The Harvest Festival – The Cochelet of Champagne Chez Moi
15
Sep 2025
Condividi su:
In Champagne, harvest is not only the most intense moment of the year, but also the occasion that culminates in a convivial tradition deeply rooted in local culture: the cochelet, the harvest-end feast.
Depending on the area, this celebration takes different names: in the Marne it is known as cochelet or coquelet, in the Aube as le chien. In all cases, it refers to the same custom: a banquet offered by the vigneron to the grape pickers as a token of gratitude for the work carried out among the vines.
The term cochelet derives from coquelet, the young rooster that symbolized abundance and thankfulness. But the feast went far beyond the dish on the table: it was a collective moment intertwining work, folklore, and rite of passage. The rooster, in rural culture, represented solar and virile strength, and during the cochelet it acquired an initiatory value: the youngster attending for the first time was welcomed among adults with pranks, disguises, and small stage acts. In some more playful versions, it is said that the rooster was even “intoxicated” with Champagne—as people liked to say at the time—underlining the festive and liberating nature of the celebration.
A communal rite
The cochelet was not just a dinner, but a true communal rite that marked the end of labor and the beginning of a new agricultural cycle. Tables were filled with generous dishes, prepared with local products and served in a climate of cheer and sharing.
Wine remained the protagonist: bottles of Champagne and coteaux champenois were opened, but above all the new wine was tasted, cloudy and frothing, heralding the promises of the just-finished vintage. Songs, toasts, jokes, and theatrical improvisations enlivened the evening, reinforcing the bond between growers and grape pickers. Each village preserved its own variations, but the spirit was the same: celebrating the vineyard and the community together.
Already in the 19th century the cochelet was known to observers. In 1857, Paul de Saint-Victor, in his Voyage dans la Champagne, described it as follows:
“Lorsque la dernière grappe était cueillie, le maître conviait ses vendangeurs à un joyeux repas, le cochelet, où l’on riait, chantait et buvait le vin nouveau. C’était la fête de la vigne, la récompense du labeur, et l’annonce des richesses à venir.” (“When the last bunch was picked, the master invited his grape pickers to a joyful banquet, the cochelet, where people laughed, sang, and drank the new wine. It was the feast of the vineyard, the reward for hard work, and the promise of riches to come.”)
A memory of conviviality
Today the cochelet survives in collective memory as one of the most authentic expressions of Champenois conviviality. It reminds us that, before becoming a symbol of luxury and prestige, Champagne was born as a wine of festivity and sharing.
At Champagne Chez Moi, we too celebrate the end of harvest inspired by the cochelet, thanks to the maisons and vignerons who welcomed us into this convivial rite—Champagne Henri Giraud, the family, and our dear friends Michel Loriot and Martine of Champagne Apollonis.
With this energy, we inaugurate the new season of soirées, events, tours, and much more: an invitation to experience Champagne with authenticity, passion, and a festive spirit.
🍽️Menu du Cochelet – Champagne Chez Moi
(Tradition & Champenois Conviviality)
Apéritif Champagne Hélène Beaugrand, Le Grand Carré – Blanc de Blancs
Entrée Champenois charcuterie, jambon de Reims and beechwood-smoked dried meat, bread and semi-salted butter Pairing: Champagne Mademoiselle Marg’O, Pure Blanc de Blancs La Violette
Main course Sausage braised in wine with mashed potatoes Pairing: Champagne M-Marcoult, Hestia, Extra Brut 60/40
Cheeses Camembert and Comté, walnuts and green salad Pairing: Champagne Frerejean Frères, Brut Grande Réserve
