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 monthEvery year on 22 January, Champagne celebrates the feast of St Vincent, patron saint of winegrowers. Fancy-dress parades, banquets, church services and traditional ceremonies are held to give thanks for the previous year’s harvest and to invoke the saint’s protection for activities in the coming year.
Bruno Paillard comes from a long line of Champagne growers and brokers dating back to 1704. Hence his decision in 1981 to develop his own particular style of Champagne wines and establish his own Champagne House - one of the youngest of the Grandes Marques Champagne houses.
The Champagne Houses