News from the Vineyard
June 23, 2021
By Raj Vaidya
Downy mildew in Champagne
The La Fête team has landed in Champagne and will be filming many winemakers for the next 2 weeks.
A series of rainy days and extreme weather has increased the downy mildew pressure in the vineyards, especially in the La Petite Montagne de Reims and in La Montagne de Reims. Yesterday we were with the Paillard brothers, Quentin and Antoine from Champagne Pierre Paillard, and Benoit Lahaye. They have been working non-stop as a result, we are so grateful that they were able to take the time out to meet with us.
Antoine Paillard of Champagne Pierre Paillard in their Bouzy Grand Cru Pinot Noir vineyard “Les Maillerettes”.
Benoit Lahaye also located in Bouzy.
Today is a warmer day and a little more dry which is exactly what is needed! We were in the vineyard with Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon of Roederer who is also worried about this disease.
They are using copper sulphate (also known as Bordeaux mixture) to try and mitigate the spread of mildew. The heavy metal is permitted under the agricultural practice, but not synthetic chemical treatments.
What is downy mildew (mildiou in French)?
Downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is a fungal disease that attacks the vines and is potentially very destructive. This fungus can infect all green parts of the vine. Symptoms are usually observed on leaves and grape bunches. A severe infection can cause leaves to fall prematurely, it can reduce yields and the sugar content in the berries, and can cause the remaining bunches to be exposed to sunburn. Total crop loss may occur if severe infection is not managed, especially near flowering. A severe leaf fall can also cause yield loss during the following season due to the inability of the vine to store reserves.
Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon, chef de cave of Louis Roederer.