Champagne harvest 2015 – tasting juice from Vitry at Champagne Legras et Haas 

 

Last night we visited Jérôme Legras, one of the 3 brothers at Legras et Haas. Legras et Haas press 35 hectares during the harvest: 23 hectares from Chouilly – of which 18 hectares are family owned and 12 hectares from Vitry. They vinify a further 25 hectares. 

When we arrived in Chouilly, a few trucks of Chardonnay of Vitry came in. The grapes were looking very healthy and ripe and there was no sign of oidium. Jerome says “We have never had such ripe grapes. Our average potential alcohol potential is around 10.8. We have become so used to the ripe grapes that we were really disappointed to have a marc at 10,2% this morning; other years we would be really happy with 10,2%. “
 

 

After having tasted some juice, including some amazing Meunier from Vitry, we joined Jérôme yo take an alcohol sample in one of his vibes. He  has 4 hectares at Chouilly of which 2 hectares are farmed organically. We visited one of these vines. Jérôme would like to make some coteau de blanc from this vineyard, and expects to pick the grapes toward the end of next week. 

The press centre has 2 8000 kg pneumatic presses that turn around 16-18 hours a day. Legras et Haas started harvest on Monday and expect to continue till the end of next week. “If everything continues like this we will have a fantastic year” , concludes Jérôme.