Page 137 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2019 PORTUGAL

soul rushed up to me and handed over an en-
velope holding a map of my family tree going
back to 1783. Another offered to open the
Châlons synagogue for a private visit to show
me a number of artifacts donated by Blanche's
uncle, the renowned economist, Alfred Ney-
marck, in honor of his mother, Henriette. I
had just stood that morning under a street
sign bearing his name.
7 September 1940

in the Marne. The infestation spread after the
importation of American rootstock to the Eu-
ropean continent in the 1880s. The Cham-
pagne region wasn’t affected however, but
phylloxera infected a number of nearby vine-
yards. By 1901, remaining healthy French
vines were grafted to American rootstock.
Nowadays, only Les Caves Joseph Perrier,
opened in 1825, maintain headquarters in the
town of Châlons. Traditional champagne
houses continue to age their champagne in an-
cient chalk pits called crayères, or clay tun-
nels, some dating back to Gallo-Roman times.
Many of these underground cellars sheltered
résistants and Jews (such as Blanche's daugh-
ter, Anny) fleeing German persecution during
WW2.
Philippe led us through extended under-
ground tunnels lined with aging bottles, some
of which must be rotated several times a day to
loosen the sediment that collects in the neck.
We blinked as we stepped into a bright tasting
room, and topped our visit with enough cham-
pagne to make us like singing in the rain.
It was time to get back to Châlons and the
Mediathèque, where I was to give my presen-
tation. Much to my surprise, over one hundred
people were in attendance. Tears were difficult
to hold back when they applauded my en-
trance. I hoped against hope that an unknown
descendant of the Lévy-Neymarck would
search me out, but that wasn't to be. One kind

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