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Vine de-budding in Burgundy


The Gourmet Odyssey Discovery Experience Day last Saturday at Domaine Chapelle in Santenay, started with a cool breeze and a hot cup of coffee!  We were there to learn about the first stage in wine-making; what goes on in the vineyard, and notably de-budding which was the work of the moment.

Jean-François, the owner of this charming winery began by explaining the history of his family, the winery and how they had converted to being organic some ten years ago already now.

Meet the winemaker at the winery in Burgundy France

Outside in the garden overlooking the surrounding vineyards, we learnt about the local geology and terroir, and how that has determined the different appellations over time.

We then made our way into the Clos des Cornières vineyard below, where we introduced ourselves to our adopted vines and took a few photos!

Jean-François explained the vegetative life-cycle of the vines, from pruning to harvest, talking about the different work involved such as arcing the branches, de-budding, removing some of the leaves, and the organic treatments used.

Vine-tending course in Santenay, Burgundy, France

At the moment, the wine-growers are being kept busy in the vineyard with de-budding, which consists in removing the unwanted shoots from the vines. These are sometimes shoots that grow below the head of the vine, will not produce any fruit, and will unnecessarily use up the plant’s energy.  Sometimes you get two or even three shoots growing from the same node, which will mean more grapes, but of a lesser quality as they will be less concentrated in sugar. The winemaker will choose a maximum number of grape bunches per vine, and will remove shoots to ensure that this limit isn’t surpassed, thus controlling the potential of the future yield.

After being shown how to de-bud the vines, we had a go ourselves, and we quickly learnt that a seemingly easy task requires more reflexion that you would think. 

Wine-tasting in Burgundy as a wine gift box

We then made our way back to the courtyard for a typical Burgundy aperitif. We tasted the Santenay Saint-Jean white wine, accompanied by the delicious gougères!

The traditional local cuisine followed with a Beef Bourguignon, and during the course of lunch, we tasted a Burgundy 2014, a Santenay Clos des Cornières 2013, and a Santenay Premier Cru Comme 2011.

After lunch, we enjoyed a walk in the vineyard to see the Beaurepaire plot that had recently been replanted. From this vantage point, we admired the magnificent views of the village and vineyards of Santenay. Jean-François explained the work involved in replanting vineyard and the patience required to wait for three years before harvesting the first grapes, and at least 7 years before harvesting more qualitative grapes. The choice of replanting is made for the long-term future of the winery and is something that the next generation will benefit from.

Vineyard tour and winery visit in Burgundy, France

We finished the day with a quick tour in the cellar to see where the wines ferment and age. We look forward to coming back for the harvest!

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The Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience

Adopt a Vine in France and Follow the Making of Your Own Wine !

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