Can one champagne really change your life?

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

Until then, I hadn’t been sure whether boldly barrel-aged, oxidative style was my cup of tea, but one Blanc de Blancs from Anselme Selosse 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 smitten and silenced by bubbles. Even though a bunch of nice young men were sitting at the table, suddenly they ceased to exist. There was only this voluptuous, deep golden yellow elixir with the most erotic nose ever.

You can call me 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.

IN LOVE WITH THE LIEUX-DITS

During that night, we tasted all six Selosse lieux-dits (wines from strictly defined and designated single vineyards or smaller plots of those vineyards). Interestingly, my first runner-up – before Krug’s legendary Clos du Mesnil and Clos d’Ambonnay – was also from Selosse: Le Bout du Clos. Rich, expressive, beautifully saline, mouthwatering Blanc de Noirs from the world-famous Pinot Noir village, 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. Also, for love you do sweet silly things, such as buying a bottle of Les Carelles from Helsinki Airport on your way to Vilnius, only to fly back with it four days later. Or touring Tuscany for 10 days with a bottle of Sous Le Mont.

I miss those days when these bottles could be bought at our airport with a friendly price tag.

At one point, I had eight different Selosse bottlings in my cellar. Yet it was not enough. That said, I wanted to go to the place where heavenly Les Carelles nectar came from, being well aware that instead of heaven its origins are tightly rooted in the chalky 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 old manor house has been renovated with lovely taste and 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 dinner, nobody minds you taking a little nap on the living room sofa. At least I like to think they don’t?

CHAMPAGNE ALL NIGHT LONG

However, let’s go back to those first impressions in October 2014 when the weather was turning so nasty that I had to stay indoors. At Les Avisés, it’s nothing short of a blessing as their champagne list made me chuckle: plenty of awesome options to choose from!

At first, feeling slightly worried about the idea of finishing the whole bottle that I ordered right at my arrival, 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 Blanc de Noirs.

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

AN ENCOUNTER TO REMEMBER

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

But a birthday is no 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!

That said, forgetting all stupid principles how to act like a “cool” oenophile, I rush to him and mumble something in French. The smile on Anselme’s face and the smell of tobacco make a perfect ending to a perfect first visit. I would be back next October.

So far, 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 that this kind of frequency might, unfortunately, be a bit heavy on my freelancer’s 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 my Selosse heaven.

Hôtel & Restaurant Les Avisés
59 Rue de Cramant, Avize
Open daily (restaurant closed on Tue-Wed)
Tel: +33 (3)26 577 006
Arrival: by car or taxi (15 to 20 mins from Épernay)

 

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UPDATE (2026): Based on my 14 overnight visits to Les Avisés over the years, I can wholeheartedly recommend this boutique hotel for spending quality time with yourself or with the ones who matter most. If you’d like to enjoy lunch at Les Avisés without staying at the hotel, it’s worth inquiring via their website / writing to: hotel@selosse-lesavises.com