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As summer approaches, the vineyard enters an important phase of its annual cycle. Among the many tasks, trellising stands out for its importance for the health and productivity of the vine. Discover this meticulous and essential technique which allows you to “let the bunches breathe”.

What is trellising?

Trellising consists of using two wires passed through staples attached to stakes to contain and guide the branches of the vine. The branches are carefully distributed between these two wires, thus allowing better organization and ventilation of the plant.

Training objectives

The main objective of trellising is to separate the branches to prevent them from overlapping and intertwining. This careful organization guarantees each branch enough space to grow freely and in good health.

In addition, trellising optimizes the leaves’ exposure to the sun. By spacing the leaves apart, they can capture the maximum amount of sunlight, essential for photosynthesis and proper ripening of the bunches.

Finally, this technique improves air circulation. Proper aeration of leaves and bunches reduces the risk of disease and rot, promoting better overall vine health.

The benefits of trellising

Training allows each leaf to be exposed to the sun, thus optimizing the photosynthesis process. Good light exposure is crucial for sugar production in the bunches, determining the quality and sugar content of the grapes.

Manual intervention

Trellising is an artisanal job, carried out entirely by hand. Each branch is carefully placed between the lifting wires, a task that requires time and patience. This human intervention guarantees particular attention to each vine, thus ensuring harmonious and balanced growth of the plant.

Refined, elegant and perfectly balanced, Champagne Brut Rosé from Maison Aspasie enhances every moment with a touch of sophistication. This vinous champagne, with its mineral freshness, goes wonderfully with dishes of character. Today we offer you a recipe for beef carpaccio which, accompanied by Brut Rosé, promises an unforgettable gastronomic experience.

Ingredients : 

• 300g tender beef fillet
• 50g fresh rocket
• 50g shaved parmesan
• 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Flower of salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• A few capers (optional)
• A few fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions : 

Preparation of the meat: Place the beef fillet in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes. This will make it easier to cut into thin slices. Once firmed, take it out and cut it into very thin slices using a sharp knife.

Arrange the beef slices on a large plate in a single layer, being careful not to overlap.

Seasoning: Squeeze the lemon and gently sprinkle the carpaccio with the juice. Then pour in the olive oil evenly. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper.

Garnish: Spread the rocket leaves and parmesan shavings over the carpaccio. Add some capers if desired for an extra touch of flavor.

Finish: Garnish with a few fresh basil leaves to add an aromatic and visually appealing note.

Tasting Tips

Beef Carpaccio, with its delicate flavors and melting texture, finds an ideal companion in Champagne Brut Rosé Aspasie. The orange-pink color of this champagne, its notes of wild strawberry, blood orange and quince, as well as its dry and fresh palate with pomelo acidity, create a perfect harmony with the subtlety of the carpaccio.

For optimal tasting, serve the champagne at a temperature of 9°C in a slender, curved glass. This glass format allows the delicate aromas to be concentrated and the freshness of the champagne to be preserved. Enjoy this unique moment, where each bite and each sip complement each other in a symphony of exquisite flavors.

At the end of May, the vineyards see the vine branches reach around 50 cm. To optimize the quality of the grapes and facilitate maintenance, winegrowers lift the branches. This essential technique promotes aeration and exposure to the sun of the grape clusters, while structuring the architecture of the vines.

The Importance of Vine Lifting

Lifting branches is an essential step in vineyard maintenance. By allowing optimal spreading of the foliage and better aeration of the bunches, this operation plays a key role in the prevention of diseases and the optimization of photosynthesis. The vine, being a liana by nature, requires this intervention to be domesticated and offer a structured architecture, typical of Champagne landscapes.

The Manual Lifting Method

At Champagne Aspasie, the lifting of the branches is carried out manually, a delicate task requiring great precision. The branches, reaching around 50 cm, vary in length and direction, which requires special attention. They are raised and held between two wires with staples to ensure their stability. This manual method makes it possible to structure the vegetation, favoring aeration, exposure to the sun, and the passage of men for maintenance and harvesting.

The Benefits of Lifting for the Vine

Maintaining the vine branches in a vertical position has several advantages :

• Aeration of foliage: Reduces the risk of disease by promoting air circulation.
• Exposure to sunlight: Optimizes photosynthesis and improves grape ripening.
• Ease of maintenance: Allows winegrowers to move freely between the rows to carry out various maintenance tasks.

Aspasie Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne, with its freshness and lemon acidity, enhances iodined dishes. Today, discover a refined recipe for Salmon Tartare with Yuzu Olive Oil, perfect to highlight the marine and lemon notes of this champagne.

Ingredients :

• 400 g fresh sashimi quality salmon
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of yuzu juice
• 1 teaspoon of yuzu zest
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• A few coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions :

Preparation of the salmon: Slice the salmon into thin strips of uniform size. Arrange them carefully on a serving plate.

Seasoning: In a bowl, mix the olive oil with the yuzu juice and zest. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serving: Drizzle the salmon slices with the olive oil and yuzu mixture. Garnish with a few coriander leaves to add a touch of freshness.

Tasting tips :

Serve this dish as an aperitif accompanied by a glass of chilled Champagne Aspasie Brut Blanc de Blancs, at 9°C. Use a slender, curved glass to release all the aromas of the champagne. The silky texture of salmon and the tangy notes of yuzu blend perfectly with the freshness and lemony acidity of this champagne, creating a perfect harmony on the palate.

For over 20 years, Aspasie Champagne has been exported to the United States through Gary Westby, a distributor at K&L Wines. Discover the authentic portrait of a loyal and passionate partner.

Can you introduce yourself ? 

My name is Gary Westby, and I have been the Champagne Buyer for K&L Wine Merchants for 24 years. We are an importer and retailer in California with four stores located in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Hollywood and Culver City (West Los Angeles). 

What is your job ?

As Champagne Buyer I direct the category of champagne for the company. I am responsible for making the selections (we have about 300 references for champagne), training the staff on the wines, managing the inventory, creating the marketing content for selling the wines and conducting tastings for the public. 

Since when and why did you choose to work with Maison Aspasie ?

I started working with Aspasie in 2000, the same year that I started! They were our very first and still our best direct-import producer. I loved the quality, the unique style of the wine and the extraordinary value that the families wines represent. They have only gotten better over the years !

What is your favorite champagne, why ?

I am not allowed to have favorites, but if you were to look into my recycling bin, the champagne that I drink the most is the Aspasie Blanc de Blancs. I find it goes perfectly as an aperitif, great with Japanese food (which I love to cook at home) and is full of the magic of Brouillet.

The final word is yours ?

No champagne lover should go another day without trying the champagne from Aspasie- their electric refreshment, effortless style and class are backed by complexity that makes it impossible to tire of them. Nobody works harder than the Aristons, and it shows in the final product.

Gary Wetsby
Champagnegarywestby
3005 El Camino Real
Redwood City, CA 94061
www.klwines.com

At Aspasie, the art of viticulture rests on meticulous and traditional practices passed down from generation to generation. Among these practices is debudding, which ensures the quality of our vines. This delicate and manual process is essential for optimizing grape production and, consequently, the quality of our champagnes.

A Fine Selection in the Service of the Grape

As the name suggests, debudding involves removing all non-fruitful buds, called “suckers.” If not removed, these buds risk diverting sap from the main buds, which will produce the precious grape clusters.

This delicate operation generally takes place in mid-May. At this stage, the buds have already started to develop, making it possible to identify and eliminate the suckers. The debudding process is carried out entirely by hand, in several passes, allowing the winegrower to make adjustments as the vines evolve.

The Essential Role of the Winegrower

Debudding requires all the good sense and judgment of the winegrower. It is a true art where every gesture counts. The winegrower must evaluate each bud, deciding which ones to keep and which ones to remove.

A Manual Tradition

We value manual labor and traditional know-how. Debudding is a perfect example of this. Although labor-intensive, this task is essential to preserving the quality of our grapes and champagnes. Each year, our winegrowers put their hearts into this operation, ensuring that each vine is tended with the utmost care.