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Tagged articles : Training

Learning how to prune and attach the vines at Domaine Stentz-Buecher in Alsace


Our first Discovery Experience Day of the 2016 vintage got under way last Sunday at Domaine Stentz-Buecher. The aim was to learn all about the work necessary in the vineyard to produce the best possible grapes come harvest time.

After a welcome coffee, the day started with a visit to the Rosenberg vineyard where our adopted pinot gris vines are to be found. Rosenberg means pink hill, perhaps due to the rose bushes planted in front of the vine rows which used to serve as a warning of the risk of disease affecting the vines, roses being more sensitive than vines.

Adopt a vine france, Alsace

Having said hello to our vines and taken a few shots for the annual My Vine photo competition, we made our way to a second plot of vines, the Steingrubler Grand Cru vineyard. Here Jean-Jacques started to talk about the different steps taken to care for the vines, and showed us how to prune them using the Guyot method, leaving two branches and a spur that will be used to produce next year’s growth. Then, secateurs in hand, we had a go for ourselves. It’s not as easy as it seems to decide which branches to cut, and which to leave behind!

Vineyard experience, Alsace, France

Thanks to Jean-Jacques’ guidance, the result wasn’t too bad! Once the unwanted branches had been cut, we then had to pull them away from the vines to leave the two chosen branches unhindered. The cut branches were then placed in the middle of the rows to be crushed, enabling some of the nutrients to be returned to the soil.

Original wine gift, Alsace, France

We then had a go at bending the remaining branches and attaching them to the lower training wire. Naturally they point straight upwards, but bending the branches helps to reduce the yield and increase the aromatic concentration in the grapes. To attach the bent branches to the training wire, we used a funny little tool that ties and cuts the string in one motion. For beginners, a knot that is too tight or too loose will cause the branch to flex like a spring, so watch out for your nose!

Rent a vine, Alsace, France

It was then time to return to the winery to taste some of the wines, accompanied by some savoury Kougloff. We continued the wine tasting over lunch of traditional Roïgebrageldi, cheese and blueberry tart.

Wine tasting gift, Alsace, France

In the afternoon, we descended into the cellar for a quick tour of the press, barrel room and fermentation hall. We’ll spend more time here during the Harvest and Vinification Experience Days. Many thanks to the Stentz-Buecher family for welcoming us to the winery, and to all the participants for their good cheer and stream of questions!

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A sunny weekend at Château Beau-Rivage


Accompanied by David, the Technical Director at Château Beau Rivage, on the Saturday, and Christine, the owner of the winery on the Sunday, we enjoyed two Discovery Experience Days in Bordeaux last weekend. The two days were dedicated to learning about the work of the winemaker in the vineyard, and so we headed straight out amongst the vines to get started.

Vineyard experience in Bordeaux, France

The winery cultivates 5 grape varietals in the vineyard, and we learnt how to tell each of them apart from the merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and petit verdot. We saw how different pruning methods, guyot double and cordon, had been used, and we discovered the range of work such as de-budding, thinning the leaves, and working the soil, necessary to produce the best quality grapes at harvest time.

Wine making experience, biodynamic, Bordeaux

After the theory, time to get stuck in! We split into pairs and spread out among the rows. To help the vines grow and to facilitate the trimming, we ensured that each of the vine branches were supported between the training wires.

Wine lover gift at Bordeaux, unique experience, France

We then took a few minutes to relax and visited our adopted vines. The opportunity for some photos to be taken for the "My Vine" photo competition.

Rent a vine in France, Bordeaux

Good work is always rewarded, and at Château Beau Rivage, it comes in the form of wine! We tasted the Château Beau Rivage, Clos la Bohème, Benjamin, Clémentine, and Le Phare rosé and red wines over lunch. On Saturday, the rainshower didn't dampen the spirits, and the sun on Sunday made the rosé that much more enjoyable!

Wine experience gifts in France, Bordeaux

In the afternoon, we returned to the vineyard on Saturday and to the chai on Sunday, to learn about the key steps from now until the harvest, and to understand the reasons for working organically at the winery. We talked about the environment, the quality of the wines, production methods, and answered the varied questions.

Wine tasting gift in Bordeaux, France

Both days drew to a close around 4pm. Time to take a few last minute photos and to load the cars with wine as souvenirs of the weekend.

Thanks to all, and see you soon for the harvest!

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A sunny harvest in Bordeaux

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Biodynamic winemaking at Domaine la Cabotte


Last Saturday saw us visit the Domaine la Cabotte winery in the southern part of the Côtes du Rhône region for a Discovery Experience Day. The programme for the day was to better understand the work of the winemaker in the vineyard.

Vineyard experience in Rhône Valley, France

At 9:00 am, the first guests started to pass through the large iron gates at the entrance of the winery, and we were blessed with a very pure light and crisp colours. The winemakers, Eric and Marie-Pierre, welcomed us with a cup of coffee and some croissants, whilst we waited for everyone to arrive.

Marie-Pierre told us the history of the winery before passing over to her husband, Eric, who took us out to spend the morning in the vineyard, and help him train the vines, which is the work of the moment.

Unique wine gifts in Rhône Valley, France

As we walked through the different vine plots, Eric took care to explain the differences of each grape varietal, and the work that has already been carried out in the vineyard this year. We learnt about the growth of the vines, their strength, how they create the grapes, and how grafting is used when replanting the vines.

Adopt a vine in Rhône Valley, France

To best understand the work of a winemaker, it's always best to roll up your sleeves and get involved, so we each found ourselves in front of a row of vines. We started by:

1- taking off the clips that were already keeping the training wires together,

2- raising the two wires and making sure that the vine branches were supported between them,

3- tightening the two wires together again by replacing the clips...

Original wine gift in Rhône Valley, France

There was lots of wind blowing from the Mistral, but everyone got stuck in and enjoyed this physical activity.

Once we had finished, Marie-Pierre replenished us with some chilled water, and we headed back to the chai to taste some of the rosé and white wines produced at the winery, accompanied by some freshly picked radish and a goats cheese cake.

We tasted the delicious fruity red wines with the meal, which we enjoyed inside the chai to keep us sheltered from the wind blowing outside.

Wine lover gift in Rhône Valley, France 

A coffee to end lunch, and then back out into the vineyard to visit our adopted vines.

Rent a vine in France, Rhône Valley

Once we had immortalised the moment with our cameras, we grouped around Eric who recounted passionately the local geology and how the Massif d'Uchaux appellation came to be.

We finished the day with a demonstration of how to prepare a biodynamic tisane. Eric explained the differences between organic and biodynamic methods, and talked in depth about sulphites. We made an tisane from stinging nettles, horsetail, and carpenter's weed, which we then tasted!

Personnalised bottles of red wine in Rhône Valley, France

Our winemakers showed us how to dynamise the preparation using the dynamiser, and then we realised that it was already 4pm. How the time had flown!

Wine gift packs, biodynamic, Rhône Valley, France

We thanked Eric and Marie-Pierre for the time that they had shared with us, and for their dedication to their profession.

And then we headed back through the gates, a few cases of wine safely stored in the boot of the car. Safe trip and see you again soon for the "Harvest Experience Day".

Other articles relating to the work in the vineyard

A review of the work in the vineyard for the 2015 vintage

A good 2015 harvest for the Cotes du Rhone

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Training the vines in Bordeaux


We were at Château Beau Rivage near Bordeaux last weekend for a wine Discovery Experience Day. With the winemaker, Christine Nadalié, by our sides the aim of the day was to learn more about all the work carried out in the vineyard to produce the best possible grapes come harvest time.

 

Adopt a vine gift in Bordeaux to learn how to be a winemaker

 

The day started with a little walk in the vineyard, during which we made several stops so that Christine could explain the characteristics of the different grape varieties and the terroir. She brought us up to speed on the work already accomplished in the vineyard since last winter, and she showed us a plot that has recently been replanted with vines.

Since our last visit in May, the vines have grown lots and the flowering period has been and gone. This is a very important stage in determining the potential yield of the harvest to com, and generally it went well, with just a little bit of millerandage when the flowers didn't pollinate properly. Millerandage causes some of the grape berries to not develop to the normal size, and so smaller grapes are interspersed with normal sized grapes.

rent a vine gift in France

 

At the far end of the vineyard, we arrived at the plot of Merlot where the adopted vines are located, and so we took a few minutes to snap some photos. The vegetation continues to grow rampantly, and so it has to be managed and kept under control with the help of training wires. Christine showed us how to raise the wires, and then to place any falling branches in between them. We then split up into pairs to have a go ourselves. As we moved down the rows, we also removed any unwanted shoots and growth from the trunks of the vines, which otherwise waste some of the plant's energy.

 

vineyard experience in France

Back at the winery, we tasted some of the different wines and vintages and enjoyed the winemaker's meal. We continued the day in the chai where Christine explained how the grapes will be received during the harvest, and how the sugar is transformed into alcohol during fermentation.

 

Original wine gift

We then went through to the barrel room to see where the wines rest during the ageing period. Here, Christine explained the influence that the oak barrels have on the wine, and answered our questions on many topics ranging from blending to biodynamic wine-making. Many thanks to all of our participants and to Christine for having shared the day with us.

See you soon for the harvest!

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Raising the training wires and biodynamic farming at Domaine la Cabotte


Last Saturday we were welcomed to Domaine la Cabotte, in the heart of the Massif d'Uchaux region of the Rhône Valley. Marie-Pierre and Eric Plumet d'Ardhuy initiated us in working in the vineyard and introduced us to the biodynamic farming principles used on the estate. We had a very instructive day with some very warm sunshine!
Wine making course in the Rhone Valley

As our guests noted, Domaine la Cabotte is to be found in the middle of the vines, surrounded by wooded hills, vineyards and the Mont Ventoux in the distance. What better place to discover the profession of wine making. The aim of the Discovery Experience Day is to understand the work carried out in the vineyard from winter right up to the harvest the following autumn, and so we began the day in the vineyard.

Vineyard tour in the Rhône Valley

Eric recounted the history of the winery and the establishment of the Massif d'Uchaux wine appellation. He then brought us up to speed on the work that Marie-Pierre and he had already done since last winter, covering such topics as pruning and the flowering of the vines. He then showed us how to raise the training wires to better space and support the weight of the vines as they grow.

French wine making course in the Rhône Valley

The training wires had just been raised, but had not yet been attached. Armed with handfuls of clips, we clipped the wires together to keep the vine branches in place between the wires. It can get very hot in the middle of the vineyard, particularly in the Rhône Valley, and luckily Marie-Pierre had brought some home-made drinks to share with us! After this full morning, we were glad to find some shade back at the winery to taste some of the estate's wines and enjoy the meal prepared by Marie-Pierre.

Winemaker meal Domaine la Cabotte France

We spent the afternoon in the cool of the chai, where Eric talked to us about the different herbal treatments made of horsetail, valerian, stinging nettles and the like, that serve to help stimulate the growth of the plant. He also showed us how the soil is vitalised using a preparation of cow manure that has been buried in cow horns according to the biodynamic principles.

Biodynamic farming in France Rhône Valley

Eric finished the day by briefly explaining the key steps in fermenting the wine, something that we will go into more detail about during the Vinification Experience Days.

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Last of the de-budding in the Burgundy vineyard


You need good grapes to make good wine.  That's what the participants of the Wine Discovery Experience Day learnt last weekend at Domaine Chapelle.  Jean-François, the winemaker and owner of the winery, and his Technical Director, Yannick, welcomed us for the day to share their passion for their profession.

wine gift pack

During the Discovery Experience Days, we learn all about the key stages in working in the vineyard to get the best possible grapes come harvest time.  And the best way to learn is by having a go yourself!  So, after an introduction to the winery, its wines, and the Burgundy terroir, Jean-François led us out into the vineyard.

adopt a vine

We took a few minutes to find our adopted vines before Yannick explained all of the work that has been carried out in the vineyard since pruning.  We are now finishing the de-budding phase in the pinot noir vineyard plots, which involves removing any superfluous buds or shoots.  And we have just started to train the chardonnay vines; which involves ensuring that the shoots grow between the training wires and then clipping the wires together to help the vines support the weight of the foliage and fruit.

vineyard experience

Having learnt the theory from Jean-François and Yannick, we got stuck in and had a go ourselves.  A little hesitant at first in front of the vines as we didn't want to cause them any damage, but we soon got the hang of it.
A few hours later we were back at the winery, ready to taste some wine!  We tasted a Santenay white wine, before tasting a Burgundy red, a Santenay Clos des Cornières and a Santenay Premier Cru Les Gravières.

wine lover gifts

To finish the day, Yannick and Jean-François took us down into the fermentation hall and cellar, where they introduced us to the technical side of making and ageing wine, something that we will develop further during the Vinification Experience Days.
To sum up the day in the words of Jean-François: the work in the vineyard before the harvest is essential, because even a good winemaker finds it difficult to make a good wine with poor quality grapes.

personalised bottles of wine

A good winemaker is therefore a good farmer, and after their hard work and enthusiasm in the vineyard, our apprentice winemakers would wholeheartedly agree!  Many thanks to our participants for a very enjoyable weekend!

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In the vineyard. De-budding and training the vines


With the arrival of Spring, the vines are emerging from their winter rest. In March we could see the tears of sap appearing on the tips of the pruned branches, and the first buds burst into life a few weeks later. These are all signs that the vines are starting their growth for the new season. And for the winemaker, it's the signal that a whole series of jobs will soon need to be done in the vineyard to ensure the best quality grapes come harvest time.
bud burst in the vineyard Burgundy France

The first of the tasks is the de-budding to remove all the excess buds and any unwanted shoots. De-budding generally takes place a few weeks after the bud burst. During pruning, a certain number of eyes are left on the branch, which represents the number of buds and branches that will form (see our post of pruning). However, sometimes more buds appear than were bargained for during pruning, which can increase the load on the vines and reduce the quality of the harvest. Studies have shown that de-budding improves the maturity of raisins at harvest time by increasing the sugar levels, and thus the potential alcoholic volume. De-budding is a purely manual task. There is no machine capable of removing the buds without harming the plant.

de-budding vines in Burgundy

We also remove the buds and shoots from the base and trunk of the vines. This is known as "epamprage" and can be done manually or mechanically using a tractor with rotating axels that brush the vines and remove the unwanted growth. Epamprage can also be conducted chemically with contact products or by using heat to burn the new shoots. Empamprage is often conducted at the same time as the soil is turned to remove grass and weeds.

training wires for vine Rhône Valley

The remaining shoots on the vines will then continue to grow, and from May to July comes the moment to raise the training wires in the vineyards. As the vines grow, the wires are raised and fixed to the posts, a task that usually requires several passes. We make sure that all of the branches grow between the two training wires so that the weight of the leaves and fruit are better supported. To help avoid the branches falling back down, the wires are clipped together. The branches are spaced apart to let the air better circulate and the sun to reach the leaves. This also helps the tractors to pass freely in the vineyard without damaging the vines and to improve the efficiency of any treatments.

At the same time as working on the vines, the winemaker also works the soil from April onwards to air the soil, let in more warmth, and to keep the growth of grass and weeds in check.

The next tasks for the winemaker in the vineyard will be to control the growth between the leaves, branches and fruit, jobs that we will explain in more detail soon.

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