Ah … harvest time, this poetic moment where the wine-maker carefully cuts each grape bunch, looking at it fondly before bringing it the cellar and changing it into elegant nectar…
Now let me stop you right there: first off, harvest time means getting up at 5:30 in the morning to start cutting the grapes at 7, it means a horrible backache and the fear of cutting off a finger instead of a bunch of Grenache grapes!
The first harvesting morning is always the worst. The backache flares up about 30 minutes into the cutting process and there are at least 7 hours and 30 minutes left to prune …
The vines are low (Gobelet pruning to protect grapes from the sun and the shoots from the Mistral), so you have to explore right into the vine stock to ensure you didn’t forget any grapes … and it’s hot.
But despite all that … wow! What a great experience! The grape’s healthy, beautiful, sweet … the harvesting of white grapes is carried out with the Domaine’s team and with some wine-maker friends who came along to help out. The atmosphere’s friendly and fun. Jokes are made back and forth between supporters of the Rugby Union and those of the Rugby League, and we’ve lost count of all the grapes being thrown around… a truly great time.
But have to say that I’m really looking forward to a good shower!
Published : 2013-09-19