Pressoria

We took a trip to Äy, in the northern Champagne area, to visit the recently opened Champagne experience called ‘Pressoria’. It is situated in an old pressing centre of the Champagne house Pommery on the edge of the town. We had scheduled our visit, via their website, for 11am. We left Viviers-sur-Artaut around 9am, which left us time to grab a coffee and a pain aux raisins before going in.

After being welcomed by the receptionist and getting your ‘tous anticovid’ checked, you are invited to start the tour. The first thing you see suggests that you forget everything you know about Champagne, use all your senses and immerse yourself in what’s to come.

The scene was set by introducing us to the history of how the chalk and limestone beds were formed, with a short cartoon styled video wall.

Next to this was a chalk installation to help set the scene and show the important bedrock that makes up the Champagne region.

There were a number of rooms dedicated to describing the complexity, and delicacy, in the growth of the vine in Champagne. I have to say I loved the touch sensitive floor, it sent roots off to find you wherever you moved. Great fun.