Top 10 Wineries in Champagne
Champagne is two cities, three grapes, and a hundred kilometres of chalk galleries. Visiting splits cleanly between the polished grandes marques in Reims and Épernay and the récoltant-manipulant growers in the villages.
1. Krug, Reims
The benchmark of multi-vintage cuvée champagne; long-aged, oxidative, small-oak vinifications. Visits are private and arranged through allocation.
2. Louis Roederer, Reims
Family-owned house with serious estate vineyards and Cristal — historically the Tsar's champagne — now a vegan, biodynamic-influenced flagship.
3. Pol Roger, Épernay
Winston Churchill's house: a discreet family estate famous for the Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, and an unusually consistent non-vintage.
4. Bollinger, Aÿ
A grower-house hybrid: estate-grown Pinot Noir, reserve wines in magnum under cork, and the Vieilles Vignes Françaises from ungrafted vines.
5. Veuve Clicquot, Reims
Madame Clicquot's house: yellow-label ubiquity, 24 km of chalk crayères beneath Reims, and one of the most professional visitor programmes in the region.
6. Moët & Chandon, Épernay
The largest house and the home of Dom Pérignon; deep chalk cellars under Avenue de Champagne and tours that run all day.
7. Ruinart, Reims
The oldest established champagne house (1729) and the most distinctive cellar visit — Gallo-Roman chalk crayères listed by UNESCO.
8. Salon, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
A vintage-only Blanc de Blancs from a single grand cru; produced only in the best years, sister house to Delamotte.
9. Jacques Selosse, Avize
The reference grower of modern Champagne — oxidative, vins de lieu vinifications from grand cru Côte des Blancs parcels. Visits are effectively impossible.
10. Egly-Ouriet, Ambonnay
A leading récoltant-manipulant from the Montagne de Reims; Pinot Noir-led champagnes of unusual depth and long lees ageing.
How Champagne visits work
The grandes marques in Reims and Épernay run scheduled tours daily and are the realistic entry to a Champagne trip. The grower estates require appointments and often introductions. Avenue de Champagne in Épernay concentrates the largest houses within walking distance; Reims hosts the listed UNESCO chalk crayères.
From reading to planning
Every house above is on the interactive map. Filter to Champagne, pick one base — Reims or Épernay — and route tours by walking distance through the historic cellars.