I've been with Veuve Clicquot for the past 25 years. I am their cellar master and control every aspect of creating their champagne. The House of Clicquot has not had many cellar masters; they all tend to stay with the company for a long time. One of them just celebrated his 80th birthday and we got together to throw him a party. We opened a bottle of champagne that was made in the 1920s, when he was born. It still tasted lively. That's what I love about my work: you create something that isn't just consumed today, next year or in 10 years; the work you do is around for decades.
My work schedule varies, depending on what time of year it is. Autumn is our busiest time because it's when we carry out our harvest in our vineyards. On days like that, I have to get up at 6am. I eat very simply at home and will have a piece of toast and some coffee before heading out. When I supervise the harvest process, I meet the growers and we have a full breakfast with ham and eggs. I live in Reims [in France's Champagne region], close to the vineyards. Although the House of Clicquot has more than 300 hectares of vineyards, we also buy grapes from many other growers in the region because our business has grown.
On an average day during the harvest, I drive all over the city, checking on the quality of the grapes. I look at a map the night before and plan my route, starting at the farthest point. That way, I can work my way back and my last visit is the place closest to my home. There are days when I drive nearly 500 kilometres.
It's important to choose the grapes myself because so much depends on it. It's nature's work and we can't control the quality of the grapes. The most ideal grape has an equal level of sugar and acidity because it affects the taste of the wine. When I see our growers, I immediately taste the grapes. If the quality is not the best, which is what we are after, I have to reject their harvest. It's hard, because some of the growers have been with us for many years and they are disappointed. We won't even consider negotiating for a better price and they know that. It's not something I like to do, but I have to stick to the motto of only using the best ingredients. Some, however, remain friends with us and they always invite me to eat something with them when I arrive. So I eat many small meals during the day.
As the cellar master, I am responsible for keeping the 'tradition' of the house. Champagne is different from wine because wines can taste slightly different every year, but champagne is all about achieving a particular house 'style'.
It's something that cannot be recorded on paper, rather we work from our memory. My tongue and my nose are very important to me for my work. I have to exercise a lot and keep in good health because your sense of taste and smell is affected by your physical condition. I used to play tennis but an injury has prevented that. However, I walk regularly.