Welcome to our vineyards: Early start of 2017 means early grapeharvest

2017 has confirmed itself as another early year in Champagne.

Since the leaves came out in early April, very warm temperatures followed most of the time and have made the growth of the vines unstoppable.

As the grapes have closed, the growth of the vines declines and the maturing of the grapes begins. This is the final state before the grapeharvest and it is the period where the grapes change colour from very green and to transparent yellowish for the Chardonnays and dark blue to almost black for the Pinots.

No major problems
So far we have been lucky.

No frost, no storms and hail, no disease as it hardly rains at all in 2017.

In fact, we have had so little rain, that we would like a bit more of it.

The vines are quite fine. Normally, the underground chalky layer of Champagne contains the water needed. On top of that, the ploughing of the soils helps to absorb the few raindrops we have received and keep them in the ground, near the plants, rather than running off. This moisture is clearly visible each time we work manually to remove the weeds, each time it is surprising with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius day after day.

But we still need a bit of rain for the grapes to gain some weight. As for the health of the grapes, it is excellent. No less, no more.

Assortment of Champagnes
We suggest a number of different champagnes.

Some of us think that Rosé champagnes are summer style, others drink them all year round. Whatever your preference may be, we suggest our Rosé de Saignée which is a 100% Pinot Noir champagne based on maceration with a taste as powerful as this red grape allows with all the black fruits, you could ever want. It will fit anything from your aperitif to your main course and even a dessert like fruit salad. Our second Rosé d'Assemblage is an assembled champagne, based on Chardonnay grapes.

We suggest our non vintage champagne of some age - Tradition - based on mainly Chardonnays. It exists in a Demisec version as well. Our two current 100% Chardonnay vintages are both from early years: The Blanc de Blancs from 2011 and the Selection from 2007. Finally, the Noirs & Blancs is a non vintage champagne of age, based on 70 % Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay.

Franco-Danish sustainability
As we have come from different worlds - France and Denmark - our daily work is to bring these origins and views together in our Tange-Gérard champagnes and in our daily work where we have made sustainability a key word of the management of our company. Last summer we were quite proud to receive our "viticulture durable" certification and we continue along this path. The bubbles, we enjoy them as much as ever, and our shared hope is to let them make your world spin in an easy-going, funny fashion too. Even just for a while.

Please mail us if you want to know more. Enjoy, Alain Gérard and Solveig Tange.