2020 wasn’t a total loss. In Champagne, France, it will go down in the record books as a vintage harvest!
While the weather played an important role, COVID-19 also had an impact. Since the pandemic put a damper on the celebrations that typically include champagne, 100 million bottles went unsold in 2020. As a result, the Comité Champagne, the governing body for the Champagne region, limited the grape harvest to 8,000 kg/hectare compared to 11,000 kg/hectare in previous years.
“That means that you are only going to get the best of the best grapes in your champagne in 2020 because they are going to spend a lot more time picking through and choosing those grapes by hand,” said Atlanta sommelier Samara Kaufman, Cinagro Wine Experience, “We know right off the bat without even talking about the weather and the other factors that just because of COVID-19 and because of the decreases in yield that we are going to end up with an even better champagne just because of the quality of the grapes.”
Samara Kaufman, Cinagro Wine Experience
Of course, this amazing harvest stirred up quite a bit of anticipation at André TIXIER & Fils. Avid Vines’ premiere producer, Julien Tixier, the winemaker, documented it for us one step at a time in this harvest journal, written in French and translated to English.
The Harvest Journal of Julien Tixier, Chigny les Roses, Champagne, France
August 16, 2020
Après deux semaines de repos, la famille est resourcée pour créer les nouvelles cuvées 2020. Ce week end un tour de nos parcelles et nous sommes heureux de voir que nos grappes ont pu mûrir, s’ouvrir, grossir! Encore quelques jours avant que la maison soit animée par le rythme des vendanges.
After a restful family vacation before the harvest, we’re energized to create the new 2020 vintage. This weekend we happily discovered during an inspection of the vineyard that the grapes are just as energized, rested, and ready too! Just a few more days until the entire team at André TIXIER steps up and kicks off the harvest activities.
August 17, 2020
“Il faut reconnaître que la nature est très artiste. La loi des contrastes, elle la pratique; en grand d’ailleurs, comme tout ce qu’elle fait.”
-Jules Verne
“We must recognize that nature is very artistic. The law of contrasts, she practices it; in large, moreover, like everything she does.”
-Jules Verne
August 20, 2020
Un tableau qui ne cessera jamais de nous émerveiller. 💖
A view, like a painting, that never ceases to amaze us.
August 21, 2020
Dernier préparatif avant la mise en route du pressoir. Challenge relevé!💪💪
Build muscle while working. Last-minute preparations before starting the press from the harvest. Challenge accepted!
August 22, 2020
Et voilà nous y sommes, les premiers coups de sécateur sont donnés.
Chaque année c’est le même rituel mais pour nous il y a toujours autant d’émotions. Le fruit de notre travail annuel est récolté et notre travail de vinification, de création s’instaure.
And here we are, the first yield from the vines is underway.
Though it’s the same ritual each year, we feel such powerful emotions knowing the fruit of our labors begins the winemaking and champagne creating process.
August 23, 2020
Convivialité, sourire, bonne humeur, bonne ambiance, complicité. Les vendanges sont une période où le travail est intense, laborieux et pas toujours facile alors nous gardons toujours cet esprit chaleureux, convivial, familial et amical pour rendre chaque jour agréable.
Team work, smiles, positive attitudes, and common goals. The harvest consists of intense work, dedication which isn’t easy. We therefore rely on these elements as well as a great culture rooted in respect in order to win each day.
August 24, 2020
Ces petits insectes si essentiels à notre environnement. Prenons en soin.
These small insects are essential workers in our environment. Let’s take care of them!
August 24, 2020
Lever de soleil sur notre beau village champenois.
Sunrise on our beautiful champagne hamlet.
August 26, 2020
Jour 5: élaboration de notre vin rouge pour notre champagne rosé.
100% Pinot Noir sélection parcellaire pour un assemblage dans quelques mois.
Day 5: Detail of our red wine used for our Rose champagne.
100% Pinot Noir from the best parcels that will be added to the Rosé in a few months.
August 27, 2020
Jour 6: le pressoir est en route au lever du soleil comme chaque jour de vendanges. Encore quelques jours et cette saison se terminera.
Day 6: The press is primed and ready at sunrise like every day during the harvest. Just a few more days before this special time is over.
August 28, 2020
Notre vendange s’achève dans la bonne humeur. Merci à vous tous et un merci particulier à chacun d’entre vous qui avait participé à cette belle récolte complexe cette année mais qui promet de belles choses dans quelques années. Une superbe vendange remplie de sourire, d’humour et de bonne humeur!!!!!
Encore merci à toute l’équipe.
We finished our harvest in great spirits! Thank you to everyone, especially those who directly participated in the vineyards, for this amazing yet complex harvest which promises to be outstanding in a few years. This year’s season was filled with smiles, laughter, and good spirits!
Thanks again to the entire team.
August 29, 2020
Jour 8 nettoyage! La fatigue se fait sentir durant les pauses. 🤣
La saison 2019-2020 est terminée. Nos jus sont en cuve et la fermentation a déjà débuté.
Place au cochelet de fin de vendange puis au repos bien mérité pour tous!
Day 8: Clean up! Exhaustion creeps in during any pause.
The 2019-2020 growing season is finished. Our juice is in the tank and fermentation is already underway. Make way for the end of harvest then a well-deserved rest for all!
And now the grapes take over the heavy lifting by doing nothing more than resting and fermenting under watchful eyes. This is chemistry worth celebrating!
The anticipation is more intense, as you can now appreciate, when the process from budbreak to bottle is done organically. Dial that anticipation up another notch. Why? If you’ve ever attended one of our virtual tastings, you know that these bubbles will travel first-class in chilled, protective containers unlike the other 95% of bottles that are more exposed to wide temperature changes on the seas.
Once you taste and feel the clean experience André TIXIER & Fils produces, you’ll only want to drink this way to celebrate the moment with others and thrive in the next.