Union des Maisons de Champagne - Grandes Marques & Maisons de Champagne

Since 1882 the UMC has brought together all of the Grandes Marques brands and Champagne Houses that collectively underpin the worldwide reputation of Champagne wines. This website is specifically designed to teach you everything you need to know about their history and organization, their expertise and their ever-innovative ambitions.

May

Champagne holds its breath until the Saints de Glace (Ice Saints) are safely past (11, 12, 13 May), dreading a spring freeze that might destroy the future harvest’s fruitful buds.

Desuckering removes the non-fruitful buds (suckers or gourmands). Any unwanted growth is removed to optimise sugar concentration and encourage good sap flow.

The Champagne month by month

Did you know?

Champagne wine enjoys international acclaim and is widely considered the most universally recognized symbol of France, with export markets in more than 190 countries. Some 65% of Champagne House production is destined for export.

Cuperly

The House of Cuperly started life in 1845 as a leading wine and spirit merchant based in Mourmelon-le-Petit. The Verzy vineyard, home of the House we know today, was a later acquisition, bought and developed by Robert Cuperly who took over from his father in the early 1900s and began making his own wines. Hence the founding of his own Champagne House, exclusively dedicated to that purpose.

The Champagne Houses