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 monthChampagne, site of the first great, record-breaking experiences in flight, now enjoys an international reputation as the cradle of aviation. Much of the credit is owed to the Champagne Houses whose support for aviation dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. As the sponsors of numerous awards and prizes, not to mention spectacular airshows, the Champagne Houses played a pivotal role in encouraging the exploits of early aviators.
The House of Ayala was established in 1860 by Edmond de Ayala – a bold entrepreneur who quickly made his mark in Champagne, not least as a founding member of the Syndicat du Commerce des Vins de Champagne (1862) or what is now the Union des Maisons de Champagne.
The Champagne Houses