Bud 2nd of April 2012

Liage or Lierie, it's over !

We can say "Liage" or "Lierie". In all cases, this work on the vines occurs after the pruning. The goal is to attach the branchs to the wire so that the vine is maintenained.

This is also a fully manual work, very meticulous. Indeed, links should be placed in a way that avoid the overlay of bud on the other, and facilitating the work of "palissage" that come after.

We interlace the branch and the wire.

The branchs should be attached firmly so that the wind will not brake it when the leaves will appeared. But also to avoid it to bend under the load of the future grapes.

And pull the axle to make a twiste.

To do this, we use a "good old methode" using the "pince a lier" and the bal of string. It is reinforced by a wire band (a bit like the white tabs close freezer bags). The clamp is equiped by a hook with a twisted axis. Once the loop is done over the branch and the wire, whe put the hook in the wire and pul the clamp away. The twisted axis is deployinf, turning the loop and entortille it, forming a node which attache the branch on the wire. It's over ! It is more anough to repeat the gesture about 5 times for each vine, for 9 000 vines per hectare...

A vine duely attached.

The caterpillar "NOCTUELLE"

Buds are opening, so this is the ideal time for the pests that eat their tender leaves.

preparing the crime.

We introduce you to the Boarmie few days before. Today, let see the Noctuelle.

The attack !

This one was making her crime when i tooked the picture. Loke all prédators, it is waiting for night for caming out and devour the bud, leaving almost nothing and destroying the futur branch, leaves and grappes.

Nothing left !

Bud 30th of march 2012

Ratafia : our new cuvée...s

Ratafia is and alcohol made from grape juice. Fermentation is blocked by the addition of alcohol which keep all the sugar of the fruit (they don't have to be transformed in alcohol). Making Ratafia is a project that we are working on for 3 years. As all the Champagne Henriet Bazin cuvées, we wanted to develop it with passion and respect of the aromas of our terroir.

It was during the harvest 2009 that we selcted the juice from our most beautiful plots of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We selected the juice of the "cuvée", it means, the juice of highest quality while we press.

To be sure to obtain a wide aromatic range, each grape variety has been shared in some oajk barels and canisters in glass.

After several months of ageing, we just put this nice drink bottled by taking the traditional approach of the "pigeage" to avoir any filtration.

We will propose you soon 3 differents cuvées of Ratafia :

Enjoy the nice color.

100% Pinot Noir raised in ooak barel

100% Chardonnay raised in canister of glass

50% Chadonnay raised in oak barel and 50% Pinot Noir raised in canister of glass

Bud 29th of march 2012

Blooming of a bud.

Day by day, you will follow the blooming of a bud of Chardonnay.