Working the vine
Pruning
Vine is a creeper. The purpose of pruning is to cut off the excess shoots, which will favour budding in the spring. Pruning also makes it possible to regulate the production of grapes both in terms of quantity and quality.
Tying
Tying gives a shape to the pruned vine which is set on the supporting wire. That is done by hand and requires precision and speed.
Desuckering
The aim of desuckering is to eliminate all the « greedy buds » (a.k.a « suckers ») which may divert the sap from the main buds.
Trellising
The goal of trellising is to untangle the strands and separate the vines with a staple. That is done to remove some of the vegetation to maximize light exposure and airflow.
Harvesting
For nearly 3 weeks, all the players in the Champagne region are enlisted. The date is never defined in advance as it is determined by observing the grape level of ripeness. This is the last stage before the wine-making process. It is absolutely decisive for a good combination of alcohol content and acidity.
"Le champagne aide à l'émerveillement"
George SAND