Making your own Champagne is rare.

This hands-on tour in Reims turns the usual Champagne stop into real work in dug-by-hand cellars: you learn the family story and know-how, do a blind tasting of three dosages, then finish with the final step where you disgorge your own half-bottle and label it with your name. One thing to plan for: this is not a full meal outing, so you’ll want to arrive with snacks or have something beforehand.

I like that the whole experience is designed for small groups. With a maximum of 8 travelers and an English-speaking guide named Hélène in the guest feedback, you get real attention rather than a rushed walk-by. The other small downside is logistics: depending on how you’re getting to Reims, public transport may be slow, so build extra buffer time.

Key things to know before you go

• Blind tasting of three dosages: pick your favorite by taste, not by labels
• You disgorge and take home a half-bottle: it’s not just a photo moment
• Private, small-group format: maximum 8 travelers, with time to ask questions
• Family-run know-how in dug-by-hand cellars: you see and hear how Champagne is made
• Multiple departure times: easier to fit into your day in the Champagne region

Champagne Lamiable near Reims: what this tour is really about

This is a Champagne tour with a simple goal: you leave with a bottle you made yourself. Not a generic souvenir from a shop. You get to do the part people usually only watch from behind glass, including the step where Champagne is finished for bottling—then you label it and take it home.

I also like that the experience is structured around your palate. The blind tasting is the key. You sample three different dosages without knowing which is which, and that’s how you learn what sweetness level really changes the glass.

The price—$96.02 per person—lands in the midrange for Champagne tours, but you’re paying for hands-on labor and a customized bottle to take home. If you value experiences where you actively make something, it feels like good value rather than just a guided drink.

Meeting point and the small-group, guide-led pace

You meet at CHAMPAGNE LAMIABLE, 8 Rue de Condé, 51150 Tours-sur-Marne, France. The tour ends back at the same meeting point, which helps you keep your day simple.

The biggest practical advantage is the group size. This activity has a maximum of 8 travelers, and it’s described as a private tour, meaning you shouldn’t feel like you’re competing for attention. In guest comments, Hélène comes up again and again for clear explanations, patience, and a sense of humor that makes technical wine talk easier to follow.

Time-wise, plan on about 2 hours 30 minutes. With several departure times throughout the day, you have options—use that to choose a slot that matches your transport and energy level.

What you’ll do in the dug-by-hand cellars

The heart of the tour is the cellar visit. You’ll discover the family history and the know-how in wine making in dug-by-hand cellars. That detail matters because it explains why Champagne production has always been about more than tasting—it’s about place, temperature stability, and patient process.

What you’re learning here is part science, part craft. You get the background behind Champagne’s method and what the different stages do for the final flavor. Even if you don’t consider yourself a wine person, the guide’s job is to translate the process into what it means for what you drink.

You should also expect a pace that leaves room for questions. The format isn’t just a slideshow. You’re physically present in the working environment, and the guide builds the story step by step so the tasting later makes sense.

The blind tasting: how you choose your dosage by taste

The tasting is not a random pour-and-pray. It’s set up for learning. You’ll taste three different dosages of Champagne blindly and choose your favorite based on what you actually like.

That’s a smart way to train your palate. Without labels in front of you, you stop letting branding or expectations influence your judgment. You focus on what sweetness level does to balance—how it affects fruit, texture, and the overall impression of the glass.

You’ll also get 3 glasses of Champagne included. That lines up with the tasting portion: you’re not paying extra for drinks or guessing what you’ll get. The goal is to leave confident about which style fits your preferences.

One practical tip: during the blind tasting, take tiny notes in your head. Is your favorite the one that feels drier and sharper? Or the one that feels rounder and more generous? Those quick mental snapshots make the final “your bottle” moment way more satisfying.

The process finish: disgorge your own half bottle

Here’s the part that turns the tour from sightseeing into a hands-on memory. The final step you do yourself is disgorging your half bottle—the crucial finishing action in Champagne making.

You’ll label it with your name, which is more meaningful than it sounds. It’s the moment the wine stops being something you sampled and becomes something you personally finished. You’re part of the production story, even though it’s a guided, controlled experience.

This step is also where you’ll understand why Champagne is often described with careful language. There’s a reason the process matters. When you do the action yourself, you grasp how the craft affects the final result in your glass.

Also, you get to take it home. The tour includes a half-bottle of Champagne that you disgorged yourself. That’s a big deal for value: you’re not only paying for instruction, you’re carrying home the proof.

Labeling and taking home your customized souvenir

After you handle the disgorging, you’ll label your bottle with your name. That transforms the souvenir into something personal, and it’s one reason this tour gets strong ratings.

This is especially good for groups too. The experience naturally becomes a shared story—each person ends up with a different preferred style from the blind tasting and a bottle with their own name on it. A few guests also highlighted that it’s fun for group celebrations, including small family outings.

One thing to keep in mind: you’ll want to pack smart so your bottle stays safe for the ride back. Champagne travels best with careful packing and stable temperature. Treat it like the fragile wine it is.

Timing in Reims: make the day fit your transport

This activity offers multiple departure times, which is a gift in the Champagne region where your train schedule can affect everything. The tour lasts about 2 hours 30 minutes, so it’s easier to slot into a morning or afternoon than the half-day tours that swallow your whole day.

If you’re coming via train, be aware that service can be infrequent. One guest described train frequency being limited and arriving late, and the guide handled it with understanding and even arranged a return taxi based on the train schedule. Still, don’t count on miracles—give yourself extra buffer time so you walk in calm, not stressed.

Food is a consideration. Based on guest experience, food isn’t reliably available during the tour, so eat before you go and bring snacks if that’s your style. This is one of those practical details that changes whether you enjoy the whole experience.

English-friendly and built for Q&A

The tour is offered in English, and it’s structured so you can ask questions. That matters because Champagne production can sound technical, and you want the guide to connect the steps to the taste in your hand.

Guests also praised Hélène’s explanations and humor, which is not just entertainment value. Humor makes it easier to remember what you’re learning. When you later compare dosages, you’ll realize the guide taught you the right things at the right moments.

If you like wine history but hate textbook lectures, this is a good balance. You get the family story, the process in the cellars, then you taste and do the finishing step.

Price and value: is $96.02 worth it?

At $96.02 per person, you’re paying for three parts: instruction in Champagne making, a guided tasting of three dosages (with 3 glasses included), and a takeaway product you actually finished yourself—a half-bottle labeled by your name.

For many Champagne tours, the tasting is the value. Here, the value is the combination: you taste, you learn, and then you perform a signature finishing action and take the result home. That’s why people rate it so highly.

Is it the cheapest option in the region? No. But if you want something more than tasting and photos, it can feel like a fair trade. You’re not only consuming Champagne; you’re buying a small-scale production memory that you can open later.

Who should book this tour (and who might prefer something else)

This tour fits you if:

• you want hands-on Champagne making, not just watching
• you enjoy tasting with guidance and a clear method (blind tasting is ideal for learning your own taste)
• you’re traveling with a small group and want time with the guide
• you want a take-home souvenir that feels real, not generic

You might skip it if:

• you want a long, sit-down meal experience (you should plan to eat first)
• you’re extremely tight on time and can’t build buffer for transport
• you only want a quick tasting and don’t care about the disgorging step

Should you book Champagne Lamiable: Make your own Champagne bottle?

If you’re choosing between a standard Champagne tasting and a more active workshop, I’d lean toward this one. The blind tasting of three dosages teaches you something you’ll remember, and the disgorge-and-label half bottle is the kind of souvenir that makes the whole day feel personal.

Book it if your schedule can handle a 2 hours 30 minutes slot and you’ll arrive fed and unhurried. Plan for transport time, especially if you’re relying on train connections. If you do that, you’ll come away with a better understanding of Champagne—and a bottle that proves you weren’t just along for the ride.

FAQ

How long is the Champagne Lamiable Make your own Champagne bottle tour?

It’s about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Where is the meeting point?

The meeting point is CHAMPAGNE LAMIABLE, 8 Rue de Condé, 51150 Tours-sur-Marne, France.

What does the tour cost?

The price is $96.02 per person.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes, it’s offered in English.

How big is the group?

The tour has a maximum of 8 travelers.

What’s included in the tour price?

You get 3 glasses of Champagne included.

Do you take a bottle home?

Yes. You’ll take home a half-bottle of Champagne that you disgorged yourself, labeled with your name.

Do you do a tasting?

Yes. You’ll do a blind Champagne tasting and taste three different dosages, then choose your favorite.

Is private transportation included?

No. Private transportation is not included.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience start time. If you cancel less than 24 hours before, it’s not refunded.

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