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.

Pleurs in the vines

No doubt, les pleurs is here.

Pleurs mean tears. This liquid is the sap of the plant regaining its fluid form, rise and move up inside the branches to eventually wake up the buds, that will begin to grow.

We know the sap is back as it flows from the spots where branches have been removed when we pruned.

It is also the sign to speed up attaching the branches because in some weeks the buds will visibly grow bigger and it will be harder to attach without breaking them. Read more about here (the 2016 report).

But it all depends on temperatures. They stay around 13 degrees in the days and colder at night. Sunny days may even send us 16 degrees celsius. People with bare legs and t-shirts have been spotted in town. In the countryside, it's cooler.

Pleurs is back. It really is springtime in the vineyards.

Finished pruning

This is what it looks like everywhere in our plots.

Since a few hours ago.

Pruning began with prepruning in October.

Now we're through for this season. The scissors will rest at least until November. Nice.


The pruning is crucial for the health of the plants, for the quality of our grapes.

So we pay attention to the quality of the work done.

But... you know, even so, it's still long and it's great when we're done. Every year.

Bring out the bubbles :-)