Champagne visit 6-10 February 2012

Monday 6 February 2012

Off to Champagne this morning for a five day visit seeing some old friends as well as new producers. Temperatures are not expected to go above -3°C or -4°C in the daytime while I am there and I was wondering if it would get cold enough to damage the vines. But even though it has dipped to as low as -14°C at night, Richard Geoffroy of Dom Pérignon fame tells me frost has to get down to well under -20°C and stay there for a few days before vines are likely to suffer damage. While I am seeing some big houses, co-ops and small producers, partly to gauge how the Champenois view the current economic climate, I also have a meeting with SGV president Pascal Férat at which I hope to get the latest news on reform of the appellation. Further reports will follow – watch this space.

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