Happy New Year

Autumn walk

Let enjoy these days that still feel almost summer (about 25°C yesterday afternoon) and go for a walk within the Champagne region  bearing pretty colors

The "bouvreux" (small clusters of second generation) are still ripening

These temperatures bring fairly violent storms for the season with heavy rains. Almost 50mm of rain fell in two storms, Sunday and Tuesday.

Harvest 2013 - This is just a memory

The harvest in 2013 ended after nine days, Friday, Oct. 11. Here are the latest photos:

Pinot Noir

A glass of Rosé to celebrate the last baskets

Back to the house for the last meal called "Cochelet"!

A big thank you to all our staff for their hard work and good atmosphere. Nearly 26 000 kg were cut and carried from baskets to boxes and boxes to tow.

See you next year!

Harvest 2013 - Day 6 and 7

Day 6 - Tuesday October, 7th

A sunny  day in the "Jardin" plot with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier

The sixth day ends with a still relatively clear sky but it will not last

Day 7 - Wednesday, October 9th 

Early morning in the sun then clouds followed by drizzling rain and some coolness...

Pinot Noirs 

Harvest 2013 - Days 3 to 5

Day 4 - October, Sunday 6th 

With mist and moisture but still head in the leaves

Day 5 - October, Monday 7th 

Thick fog but gave way to a beautiful sunny day

T-shirts' distribution

Boxes waiting for grapes

Chardonnay at "Chapitres" plots

Pinot Meunier at "Chapitres" plot

More grapes...

Hard this year! But it is not practical to harvest laying down in the vineyards!

On the fifth day, more than 15 000 kg were cut through nine pairs of hands working hard harvesting and the grape porter is to empty the baskets and fill the crates.

Day 3 - Red Wine Vinification and traditional press

Samedi 5 octobre - Red Wine Vinification for the elaboration of Rosé Champagne

The grapes are sorted to keep only the most beautiful and the most mature ones.

At the end of the table, the grapes are de-stemmed (without steps, that way the berries are not broken)

Then the berries are pumped

To get in the tank which will host the maceration

And here's what the rest of the clusters, only the raid

Saturday was also the day of the reactivation of the traditional press.

The 4000 kg of grapes (which corresponds to a pomace) are ready on the dock waiting for manual loading

Once loaded the press, clusters have to be spread evenly across the press

The tray lowers to start pressing

The first juice flow

An hour later, the first press is completed.

The "press cake" has to be return

Then, there will be two other presses and two other press cakes to return.