Chicago Grand Tasting at Avec River North

A walk-around Champagne tasting at Avec River North

Chicago Grand Tasting is La Fête du Champagne’s daytime walk-around tasting in Chicago, held at Avec River North. The format centers on wines from participating Champagne houses and grower producers, with small bites served alongside the pours. The Champagne focus spans the Côte des Blancs, the Vallée de la Marne, and the Montagne de Reims, tying the tasting to several named Champagne regions rather than a single house or style.

Producer selections and specific cuvées

The published wine lineup includes selections from A. Bergère, Delamotte, Pierre Gerbais, Krug, Larmandier-Bernier, Laurent-Perrier, and Famille Moussé. Examples named for the program include Krug 2013, Krug Grande Cuvée 173ème Edition, Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Itération Nº27, Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus 2018, Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 2018, Pierre Gerbais Grains de Celles 2022, and Famille Moussé Les Fortes Terres 2022. Food pairings are part of the event, with Haute Caviar and Taylor Shellfish oysters specifically named among the small bites.

Winemakers, house representatives, and the host site

Named participants include Adrien Bergère, Aurélien Gerbais, Frédéric Savart, Cédric Moussé, and Arthur Larmandier as winemakers; Jérôme Prévost as founder and winemaker; Olivier Krug as sixth-generation family director; and Edouard Cossy as Global Director of Grand Siècle. Avec River North is the Chicago restaurant venue for the tasting, while La Fête du Champagne is the organizer.

• Tickets are listed at $195 + tax for the event.