In spring, we note the flowering of the vine buds, this is the stage known as bud burst. Frosts of April are particularly hard in the Chablis region, (temperature has even dropped as low as -12°), so we have to proect the vine. In a large part of the vineyard, we use hundreds of small fires which illuminate and heat up the vines. Alongside the Serein river, notably the course by Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume (which connects Chablis to Maligny), we prefer to use the spraying technique which offers a unique, almost magical display !
SUSTAINABLE TREATMENTS
With the frost period passed, we move on to training the vine (the main branch left after pruning is attached to the wire) and we start the treatment of the vine against diseases. We use sulphur against oidium and copper against mildew. We try to reduce the maximum the number of treatments based on climatology and atmospheric annual conditions.
Flowering usually happen by the end of May. This is characterised by falling of the small floral caps and is followed by the setting of the vine (beginning of the enlargement of the berries)
CONTROL OF THE YIELDS
in the beginning of the summer, we trim the wild shoots, more often mechanically. Then, we ppractice disbudding by eliminating the duplicated buds. We give life to the vines by stripping (technique of removing superfluous foliage of the vine). Depending on weather annuals, we do a green harvest and we clarify our vines by manually removing the grapes which excess the estimated yield.
After mid August, the ripening, which corresponds to the stopping of the growth of the vine, is shown by a change in the colour of the berries, they lose their herbaceous appearance and become more translucent. During this period an intense migration of sugars occurs whilst the acidity starts to decrease.
HARVEST
In early September, we remove bunches of grapes on each parcel in order to follow the maturation. We decide to start harvesting when the balance between natural degrees of sugar and acidity is optimal. Often, harvest starts a hundred days after flowering. Our harvest is done by machine or by hand, depends on the slopes.
Dates
of harvest / year |
2009 |
15-sept |
2008 |
25-sept |
2007 |
6-sept |
2006 |
18-sept |
2005 |
19-sept |
2004 |
29-sept |
2003 |
28-août |
2002 |
23-sept |
2001 |
01-oct |
2000 |
23-sept |
1999 |
22-sept |
1998 |
25-sept |
1997 |
22-sept |
1996 |
28-sept |
1995 |
26-sept |
1994 |
26-sept |
1993 |
20-sept |
1992 |
21-sept |
1991 |
05-oct |
1990 |
20-sept |
