Nothing can replace human hands: the production of our cuvées begins with the work in the vineyard. Each step is carried out with utmost care, attentively combining our traditional and ancestral savoir-faire with modern methods.
Les premiers travaux de la vigne : la taille
Après chaque vendange, les feuilles de vigne se parent petit à petit de couleurs automnales avant de tomber progressivement. Les rameaux se transforment en sarments et le vignoble entre en dormance. Durant cette période hivernale où la vigne est au repos, notre rôle de vigneron est de garantir son bon développement. La taille, l’un des travaux les plus longs de l’année, débute dès le mois de novembre et s’achève à la mi-mars. Cette étape essentielle vise à garantir une meilleure circulation de la sève vers les bourgeons. Elle permet également de limiter une croissance excessive afin d’assurer la pérennité de la vigne. Nous pratiquons une taille dite “Chablis”, pour obtenir des grappes de qualité optimale. Cette taille est principalement adaptée au Chardonnay, cépage majoritaire de notre vignoble. Les gestes ancestraux de la taille ont été transmis de génération en génération. Une fois taillés, les sarments démontés sont disposés entre les rangs de vignes. Ils sont ensuite broyés et laissés dans les vignes pour s’en servir comme engrais organique, nourrissant ainsi le sol. Ensuite, vient la période du liage, où les sarments fructifères sont attachés sur un fil de fer fixe pour assurer la future répartition de la végétation et des grappes de raisin à venir.
Vineyard maintenance works
In spring, the Champagne landscape is in constant evolution. During this time of year, we place bark in our vineyards to prevent the growth of weeds that could compete with the grapevines and hinder their yield. he bark also helps to maintain freshness during summer season. The vines grow day by day, and the first buds emerge. Various vineyard maintenance tasks are carried out to ensure their proper development and the growth of future grapes. One of these initial tasks is desuckering. This operation is performed in mid-May, at the beginning of the vine growth. Desuckering involves removing non-fruiting or poorly placed buds and shoots, to promote better uniformity in vegetation.
Lifting and trellising
The growth of the vine continues, and by the end of May, we begin the process of lifting. This operation involves lifting the shoots and maintaining them in a vertical position with the help of wires. In that way, we ensure the structure of the vine and facilitating human passage. During this spring period, the vegetative cycle of the vine progresses and enters the flowering. Gradually, the flowers transform into fruits. In June, after lifting, we continue with trellising. This step involves separating and securing the shoots into wires using biodegradable clips made of starch and hemp. Trellising gives the vines and grapes, which are just forming, better leaf exposure and better aeration of the bunches, which allow optimal sun exposure too.
Summer season
From the beginning of the summer season and throughout it, we process trimming, which is “summer pruning”. It consists of cutting the tips of the over-developed shoots to control the height and thickness of the vegetation. It allows the grapes to benefit from optimal sunlight and develop their growth and sugar content. It allows the grapes to benefit from optimal sunlight and develop their growth and sugar content. As for the berries, they start to change color, entering the veraison stage. We carefully monitor the concentrations of sugars, acids, and other compounds to determine the optimal harvesting date.
The harvest
The harvest season arrives, a crucial moment in the vine’s cycle. Each harvest is unique, adapting to the climatic conditions of the current year. It usually begins around September when the grapes have reached their maturity. The harvest is done manually to avoid damaging the fruit, and each grape is carefully selected. Then, they are immediately transported to the press to be squeezed.