Côte des Bar

The Côte des Bar is the southern arc of Champagne, south-east of Troyes, where pinot noir covers most of the vineyard. It is grower country, and the only home of the still Rosé des Riceys.

The wine

The Côte des Bar is an arc of roughly 8,000 hectares in the south of Champagne, south-east of Troyes and between Bar-sur-Seine and Bar-sur-Aube. Pinot noir dominates, at about 86% of plantings, with about 10% chardonnay and 4% pinot meunier. The soils are mainly clay-limestone and marl.

This is a land of growers rather than big houses. Cadoles, the dry-stone winegrowers' shelters, are emblematic of these vineyards.

The area's other specialty is Rosé des Riceys, a still pinot noir rosé. Its vineyards lie only in the commune of Les Riceys, and it has been an appellation d'origine since 1947. It is made only in sunny years, and its color runs from light salmon to deep madder red.

The grapes come from steep, high, east- and south-facing slopes with stony soils, and old vines of 30 to 50 years suit it best. The grapes go into the vat whole, which preserves the pinot noir aromas and controls the color. Red-fruit aromas turn to dried fruit and spice after several years of aging.

Volumes are tiny: about 50,000 bottles a year, against more than 300 million bottles of champagne.

Visiting

The area has no single center, so choose a base by what you want to see. Les Riceys is the village for Rosé des Riceys, Urville is home to Drappier, and Bar-sur-Aube and Bar-sur-Seine mark the two ends of the arc.

From Paris, direct trains run from Gare de l'Est to Troyes or Bar-sur-Aube in 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, with about 10 direct trains a day. Vendeuvre-sur-Barse is also on that line. By car you are within 2 hours of Paris on the A5; for Bar-sur-Seine, take exit 22 at Magnant.

Public transport inside the area is thin. The Bar-sur-Aube to Troyes line has about 4 trains a day, with a fastest time of 30 minutes over 55 km. Plan around the timetable or use a car.

Visits with tasting run €10–26 ($11–28). Three estates show how it works:

• Champagne Drappier, Urville. The cellar tour with tasting is €26 ($28) per person, and tasting without the tour is €21 ($23). Tours start at 2:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday, by reservation.
• Champagne Didier Goussard, Les Riceys. Tasting with a guided visit is €10 ($11) per person. It is open Monday to Saturday until October 10, then preferably by appointment until April 30. Sundays and public holidays are by appointment.
• Champagne Urbain Père & Fils. A tasting alone is €6 ($6) per person, Monday to Friday during opening hours. Saturday and Sunday are by appointment. The 1-hour guided visit with tasting is €10 ($11), also by appointment.

In summer, La Route du Champagne en Fête is a weekend event that growers created in 1995. Growers open their cellars across 10 villages and 22 cellars, and a pass gives you a tasting at each participating cellar.

For views, the Plateau de Blu near Noë-les-Mallets, at 357 meters, is the highest viewpoint in the département, looking over the Côte des Bar valley.

Spit as you go at tastings, and choose a designated driver if you are traveling by car. Many growers receive visitors by appointment only or mainly by appointment, especially at weekends and in winter, so phone or book ahead. Drappier's picnic formula, from April to October, needs booking a week ahead.