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?

Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne was created in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Fearing assassination, the Tsar ordered that the bottle be made of clear glass (so he could detect any poison or “foreign bodies” lurking within), with a flat bottom to expose any bombs hidden in the punt.

Joseph Perrier

This House was established in 1825 by Joseph Perrier, and is the only Champagne House still headquartered in Chalons-en-Champagne. In 1888 it was acquired by Paul Pithois whose great grandson Jean-Claude Fourmon chaired the company for 40 years. His son Benjamin is now the sixth-generation Fourmon to take the helm.

The Champagne Houses