Hello there,
My name is Solveig. I have been writing this blog since 2004. On and off since I have other things to do as well.
The idea was always to write about champagne since I spent some years writing before I came to Champagne.
I've been educated as a journalist and worked as such in my native Denmark before I came to France in 2003 to form a family with Alain.
He already dealt with one of his family's vineyards in his sparetime before I arrived.
Champagne learning
Our first year in Champagne we lived in Soulières. There is not much to look at apart from village life and vineyards, which is basically how I got interested in the vines.
At first I read about champagne and Champagne, and I learned a lot of French this way. The blog was a way to talk about what I saw and what I learned, and it was written in my native Danish and in English as well for Alain to follow it too.
Spare time to full time vines
Later, in 2006, I got hold of a diploma in pruning the vines.
Around this time we got one vineyard more to deal with, and with one hectare of vines to deal with in weekends and holidays, it became rather busy.
As a cousin who dealt with the rest of the 3 hectares in the family, gradually retired, we gradually took over.
Since 2009, we have worked full time with the vineyards. In 2012 the changing of generation was fully done.
Cooperative to plot champagnes
The company develops step by step as well.
At first, we sold champagnes made at our cooperative based on cooperative grapes. Lately we have moved on to selling a new line of champagnes, made of our own grapes.
In between we have become certified as sustainable winegrowers and we continue to change towards organic practices.
On the side, I have passed a bachelor's degree in French and communication and obtained French citizenship as well.
The journey
For us, this is an interesting journey. Maybe for you as well, I hope so.
Sometimes the road feels really rocky and uphill, and sometimes the opposite.
We have a lot of work, always, but it is also very rewarding to work with all aspects of a beautilful wine that is so alive. Work, that follows the year as the seasons pass by in the vineyards.
If I manage to pass on just a tiny bit of all this, I consider this already pretty good and worth it.
The language and contact info
The blog continues to be my place to write about champagne and now and then France and living here, about our work and ideas, about the weather or whatever I feel like that has the slightest relation to my topic. I feel rather free.
My langugage continues to be English because I want to share it with Alain and others who want to. This means that I make mistakes that I would not make in my native Danish - so be it, I do my best.
Please drop me a mail if you feel like it at solveig.tange at gmail.com
Bubbly regards
Solveig Tange, Reims, March 2018
