I will always remember February 12th of 2014. On that evening Muru, one of the nicest bistros in Helsinki, organized a spectacular Krug, Selosse & Jacquesson tasting where I met a champagne that changed my life.

Until then, I hadn’t been sure whether barrique-oaked champagne style was my cup of tea, but Anselme Selosse’s Les Carelles did the trick. From the first sniff, I was madly in love.

That was the rock-my-world wine moment I had been waiting for. Becoming totally smitten and silenced by bubbles. Even though a bunch of nice young fellows were sitting at the table, suddenly they ceased to exist. There was only this fabulous, voluptuous, deep golden yellow elixir with the most erotic nose ever.

You can call me a dramatic, fanatic or lunatic, I don’t mind. I just know that ever since Selosse Les Carelles Blanc de Blancs has been The One for me. It set a perfect example why tasting blind (or semi-blind) makes so much sense. Your senses are open, honest and responsive, thanks to which you may end up falling for something unexpected.

During that night, we tasted all six Selosse lieux-dits (wines from strictly defined and designated single vineyards or smaller plots of those vineyards). Also my first runner-up – before Krug’s legendary Clos du Mesnil and Clos d’Ambonnay – was made by Anselme. Le Bout du Clos is a rich and expressive, beautifully saline, mouthwatering blanc de noirs from the world-famous Pinot Noir village of Ambonnay.

As the spring went on, I made sure that whenever there was a possibility to taste these hard-to-find rarities, I was there – no matter what. For love you also do sweet silly things, such as buy a bottle of Les Carelles from Helsinki Airport on your way to Vilnius, only to fly back with it four days later. Or tour Tuscany for 10 days with a bottle of Sous Le Mont in your luggage. I miss those days when these bottles could be bought at our airport.

At its best, I had eight different Selosse bottlings in my cellar. But it was not enough. I wanted to go to the place where heavenly Les Carelles nectar came from, being well aware, of course, that instead of heavens its origins are tightly rooted in the chalky and mineral soil of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. For many, Le Mesnil is the most prestigious village for first-class Chardonnay grapes and stellar blanc de blancs champagnes.

Selosse Les Avisés – my spiritual home in Champagne

Eight months after that unforgettable tasting at Muru I am in a taxi, bursting with excitement. It’s my birthday and my first time in Champagne. After a very nice afternoon visit to Philipponnat, I’m on my way to Les Avisés, the hotel that Anselme Selosse and his wife Corinne have been running since 2011.

The building has been renovated with great taste and lovely materials. The atmosphere is super cosy. In no other hotel have I dined barefoot in winter. At Les Avisés you can without feeling underdressed. Or if you feel sleepy after the dinner, nobody minds you taking a little nap on the living room sofa. At least I like to think they don’t?

But let’s go back to those first impressions in October 2014. The weather was turning so nasty that I had to stay inside for the rest of the evening. At Les Avisés, it’s nothing short of a blessing as their wine list made me chuckle: lots of awesome bubbly options to choose from!

Slightly worried about the idea of finishing the whole bottle by myself, I enter my room. While hiding under the covers listening to the thunder growing, the guy from the reception brings me a bottle of Benoît Lahaye’s Blanc de Noirs.

The concept is brilliant. After enjoying an aperitif in my room, I carry the bottle to the dinner space. Later, there is still enough left to enjoy a nightcap in the room. I finish the bottle the following morning during the breakfast, which you shouldn’t skip while staying at Les Avisés!

No wonder that at the checkout I am in an utterly good mood, despite knowing that Monsieur Selosse wouldn’t be around before I leave Avize. I would meet the man behind these champagnes – and the rise of the entire grower champagne movement – some other day.

But a birthday wouldn’t be a birthday without surprises. The moment I’m about to leave the hotel, I see a curly-haired man smoking in front of the cellar. Anselme is back from Philadelphia!

Forgetting all stupid principles how to act like a ‘cool’ oenophile, I rush to him and mumble something in my lousy French. The big smile on Anselme’s face and the smell of tobacco make a perfect ending to a perfect first visit. I would be back for my next birthday.

In addition to birthdays, life has taken me back to Avize several times. In June 2016, I fulfilled my dream of staying two nights in a row. Being well aware this kind of frequency may be a bit heavy on my freelancer wallet, I’m already drooling over my third birthday at Les Avisés.

And if I ever marry, Avize shall be the destination. No question about that. The church is just 150 metres from the Selosse heaven.

59 Rue de Cramant (Avize). Open daily (restaurant closed on Tue-Wed). Tel: +33 (3)26 577 006. Arrival: either by car or by taxi (15 to 20 mins from Épernay train station).