Vineyard
The vine, the starting point for any great wine, deserves our full attention. Our estate covers 16 hectares, divided into 52 carefully cultivated plots, between the Marne Valley-Right Bank and the Côte des Blancs. It includes exceptional crus: Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, and Vertus for Chardonnay. Villers sous Châtillon, Reuil, and Binson & Orquigny, among others, for Pinot Noir and Meunier. This diversity of terroirs, a combination of richness and balance, is the soul of COLLARD-PICARD Champagne.
WINTER
DORMANCY OF THE PLANT
In the heart of the Champagne winter, the vines enter their dormant period, an essential stage in their natural balance. The sap retreats, nature falls silent, while man watches over them. This is the time for “gentle” pruning, an essential task that prepares the future harvest while respecting the balance of the plant. The vine shoots are then crushed and returned to the earth, perpetuating the natural cycle of the vine and nourishing the soil for the coming season. Next comes the tying stage, which consists of attaching the vine shoots to the tying wire in order to support the vine, structure the wood, and prepare for growth in the spring while facilitating future work.
Pruning
Grinding vine shoots
Tying
SPRING – SUMMER
THE GROWING CYCLE
With the return of sunny days, the vines awaken and come back to life. The buds break take place heralding the promise of a new harvest. Then comes the time for debudding and carefully tending to each vine to guide its growth.
The vines are nourished using organic amendments and compost, in a process that is deeply respectful of living organisms. The soil is tilled on the surface and only under the rows, combined with natural grass cover between the rows.
In summer, the vines grow to their full potential: we carefully monitor their health using sustainable disease control practices, while lifting and trellising ensure better aeration of the grapes and promote harmonious ripening.
Our estate is HVE Level 3 certified, recognition of this comprehensive and responsible approach.
De-budding
Tilling the soil
Harvest
HARVEST
A CRUCIAL MOMENT
Finally, the long-awaited moment of the harvest arrives, the culmination of a year of care and attention. Every decision is carefully considered: determining the picking route and, above all, choosing the key harvest date are essential to maximize the potential of each terroir.
Harvesting begins when the vines offer the perfect balance between technological maturity—the right level of sugar and acidity—and aromatic maturity, which guarantees finesse and elegance in the wines that will be produced.
