Crus & Queens: A Historical Ride Through Champagne
Join Jenny on a bubbly-fueled ride through the vineyards, cellars, scandals, and sheer fabulousness of France’s most iconic wine region. Crus & Queens is an immersive ride through Champagne — not just the wine, but the women, wars, whispers, and wonders behind the label. Join us as we bike from grand crus to quiet villages, digging into the real stories beneath the sparkle. With a glass in hand and a queen at every stop, this is history in motion. Pop a cork. Pedal on. Learn something scandalous.
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Meet the main grapes of Champagne — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier — reimagined as your favorite chaotic characters. We break down the terroirs, the crus, the drama of Grand Cru status, and why sloped hills and cold snaps matter more than you’d think.
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
She was widowed at 27 and built an empire before brunch. This episode dives into Madame Clicquot’s rule-breaking business brilliance, Russian wine smuggling, and the Renaissance château she retired to like the Queen of Bubbles she was.
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
When grapes got cheap and fraud ran wild, Champagne growers said non. In 1911, vineyards went full revolution. We relive the day Champagne flowed through the streets, merchants ran for cover, and Damery nearly burned. Viva la Vigne!
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
No, he didn’t invent Champagne. But yes, he made it legendary. We bust the myths, toast the monk, and ride through Hautvillers — the so-called “cradle of Champagne” — to find out what Dom P really did, and why the stars never actually sparkled for him.
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Aÿ is Champagne royalty, and Lily Bollinger was its queen. We dive into the town’s ancient wine fame, resistance lore, and the unstoppable Lily who cycled the vineyards daily — even during WWII. Also: James Bond, Churchill, and very clever chairs.
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
A celebration of the ride, the rebels, the ridiculousness, and the royalty behind Champagne. We toast the queens who shaped it all, recap the most outrageous tales, and raise a final glass to the wild, fizzy world that made this tour so unforgettable.
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Thursday Apr 24, 2025
Welcome to Épernay, where bubbles built empires. We cycle down the Avenue de Champagne and uncover how Napoleon, Moët, and a bunch of billionaires turned chalk cellars into châteaus. Expect drama, decadence, and more Champagne than Versailles ever poured.