Reims, January 2023
Saint Vincent’s Day in Champagne
The feast day of Saint Vincent of Saragossa, the patron saint of winegrowers, will be celebrated on Sunday 22 January this year. But the festivities have already begun in Champagne. They started this Saturday, 14 January, in Château-Thierry after a ten-year absence of celebrations honoring the tradition. They included a parade by 600 persons in period costume including representatives of winegrowers’ confraternities, champagne villages and houses, a Mass at the church of Saint Crépin (St. Crispin), and then a ceremony of the Archconfraternity of Saint Vincent at the Palais des Sports.
Isabelle Tellier, Chef de Cave of the House of Chanoine Frères and creator of the Réserve Privée champagnes, says that the tradition is still very meaningful: “In Champagne, it’s a festive event and has symbolism for the entire viticultural industry. Saint Vincent’s Day falls on a cardinal date in the cycle of the vine and the wine. We thank the patron saint of winegrowers for the past harvest and for the new wine, and ask his protection for all the work of the year to come.”
We’ll be watching the weather in Champagne this Sunday 22 January; an old winegrower’s proverb says “Quand il fait beau à la Saint Vincent, il y aura du vin dans le sarment” (When at St. Vincent's the weather is fine, there'll be wine aplenty in the vine).
Réserve Privée offer for Saint Vincent’s Day
To celebrate this holiday, still very popular in Champagne, Chanoine Frères has a special offer for Champagne lovers, for a few days only, to encourage them to discover three cuvées in its Réserve Privée line at a 20% discount.
Demi-Sec is the most recent addition to the Réserve Privée family. It is a champagne of character, silky and delicious, that pairs easily with sweet dishes.
Réserve Privée Rosé is a fresh and lively champagne, fruity and expressive, with a lovely ruby color. Isabelle Tellier adds “Réserve Privée Rosé gets its character from the Pinots Noirs that dominate its blend.”
Réserve Privée Brut is a generous champagne with a rich and structured palate and fruity notes. It recently won a star in the 2023 Hachette Wine Guide and a gold medal in the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge.
Aficionados will appreciate the temperament of these three Champagne wines of character whose roots are deep in the terroir. Bottles of Chanoine Frères Réserve Privée champagnes are numbered. All three cuvées should be enjoyed at a temperature of between 8°C and 10°C.
On the occasion of Saint Vincent’s Day, Réserve Privée Demi-Sec, Rosé Brut, and Brut are available at a 20% discount on the House of Chanoine Frères online store. Delivery is free in Metropolitan France when two cases of six bottles (75 cl) or more are ordered.
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