Over here in Champagne, the first sign of autumn is the announcement of the vendages — otherwise known as the grape harvest. It is a labour-intensive process, as champagne grapes can only be hand-harvested in order to ensure that whole bunches of the best grapes are picked, with rotten and unripe grapes being left behind.
Unlike for still wine, grapes picked here should be relatively low in sugar, with high acidity, but are still ripe enough to that they do not have any green, herbaceous flavour characteristics. Several grape varieties are allowed to be used in champagne production, but the three main ones are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier — the last two, interestingly, being black grapes. I was able to try a few ripe Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes and they are actually quite delicious: not as sweet as grocery store grapes and with delicate subtle flavours. Fruity, but slightly floral.
All three grape varieties have something different to offer in Champagne blends. Pinot Noir adds backbone and body to the blend, producing wines with good structure and distinctive aromas of juicy red berries. Meunier adds roundness to the blend, producing supple, fruity wines. Chardonnay yields delicately fragrant wines, with characteristic notes of flowers, citrus, and some minerality.
Champagnes only made from black grapes are called Blanc de Noirs, while those only made from white grapes are called Blanc de Blancs.
The Grand Cru village of Verzenay, where these photos were taken, is particularly well-known for its pinot noir grapes, as well as a couple of famous landmarks — the Phare de Verzenay and the Moulin de Verzenay — which can be seen from quite a distance away.
The village and the surrounding vineyards were almost completely wiped out in WWI, but somehow the landmarks survived, despite being only a kilometer or so away from the front line trenches.
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