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 monthWith a little over 34,000 hectares of vines, the Champagne AOC represents just 4% of France’s total vineyard area, or 0.5% of world vineyard acreage. It is nevertheless the top producer in terms of turnover.
It was in the reign of French King Louis XV that a young and dynamic merchant called Pierre Chanoine (1698-1774) decided to venture into the business of Champagne winemaking. The House of Chanoine Frères has perpetuated the spirit of its visionary founder ever since.
The Champagne Houses