Champagne house
Champagne Mercier
Avenue de Champagne 68, 51200 Épernay, France
House history
Champagne Mercier traces its story to the Second Empire, when Eugène Mercier founded his House at age 20 with the ambition of making champagne accessible without sacrificing quality. In 1871 he began building the cellars in Épernay; the 18 kilometers of underground tunnels took six years to complete. Mercier became known for bold innovation and publicity, including original promotional campaigns, tastings at Universal Expositions, and the construction of a giant wine cask for assemblage that was shown at the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris. In 1891, President Sadi Carnot visited the cellars. The house emphasizes its roots in Épernay and its historic ties to Paris, including a direct railway line used to transport wine.
Tasting experience
Visitors can tour Mercier’s 18 km of cellars in Épernay on a driverless train, 30 metres beneath the chalky soil, and discover the house’s heritage and bas-relief carvings. Tours are offered with different tasting formats, including guided cellar tours followed by tastings with a sommelier. Examples listed on the site include 2 tasting glasses of Mercier Vintage and Blanc de Noirs; 3 tasting glasses of Brut Mercier, Blanc de Noirs, and Brut Rosé; 2 tasting glasses of Blanc de Noirs and Brut Rosé; and 3 tasting glasses of Brut Mercier, Brut Réserve, and Brut Rosé. A guide-interpreter option is available for an additional 10€. The site also notes tours are accessible to all (PRM), with an audio guide available on tablet in French sign language.
Contact
Avenue de Champagne 68, 51200 Épernay, France