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.
In 1812 André-Michel Pierlot moved to Tours-sur-Marne to start his own business. In the late 19th century, with no heir to succeed him, he transferred ownership to his cellar master Eugène Laurent, who died shortly afterwards. It was his widow Mathilde-Emilie Perrier who thought of linking their two family names to create the brand name Laurent Perrier. In 1939, Marie-Louise de Nonancourt, née Lanson, purchased the House for her son, Bernard – a larger-than-life personality who made Laurent-Perrier the success it is today.
The Champagne Houses