27 March, 2018

Late pruning in Loisy to fight frost


The pruning of our vineyards has been long this year.

We began the work in November last year, and we still have this plot to finish. The low plot of Chardonnays in Loisy-en-Brie.

Not due to lazyness, but rather to tactics. Time will tell if it will work out.

Frost problems 2017
As you may remember, frost was a big problem in 2017. (Report from Decanter )

Not in winter, where cold weather rarely matters as the plants are not active. In spring, however, the buds grow, the young leaves unfold and this is a crucial moment where low temperatures can be very destructive and kill a bud partly or completely. Which will mean that neither branches nor grapes will develop. Thus no yields but also no branches to prune thus no or less yields the following year as well.

Partly frozen
This plot took its part of this sad heritage, but luckilyr it was only partly frozen.

Now is when we get to deal with the problems as in many places there are little or nothing to prune at the bottom. We'll have to continue with the old branches trying to make them survive another year or two until hopefully something will grow at the bottom again.

Delay to protect
The later you prune a vine, the later the buds will burst. Says theory.

Well, we could hardly wait any longer with this plot. Now the snow is gone, the temperatures rise and activity within the vines will resume.

Leaving this plot unpruned until the last minute may help to spare it for another frosty experience. We hope so anyway.

Half of the pruning is done by now, the rest rest should be finished within a week or two.

The rest is waiting.

22 March, 2018

Plot tastings of 2017-wine and 2014-champagne


We have tasted two coming-up Tange-Gerard singles.

The wine of 2017
A first trial of the still wine from the grapeharvest last year.

At the moment the wine gives a floral and feminine impression. Almost too pleasant for a champagne to be? The wine does not feel very acid which can often be the case in a warm year.

Within the next weeks, the wine will be bottled and placed in the caves where it will fermentate for the second time.

Cuvée 2014
Next one in line this morning is a manually disgorged Tange-Gerard champagne from 2014.

In fact, it is the first time we have tasted this, since we tried the original wine im spring 2015.

The new champagne has a surprising note of cocoa on the nose that can further be recognized in the slightly toasty taste that blends into the palette of different tastes that constitutes this champagne.

The acidity is present yet pleasant. Be prepared to welcome a zéro dosage in the family.

21 March, 2018

First taste of the next TG-champagne


This is throwback from 2014.

The looks of the fresh must just through the press.

First taste
Now we are almost through the first quarter of 2018 so this must is a while ago. Many wines would already be drunk this far away from their year of origin.

We are not that busy here in Champagne.

This morning we will taste the champagne that we have elaborated based on this must for the very first time.

As you can probably imagine, it is quite exciting.

We hope this coming up champagne may join cuvée Solliage in our range of Singles champagnes later this year.


20 March, 2018

Selling better, selling more - another year of selling less



It's that time of the year where we talk number of champagne bottles sold.

Let's participate in the fun.

In Champagne we always look for growth, beating new records, adding more value and so on. At least at this time of the year.

Bubbly island
Thus - since Greenland is our backgarden. almost - let me tell you that the champagne sales on the biggest island on Planet Earth was up in 2017 with amazing 282,8% : 656 bottles of champagne were sold in Greenland this year. Not a very big proportion of the total of approximately 307 million bottles but an impressive growth. don't you think?

At Champagne Tange-Gerard we regret not to have provided at least one of these bottles. At least to our knowing.

Sometimes our well-travalled customers provide some extra transportation and present our bottles in remote and exotic destinations. They even share the documentation with us now and then.
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Obviously we appreciate this very much.

No record at Champagne Tange-GerardG
On top of not providing Greenland any champagne - sorry again, Greenland - we also did not beat our record number of bottles in 2017.

In fact, since we began to build up stocks of our new singles line of champagnes in 2013, we sell even less than before.

But since we released cuvée Solliage, you can help us to do something about it: buy it or contact us about how to taste it at champagne-tange-gerard at orange.fr.

The rest of the sales record numbers you find here. The text is French but we share the numbers, don't we. Enjoy :-)

One plot left to prune as frost protection


We have organized our work a bit different than usual this year. Maybe it will turn out as a benefit.

We have been pruning since November. Instead of getting the job done, Alain has kept one vineyard unpruned and instead dealt with a lot of binding.

Result: Six plots have been pruned and they are well advanced regarding the binding of branches as well. In the top picture you can see the Belles Feuilles plot all ready just one week ago on February 12th. This week we are finishing the pruning of the plot of Crochettes in Soulieres which leaves us one plot to prune in Loisy.

Postpone the development
The idea is to postpone the developent of buds as much as we can.

The later you prune, the later the buds will burst in spring. When spring is due. If ever this icy year of 2018.

As we had late snow last weekend (second picture), maybe the strategy will prove itself useful.

Buds are susceptible to frost damage but only when they have started growing. This means, that if they grow later, the risk of frost will be shorter. In theory anyway, we'll see about the practical side later as we can have frost in Champagne until mid-May. Buds under the snow these days are fine, because the are still in their winter protection mode. Thus no reason to worry yet.

17 March, 2018

Picture party on Instagram


This blog has always suggested a lot of pictures.

As the job is quite varied, so are the photoes.


Since I have always liked to capture moments of all sorts, there is quite a collection to choose from these days.


It is our tenth year meaning that we will celebrate 10 years with Champagne Tange-Gerard next January 1st.

Countdown
We will do a picture countdown for the rest of the year where you can get an idea about the journey and the job this far.


Many of the pictures have been published on this blog these last nine years.

Now they will get a revival on Instagram. Follow there if you like. That would be super.

This is a plate with duck, all was very very nice :-)


Enjoy...

12 March, 2018

Feels like springtime


A stroll in the vines sunday morning left this strong feeling that springtime has finally arrived in Champagne.

The wind was warmer, the birds singing their beaks to pieces and the light has already been different for a while.

In the afternoon we could even leave coats behind. First time this year.


The rows remain wet.

Mud will follow your footsteps wherever you move in the vines at the moment.

The rain has seemed eternal for months. And then came snow as well. Even the "Beast from the East" - the freezing cold wind from Russia - could not dry it all up.


Nice to announce that the bigger part of our outdoors are well prepared for the upcoming milder season.

The pruning is finished in most plots and the binding of branches is very advanced as well.

Now it will be up to the buds to show some action.

And according to those who come to the vineyards each day, they have spotted the change for some time now.

The buds are on the move. Can you see them growing too?