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Divided into numerous plots of land, the vineyards are like gardens cultivated by the growers with the greatest care to preserve the wines inherent characteristics.

The cycle of the vine

From the winter until August, successive tasks include pruning, ploughing, polling, debudding and finally trimming. The fight against disease is never ending. Late frosts and hail in spring are a constant threat to the buds and then to the flowers up until June. In the autumn, the bunches of grapes are harvested by hand. Only the best are picked and carefully transported whole to the press houses where the precious juice is extracted. The dates of the harvest are dictated by the weather and vary according to the regions and the grape varieties. Typically, the harvest takes place a hundred days after flowering.

Traditional festivals

There are two important celebrations of the vine in Champagne:

The Saint Vincent
honours the patron saint of growers on 22nd January. Dressed in traditional clothes and carrying colourful staves bearing a statue of Saint Vincent, the growers walk in procession to a solemn mass. Afterwards, they will discuss the merits of the past harvest at a traditional banquet.

The "Cochelet"
celebrates the last day of the harvest. Growers and grapes pickers gather for a feast of potée champenoise, a traditional local dish of meat, cabbage and other vegetables.