It is hard keeping up with each Stage of the Tour de France 2018 of French wine and food. My original idea was to highlight the vineyards the riders passed by but in the case of TDF2018 as you look at the route map versus the wine map, these northern stages are not directly in wine regions.

Stage 7 and 8, twin wins for Groenewegen, a little pushing and shoving and penalties for Gaviria and Greipel in Stage 8 and a heartfelt, happy, the world is a better place, comeback, Stage 9 win for John Degenkolb and a sad crash out of the race for Richie Porte.

Peter Sagan posted a video of miming what it was like to bike Stage 9 over the cobbles on twitter, here

I originally was going to do separate posts on Stage 7 and 8 but given that the French just celebrated Bastille Day and this epic Stage 9 just took place over all the cobbles, if you look at the Route Map versus the wine map, there is only one wine to pick for all three of these stages Champagne!

According to google maps it is a 2 hour drive from Roubaix to Reims. It took Degenkolb 3 hours, 24 minutes and 26 seconds to finish the stage, so I think it is fairgame to include Champagne as a wine of these stages.

WINE OF THE STAGES – Louis Roederer Cristal 2012

Based in Reims, founded in 1776, and renamed Louis Roederer after it was inherited in 1883, Louis Roederer is one of the only remaining independent and family run Champagne houses.

The wine was first made for Tsar Alexander II in 1876. Only produced in the best years with a mix of Chardonnay 40% and Pinot Noir 60%, aged for 6 years in Roederer’s cellars and then a further 8 months after disgorgement. The wine has texture, tension, minerality, citrus notes and rather fitting for celebrating making through the cobbles. Chapeau to Degenkolb for his incredible finish and what better wine to celebrate with along this Tour de French Wine and Food. Salut!!!