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How do you recognize a great Left Bank wine?
How do you recognize a great Left Bank wine?
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The left bank of the Garonne River in the Bordeaux region is home to some of the most famous and coveted red wines in...

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Champagne vs. Loire wines: two styles to enhance the art of the table
Champagne vs. Loire wines: two styles to enhance the art of the table
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Lorsqu’on parle de grands vins français, deux noms reviennent très souvent : la Champagne et la Vallée de la Loire....

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Champagne and festive terroir: enhancing an organic Christmas menu with the art of natural pairing
Champagne and festive terroir: enhancing an organic Christmas menu with the art of natural pairing
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The holiday season brings joy and conviviality. Conversely, this time of year can be stressful for those in charge of...

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7 must-see weekend experiences in the Marne Valley
7 must-see weekend experiences in the Marne Valley
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La Vallée de la Marne est une invitation au voyage, à la fois sensoriel et culturel. Terre de vignes, d’histoire et...

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Champagne parfait: elegance and softness for your festive season
Champagne parfait: elegance and softness for your festive season
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Champagne parfait is the ideal dessert to celebrate New Year's Eve. Delicious, easy to prepare, and customizable to...

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Soil and subsoil of the Champenois vineyards

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The subsoil is mainly limestone, as are 75% of the outcropping sediments (chalk, marl and limestone). This type of subsoil favors soil drainage and lends a distinctive minerality to certain Champagne wines.

The Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne and Vitry-le-François vineyards are located on outcropping chalk, while the Montagne de Reims is on buried chalk. The Vallée de la Marne (west of Châtillon-sur-Marne) and the small massifs around Reims (Saint-Thierry, Vallée de l'Ardre and Montagne Ouest) tend towards marl, clay or sand. The Côte des Bar (Bar-sur-Aube and Bar-sur-Seine) is mainly composed of marl.

Champagne chalk is composed of calcite granules derived from the skeletons of marine micro-organisms (coccolites) and is characterized by the presence of belemnite fossils (mollusks from the secondary era). Its high porosity makes it a veritable water reservoir (300 to 400 liters per m3), ensuring an adequate water supply for the plant, even in the driest summers.

Chalk retains water by capillary action, forcing the vine to absorb it. This results in moderate water stress during the growing season, favoring the balance between the fruit's various acids, sugar and aroma precursors that will be revealed in the wine to come.

Lithological formations inthe Champagne vineyards