{"id":20194,"date":"2025-07-01T11:20:54","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T09:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tourisme-en-champagne.com\/secrets-of-the-vine-champagne\/"},"modified":"2025-11-28T14:33:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T13:33:21","slug":"secrets-of-the-vine-champagne","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tourisme-en-champagne.com\/en\/all-about-champagne\/secrets-of-the-vine-champagne\/","title":{"rendered":"Secrets of the vine & champagne"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The four seasons of the wine cycle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The vine lives to the rhythm of the seasons, and every year history repeats itself. Yet every vintage is different. That’s the magic of Champagne! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vegetation is starting to cycle again, and the stakes are high: the quality of the spring (vineyard work, weather, etc.) is a guarantee of the harvest to come. Winegrowers are constantly on the lookout for ways to maintain the vines on a daily basis. Tying, disbudding, lifting, trellising – there’s no shortage of work to be done in the vineyard! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The vines remain at the heart of the concerns of winegrowers, who continue to pamper them every day. This is the time for trimming, also known as “summer pruning”. The weather also plays its part, more or less favorable depending on the year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autumn<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It’s time for hand-picking, even if this now tends to take place in summer, often in September or late August. Observation of the vines indicates the best time to harvest the grapes. Each harvest is different from the last in terms of grape maturity, acidity and alcohol content. All the players in the Champagne region are mobilized for this crucial stage in the viticultural cycle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After the harvest, the vine loses its leaves, leaving the field free for vine maintenance. The vine “sleeps” for a few months. The sap falls back into the roots. This is called “dormancy”. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Early January is the ideal time for pruning, according to the 4 types* required by Champagne regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CHAMPAGNE PRODUCTION<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n
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Champagne grape varieties<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The nature of the terroir has guided the selection of the best-suited grape varieties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, three grape varieties are in the majority: Pinot noir, Meunier and Chardonnay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Older varieties (Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris) are also authorized, but remain anecdotal in terms of the proportion of vineyards planted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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L’Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris account for less than 0.3% of the vineyard. Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc emerged from mutations of Pinot Noir. Petit Meslier is a cross between Gouais and Savagnin. Finally, Arbane is a grape variety whose origin remains a mystery to this day. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Champagne cuv\u00e9es<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Each winemaker, each House, produces its own cuv\u00e9es to create its own range of champagnes.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The name of a cuv\u00e9e comes from its blend (the different wines that make it up) and\/or its dosage (the sugar content).<\/p>\n\n\n\n