This journey through time will guide you through the seasons and the vineyards and ultimately to the sparkling bubbles that cross your lips. The processes involved in making the sparkling wine of Champagne will be revealed, beginning with the harvest through to the crucial blending stage. The first part of this winemaking process covers harvesting the grape and producing still wine.

11) Geographical location and the climate

     The vineyards of Champagne are located around the northern limits at which grapes are usually grown. The vineyards to the north of Rheims are at around 49°5 degrees while the southernmost are at 48° at Bar-sur-Seine. The altitude of the vineyards can vary from between 90 to 300 metres.
     The vineyards are largely planted close to a 10°C isotherm. Over the period 1921 to 1980, the average annual temperature was 10.4°C in Epernay, 10°C in Rheims and 10.1°C in Troyes. The climate is subject to both continental and oceanic influences, with a beautiful mild autumn that is ideal for maturing grapes.
     Rainfall is fairly regular throughout the year with an annual total of around 650 to 700 mm. There is an average of 1,600 hours of sunshine per year spread over 290 days. However, in good years, this can rise to 2,000 hours or more (as in 1947 and 1976).

12) Soil

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Soil in the Champagne region tends to be either chalky or a clay-chalk mix. The subsoil of most of the vineyards in the Marne department consists of chalk.  There are sandy subsoils in the area to the west of Rheims, marl in the Aisne and Kimmeridgean marl in the Côte des Bar.      In addition to reflecting sunlight back up to the vines, there are two other benefits arising from a high chalk content in the soil:      - During rainy periods - the soil has good water retention due to the capacity of chalk to absorb up to 40% its volume. If there is too much rain then the chalk ensures excellent drainage.     - During dry periods - moisture in the chalk is available to the vine's roots and this moisture in the subsoil rises to the surface though a capillary action. Heat from the sun builds up in the soil during the day and is then released during the night.

Map of grape varieties by area

     Vines are densely planted with a maximum distance between rows set at 1.5m and between vines in any individual row set between 0.9 and 1.5m. The sum of these two figures must not exceed 2.5m. In practice, the number of vines per hectare is generally between 7,500 and 9,000. Given the proximity of the rows, a high clearance or "straddle" tractor is essential. In Champagne, as a rule, the entire yield of one vine is required to make one bottle.

1.4 The four seasons of the annual winemaking cycle

Rigueur du climat Vidéo 1'00 min

During the Winter, long after the harvest, growers begin to talk of the prospects for the following year from as early as the festival of Saint-Vincent (in January), based on their observations of the berries on the ivy. This is believed to give an indication of the 'montre', which is the potential quantity of grapes that will appear on the vines the following spring. Pruning the vines takes up most of this period

In Spring, new growth starts to appear. Every day is now spent controlling the vine's development through 'palissage' (a wire fence support), pruning, and removal of buds in order to protect the potential harvest. Climate variations can cause divergence between early and late years of more than twenty days. In the second half of June the flowering of the vines is a crucial moment in the wine making calendar, as pollination is the beginning of the grape's formation. This requires a warm dry period without which the grapes may not 'set' properly, ultimately compromising the harvest.

In Summer, from July to September, the vagaries of the weather play a crucial role. A great vintage needs a dry, hot summer with plenty of sunshine. The vine's leaves and shoots must be carefully controlled and protected against the hazards of nature.

Innovations in growing techniques Grassing, Lyres and Terraces

15 - Tasks involved in the annual vine growing cycle

These tasks are aimed both at ensuring the vines stay in good health and in controlling the leaves growth. It is the leaves that carry out the photosynthesis, which is vital for the ripening of the grapes. The tasks occur in the following order:

     - pruning from November to March (about 200 hours per hectare). This is carried out according to very precise rules with the objective of limiting the yield. This limit prevents any excess, which could compromise the characteristics of the grapes produced. The only methods authorized are:

· Chablis pruning (for all grape varieties and all areas) · Cordon de royat pruning (for all grape varieties and all areas) · Guyot pruning (for all grape varieties but only for the crus classés from 80 to 89%) · Vallée de la Marne pruning (only for Meunier and only for the crus classés from 80 to 89%)

Then come the ‘travaux en vert’ or green tasks:

- Binding from February to April (90 hours per hectare). This involves binding the vine's branches to wires and is usually carried out in mid-April. Growth begins in a phase known as the 'débourrement'. This growth must be controlled because if it is allowed to become too excessive it could compromise the quality of the harvest.

     - Lifting (120 hours per hectare) is carried out in two stages from mid-May to the beginning of July. The shoots of the vine are directed upwards so that they benefit from more light. These grape bearing shoots are attached to wires above the vines that provide the necessary support. This takes place before flowering.

The objective of the lifting and palissage is to encourage photosynthesis by providing good ventilation to the foliage. This also helps prevent excess moisture in the grapes, thereby reducing the risk of botrytis mould developing. Good distribution of sugars (synthesized by the leaves) between the plant and the fruit is a major factor in the quality of the grapes.

     - Ebourgeonnage is the removal of unnecessary shoots, thereby encouraging those shoots bearing fruit. Sometimes it is even necessary to remove excess buds in order to limit the number of bunches of grapes.

A great profession Vine tender/tractor operator

- Rognage-écimage (trimming back) (about 60 hours per hectare) is essential from July through to the harvest. This task is important in order to remove the unnecessary shoots that rise up seeking light and risk depriving the grapes of nutrients and light.

     Shredding the clippings and adding organic matter such as bark compost then achieves a renewal of humus in the vineyard’s soil. Potassium is restored with mineral manures. These additions also encourage the microbial activity essential to the soil.

     Vines in Champagne, like vines elsewhere, may be attacked by the following:
     - Cryptogamic diseases - some attack the leaves or the grapes (mildew, rougeot parasitaire (black rot), oïdium, gregrey botrytis rot) while others affect the vine itself (esca, eutypiose and occasionally excoriose).
     - Insects - including mites or worms in the grapes (mainly cochylis) and noctuid caterpillars.

Appropriate treatments are carried out based on the advice of specialists and with due consideration for the environment. Progress in this field has ensured that the number of pesticides used has been considerably reduced.

Avoiding excessive use of pesticides

     The risk of spring frosts is inevitable given Champagne's northern location, making young buds particularly vulnerable. There are several methods of protection:

- air-heating systems: paraffin burners, warmers (opposite at Mumm)

- water sprinkler systems that maintain an equilibrium using freezing water at 0 C

- air movement systems (wind-machine or propeller)

The struggle against frost