Earlier this year, in January, I had the chance to visit some world-renowned growing areas in France. This exploration consisted of Burgundy, The Rhone Valley, and Champagne. After spending three days in the chic and sultry city of Paris, I was looking forward to enjoying the majestic rolling hillside beauty of Champagne...

My first glance, as I was flying past the Eperney station via TGV, led me to believe that this land was indeed all chalk. However, as soon as I stepped off the train in Reims, I realized the land was not covered in chalk, but in snow.

I am a historian by pleasure and have spent time in the middle-east working archeological digs in Jordan. I relish the idea of visiting new places, performing historical background checks which culminate into a "did you know?" fact sheet of the places that I visit. Champagne was no exception. Rather than become inundated with the "who, what, where and why" in regards to food and wine, I was equally as interested in the history as it related to laws, the town and its people, and the geological and culture significance of the area.

I chose Reims as my base camp and settled in. This town's historical significance is the site where, from 898 through 1824, kings from Charles III to Charles X were inaugurated to the throne of France. These historic cobblestone streets filled with intimate bistros serving artisan food and pouring champagne from producers that you do not commonly see in America, brought about me a sense of euphoria.

My two days in Champagne were spent solely in Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger. I began with a visit to the acclaimed champagne house, Salon. The tasting was exhilarating and the company was pure pleasure. The weather was thoroughly bone chilling; this mind you, coming from a Southern California native who spent eight years in Arizona. Day two was spent with a couple of small artisan producers, Jean Milan and Pierre Peters. The house of Jean Milan offered an enjoyable experience, justifiable by the guidance of one Caroline Milan. The wines I tasted from Pierre Peters were full of lemon meringue, chalk, and ripe green-apples. One sip to the next, my mind became the busy intersection of food and wine. From Kumamoto oysters to triple cream cheeses from the Cowgirl Creamery served on top of toasted bread with honeycomb, I thought of foods I would like to savor with these wines.

When I now think of Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger, elegance is the first word that comes to mind. The 100% chardonnay based wines are seamless and full of racy flavors of brioche, caramel, mineral, and green apples.

Even though I made this trip solo, the people, the food, and the wine made me forget the absence of my girlfriend, who spent her vacation in El Salvador eating rice and beans. Every time that I now see, pour, and taste champagne I think of the memorable experience that I celebrated this past January in Champagne.