, prosperity and happiness in 2015. I want to thank you also for writing great reviews for us and for making 2014 another great year for us.

A special gift below is a short video that Infusionsoft made for me as part of my prize for winning their online marketing award last year. I hope it will bring back happy memories for you of your time here at Les Molyneux and that you will think about returning again in 2015.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

In the meantime, wishing you a very Happy Christmas

Yvonne x

Yvonne June 2014

 

 

 

Curious about what to do, where to stay, who to meet in Champagne?

Download our Free Guide by CLICKING HERE

 

Merry Christmas from Champagne

Thank you so much for choosing to stay with us in 2013.  We had a great year once again, thanks only to you 🙂  May I take this opportunity to wish you, your family and your loved ones a very Happy Christmas and may all your dreams come true in 2014.

Yvonne, Jiles & The Team

Champagne Harvest

Tt le mondeThe dates for the champagne harvest for 2013 have been announced, and it starts in Verzy on the 4th October for Chardonnay grapes and the 6th October for Pinot Noir grapes.

And you can come and get involved if you want to experience the atmosphere and the excitement of the highlight of the year here in Champagne.

Your day starts with a trip out to the vineyards and armed with a pair of secateurs, you’ll be instructed on what to pick, how to pick and where to put the grapes when you’ve picked!

And then, off to the press house to enjoy the process of crushing the grapes and watching the juice being extracted, followed by a tasting of the juice straight from the press.

Lunch follows where you’ll enjoy 3 champagnes and a typical harvesters lunch with the team.  Would you like to come?

Click here to find out more

“These people simply effervesce, they really are bubbly in every way, the welcome, the room, the breakfast and of course Verzy, this sleepy village surrounded by vines and Champagne Houses.”

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Champagne for the 2013 harvest 😉

Yvonne

Yvonne 150

 

 

Why is champagne so expensive?

Tasting at Henriet-Bazin 2Fancy making your own champagne ?

Many people who come to our B&B ask if we own vineyards or is the champagne we’re serving, the one we make ourselves…..

Well, no, on both counts, and here’s why…

A hectare of champagne vineyards at the lowest quality (cru) is currently valued at and costs in the region of 1m euros to buy, with a hectare of grand cru vineyards valued at 2m euros, that’s if you could ever find any vineyards to buy.  Vineyards typically change hands between existing champagne producers, by word of mouth, so as foreigners, this would simply not be available to us, even if we wanted that.

There used to be strict rules governing the sale and purchase of vineyards, meaning that the larger champagne houses were not allowed to buy up the smaller vineyards, otherwise there would be a monopoly.  In France, everyone has to have the opportunity to make a living, and so the larger houses and the small producers co-exist happily together, with no-one holding all the power.

I am not so sure any more  that there are official rules about this or that it would even be legal for there to be rules. I think that people try to avoid selling to the big brands if they can for exactly the reasons I’ve mentioned, but money talks and sometimes people will sell for a good deal whoever the buyer is.

new vinesHere’s a new vineyard that’s just been planted in Verzy.  I’ve been following the work going on in this vineyard while out on my daily walk with Pepper, our dog.  These little babies will one day be adult vines, producing beautiful juicy pinot noir grapes to make into champagne, but it won’t happen overnight, which is another reason why we would never want to own any vineyards.

Here’s what happens…..

The little vines will take 5 years to be fully fruit producing adults, worthy of producing good champagne.  During that time all the money is tied up in the investment, with no cashflow whatsoever.  And  then when the vines are fully grown and the grapes worth picking, it will then be another 3 years before the champagne is made and on sale  for you and I to buy.

I make that a total of 8 years investment, with no return, and no guarantee of the end result being good enough to be part of the champagne making process.  Plus, our one hectare will yield around 10,000 bottles and let’s say the selling price is 12 euros a bottles, then your revenue would be around 120,000euros before tax.  So that means it would take almost 10 years to get your money back on your investment in the 1 hectare of average quality vineyard.  Sounds good so far?  But wait there’s more….

adult vinesYou’ll need to spend time and money working the vineyard – the vines don’t just grow on their own – well they do but left to Mother Nature, they won’t produce the result you want in terms of quality.

Then you’ll need to pay the pickers as the harvest is all done by hand. No machines allowed here.

And you’d need to buy a press which you only use a couple for weeks per year ( or pay for someone else to press the grapes, perhaps by joining a co-op)

You’d need to buy vats to ferment and store the wine, acquire cellars to age the wine ( or again  pay someone else to do it for you e.g. join a co-op)

All in all you are probably looking at 20 years or even longer to get your money back!

It’s a risky business, for sure, and I know that if I had 1m euros to invest, I’m not sure I would choose this investment, would you?

And people ask us, why is champagne so expensive??????

To which we reply…. Why is champagne so cheap?

Cheers!

Yvonne

Yvonne 150

 

 

If you love Champagne this wonderful house is a great base to explore the area… Trust you love it as much as we did.. Tony, UK

Want to learn more about champagne and the people who make it?  Check out our private champagne tours and tastings by CLICKING HERE

 

 

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hello and thank you for coming over.  Before wishing you a fabulous Christmas, I’ve got some exciting things to tell you first:

Thing 1

We’re closing until the 18th March 2013 to do some renovations and decorating, so if you’re interested in watching us transform the little building on the other side of the courtyard into two fabulous bedrooms, then I suggest you subscribe to the Blog by clicking on the little orange/white button at the top right of this page.  I’ll be posting regularly on our progress, and by subscribing you’ll get an email every time I do that.

Thing 2

We’re going to be managing our neighbour’s house next year.  It is for sale and they have moved out, but in the meantime, until they find a buyer, we are going to be offering it to you as a Gite, which means that if you want to come to Champagne for an extended length of time and prefer to do your own thing, then you’ll be able to book the gite when I put the details on the site after Christmas.  The house has 4 lovely bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge, dining area and kitchen plus a lovely sunny courtyard and pool!  It’s perfect for (adult) families or groups.  Again, if you subscribe to this blog, you’ll know first when it’s ready to go.

Thing 3

As you know we offer meals here at Les Molyneux, which I cook myself.  Next year, we’re going to be using the services of our local French chef, Christophe Ponsart, who has worked in a Michelin star restaurant in Epernay, and now runs his own business.  He will be preparing delicious gourmet meals for you., so you’re in for a treat there!

Thing 4

We’re going to have to raise our prices next year, due to increases in energy, but for you as part of our community, we’re holding the price increase until the 5th January, so if a trip to Champagne is on the cards for you in 2013, then please do book before the prices goes up on the 5th January.  You’ll probably be planning your trips for next year over Christmas with your friends and family, so now is a good time to take advantage of 2012 prices.

Thing 5

Finally,  we have had a spectacularly successful year this year, thanks to you.  Yes, you.  Choosing to stay with us, giving us feedback, writing reviews on Trip Advisor has made our year, and we couldn’t have done it without you.  I want to thank you sincerely, from the bottom of my heart.  We raise a glass to you and wish you a fabulously

Merry  Christmas

and peace, happiness and prosperity to you and your loved ones in 2013 and beyond.

Looking forward to welcoming you again to Champagne in 2013.

 

Yvonne and Jiles xx