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 monthIn 2003, Champagne was the first wine-growing region in the world to conduct a carbon footprint assessment – proof of the industry’s early commitment to tackle climate change.
Since then, 50 grams have been shaved off the weight of each Champagne bottle – equivalent to an emissions reduction of 8,000 tonnes CO2 a year, or 4,000 fewer vehicles on the road.
André Sacy first began making Champagne in 1962, pursuing a family winegrowing tradition dating back to 1633. His son Alain has since developed the estate and was joined by his two children in 2013 – and with that, a new generation set to work.
The Champagne Houses