The champagne grape harvest 2023 has been exceptional in many ways. This is one example: absolutely extraordinary big clusters. These are Pinot Noir from Loisy-en-Brie, we have never seen clusters like this in the plot, not that many and certainly never of this size.

At Champagne Tange-Gérard we picked the last Chardonnays of 2023 in Soulières to the tones of Queens “We are the champions” thanks to the dj of the afternoon. He thought this tune fit the moment perfectly after the hardest harvest week for decades. We could not have dreamt up a better result.

All summer we feared losing the grapes to different diseases that came due to a lot of rain. All summer we fought these problems with all sorts of organic remedies with the hope that some might work.

Three days before take-off on September 8th, we were not totally convinced by the maturity of all our sampled grapes. Then the day before the start, the grapes had miraculously changed despite the ongoing heatwave that sometimes blocks the maturation. Instead, these grapes stocked up some more sugar and eventually reached an excellent level as we got ready to begin. Miraculous, right? You may imagine our double relief as we on top of this found so many grapes of such a size that our experienced team could sort out the bad ones and still fill one box after another with beautiful grapes. 45 tons in seven days.

The season: 2023 is our final year of organic conversion. The growth season this year has been very complicated pretty much since the beginning with a lot of rain and cold temperatures followed by warm and dry conditions then a hailstorm and regular heavy rainfall through the summer. The grapes have been at risk much of the time with dawny and powdery mildew with grey rots that all occurred throughout the season at changing levels of active and dry. We have dealt with this all summer with cupper, sulphur, herb preparations and essential oils. This kept us busy in June, July, and August. The treatments stabilized one disease and stopped the development of the other one. At the very end we found our grapes as healthy or better than many conventional neighbors. This achievement confirms us in our choice to work organically. It also makes us question how we imagine to continue with a lot of additional tasks year after year

The grape harvest: The first four harvest days from September 8th to 11th took place in temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius. Men, women and grapes were burning warm in the warmest hours between 11 AM and 3.30 PM. We cooled ourselves with water. The grapes arrived so warm at the presses, that the must had to be transferred straight into the steel tank to cool it for the first alcoholic fermentation to begin. Yeast does not work when the temperatures are too cold or as in this case too warm. This means that the standard sedimentation process had to be skipped this year. The pips, dirt and other sediments in the juice will be separated once the young wine will change recipient.

The Chardonnays for our single plot cuvée of 2023: if you think they look big, you’re quite right. The number of clusters is normal but the grapes are double the usual size, no or little sorting and of excellent maturity. We hope for a continuation as golden as these grapes.

The single: Until the very same day we were not convinced of our ability to land the 8.000 kilos of grapes that we need to elaborate a plot champagne. But as the fifth day unfolded, we realized that we could do it due to the extraordinary size of these grapes. The next day we were congratulated for delivering the best marc in our cooperative during the harvest. This place presses an amount of grapes, equivalent of one million bottles of champagne. No need to hide our pride. Right now, this great juice is working its way towards becoming wine. We want it to continue its quest in barrels. Only next year, it will be time to bottle the miracle and let it age in the caves.

In our shelves: In the meantime we suggest that you try out our latest 2017 vintage of Solliphere, the blanc de blancs of Loisy-en-Brie. We still have some 2014 as well as the last bottles of Solliage (2013) in different dosages and Sollissime (2015). The classic non vintages of Tradition, Noirs & Blancs and the pink Rosé d’Assemblage as well as the Blanc de Blancs (2017) and Selection (2012). This autumn, Rosé de Saignée will be back in our assortment again, however in small volumes as we reach years of small production.

A glass of champagne is the perfect way to celebrate for 15 minutes or 15 hours, whatever your mood, your day and your schedule allow. All these champagnes may celebrate these very special days, yours and ours. Or let any ordinary day rise to the skies with a whoosh and bubbles in your glass. We look forward to hearing from you.

Harvestgreetings

Alain Gérard & Solveig Tange, Soulières, September 2023

Harvest 2023: Relief as total joy trumps all summer’s worries

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