La Revue du Vin De France, one of the leading French wine magazines, has just launched a special wine tourism issue.  One of the featured gites is "Le Refuge de Petit Louis", owned and run by Dmaine Jean-Marc Brocard.  This welcoming and spacious gite is available to all travellers and Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience customers.

The perfect home from home to explore Chablis and the precious wines of Domaine Brocard!

For more information about the gite, follow this link.

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From the Clos des Cornières vineyard, where the adopted vines of the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience are located, Jean-François Chapelle and Yannick Jacrot explained the differences in the surrounding terroir, why some vineyards are designated as Premier Cru, and others Santenay Village.

We learnt about all the steps involved in cultivating the vines from pruning through to the harvest, and as the domaine is organically certified, Yannick explained the particularities that are involved in treating organic vines.

As always with a Gourmet Odyssey Experience Day, there is some work to do!  At this time of year, the vines are growing rapidly, and as the vine is a creeper plant, they need to be managed and held in check.   Yannick and Jean François showed us how to carry out "Relevage" and "Rognage".

Relevage is ensuring that each of the vine branches grow between the training wires, and that they are separated from one plant to another.  This helps to support the vines, and to increase the flow of air around the grapes to defend against mildew.  As the vines had grown since the last relevage, the training wires were raised up a notch on the wooden posts and then clipped together using a biodegradable clip.

Rogange is trimming the tops of the vines to direct more of the plants energy into the fruit-bearing branches.  This is predominantly carried out using the tractor, but is still done manually for some of the more fragile young vines, using a pair of shears.

Explanations well understood, we then dispersed amongst the rows of vines to get to work on raising the training wires, separating and placing the branches, and trimming the tops of the vines!

Before heading back to the winery, there was time for each client to introduce themselves to their adopted vines!  The grapes have already started to form, and give the first mouth-watering taste of the 2011 vintage to come!

After all the talk about how the vines and grapes are nurtured, it was time to taste the final product!  We gathered next to the old oak fermentation tanks in the cuverie to begin the wine tasting session of Domaine Chapelle's wines.  We started with a Santenay "St Jean" 2009 white wine, produced on the upper slopes behind the domaine that we had seen in the morning from the vineyard.  We then moved onto a more complex Chassagne Montrachet "Morgeot" 2009.

The wine tasting continued over lunch with the red wines, including a Santenay, Santenay Clos des Cornières, Aloxe Corton and Santenay 1er Cru.

In the afternoon, we headed over to the fermentation hall to see where the grapes are collected at harvest time and put into the vats, and to learn how the sugar is turned into alcohol during fermentation.

The final part of the day was to visit the cellar that lies like a labyrinth below the winery buildings and courtyard.  This is where the wines are aged in a mixture of new and old oak barrels, and once bottled, are stored.

As always, thanks to Jean François and Yannick for making the day so interesting and informative!

 

 

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For the 2011 edition from June 19th to 23rd , the show brings to Bordeaux over 2000 exhibitors from more than 40 countries around the world!

Three Gourmet Odyssey partners including Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard are present to promote their wines and their rich terroir, and by a happy coincidence, in the organic wine hall, Domaine Chapelle and Chateau Beau Rivage are located on adjacent stands!

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The Romans used to pay tribute each year during February to dead fathers, but Father's Day as we celebrate it today was born in the United States at the beginning of the last century. Mother's Day was already well established when a young girl who had lost her mother and was being raised by her father wished to honour him, and so suggested that we also celebrate Father's Day. The idea caught on, resulting in Father's Day becoming an institution in many countries!

A delightful day for all fathers but a real dilemma for children; what to give for an innovative and original father's day present Gourmet Odyssey has an original father's day gift idea for you that is a unique adventure for any wine connoisseur!

More than a wine course or a good bottle of wine, your father will receive a personalised gift box introducing him to the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience.  During a whole vintage he will be the adopted owner of vines in a renowned French vineyard and will participate in the making of his own personalised bottles of wine!

So look no further for the perfect present: offer him an unusual Father's Day wine gift that he'll remember for years!

 

Learn more about our Father's Day wine gifts.

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David is a Brit who has made his home in France, and is very well known in the world of wine as a journalist and author on all things wine.  As well as having published more than 15 books, he co-presents the InVino radio show for BFM Radio, acts as a wine advisor for many wine clubs and societies such as the Wine & Business Club events in Paris and beyond, and is one of the founders of the eccevino online wine boutique.

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To introduce us to the Chablis wine growing region, we stepped out onto the terrace at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard to survey the surrounding vineyards.  From this great vantage point Céline Brocard-Guegen, pointed out and explained the differences in terroir between the four local appellations, Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru, and briefly explained the history of the winery that her father started some 40 years ago with a small plot of vines that were loaned to him.

We then walked to the Boissonneuse vineyard, home to the Gourmet Odyssey adopt-a-vine plot.  This vineyard was the first of the winery's vines to be converted to organic and biodynamic cultivation.  We were accompanied by Yvonnick, head of biodynamics at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, who talked us through the various of stages of working on the vines from pruning to harvesting.   

As always during a Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience Day, there is some work involved, and the task was to de-bud the vines (ébourgeonnage).  Yvonnick explained the importance of de-budding to improve the quality of the grapes by concentrating the growth and energy of the vines into the future fruit-bearing canes.  He showed us how to select the stems to detach, and which ones were to be left alone.

Each client then set off to find their adopted vines, and began putting into practice what Yvonnick had just explained.  Luckily Céline and Yyvonnick were at hand to guide us, as it's not always as simple as you would think! 

We learnt about how the vines are treated organically, and were also introduced to the world of biodynamics.  The Experience Day was planned to coincide with one of the key biodynamic events that is undertaken at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, the digging up of cow horns, filled with cow dung, that have been buried for six months!  First impressions of biodynamic farming are often that it is all a bit of hocus-pocus and wizardry, so you need to keep an open mind and bear in mind the underlying principles of biodynamics, that is to improve the structure of the soil, and to strengthen the natural defenses of the plant from disease.

The cow horns had been interred in the fertile grounds of the old priory in Chablis that also belongs to the Brocard family. During the six months the cow manure ferments to form a fibrous super concentrated compost, that when mixed with collected rainwater and spread amongst the vines, helps to improve the soil structure and enhance the life of micro-organisms.

Our job was to remove the fermented cow dung from the horns.  Not as smelly and dirty a task as you might think!  In fact the cow dung has a sweet and rich aroma!

Intrigued, amazed, disbelieving, no one was left indifferent as we returned to the winery to finally taste some of the wines from Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, including the Petit Chablis Sainte Claire 2009, Chablis La Boissonneuse 2009, Chablis Premier Cru Vau de Vey 2009, Chablis Premier Cru Vaulorent 2008, Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 2008 and ending with the Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2009.

During the meal of local Chablis charcuterie and cheese, we continued the wine tasting with a Chablis Premier Cru Montmains 2002 and the domaine's Irancy 2008 red wine.

The afternoon finished with a tour of the fermentation hall to see the mix of oak and stainless steel vats that are used to ferment and age the wines.  A final tasting was in store of the unfinished 2010 wines, direct from the vats!

Many thanks to Yvonnick and Céline for giving us an insight into the life at the winery, and for introducing us to the weird and wonderful world of biodynamic winemaking!

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After the initial introductions, we headed straight out into the Clos des Cornières vineyard, where the adopted vines of the clients are located.  With the panoramic views of the surrounding vineyards, Jean Françcois Chapelle began by explaining the difference in terroir between the vine plots used for Premier Cru, Santenay village, Burgundy red, and Santenay village white wines.  Something which is much easier to understand with the landscape in front of you than by looking at a map!

 

We learnt about all of the key stages in cultivating the vines from pruning, treating the vines organically, right through to when the grapes will eventually be fully ripened come harvest time.  Much like the other wine producing regions of France, Burgundy has had a very warm and sunny April, which means that the vines are currently some 3 weeks in advance of a normal year.  It's still too early to predict exactly when the harvest will be, but it will almost surely be sooner than usual.

 

The adjacent vineyard is planted with Chardonnay vines, so we took a look at the difference in the vines, the different pruning methods used and compared the foliage of the pinot noir and Chardonnay vines. 

 

Back in the Clos des Cornières vineyard, time to get down to some work!  The essence of a Gorumet Odyssey Wine Experience Day is to learn about wine making by touching, seeing, doing, tasting and smelling.  Jean François had left a few rows of vines to be de-budded.  He explained the importance of removing some of the vine shoots to concentrate growth in the future fruit-bearing shoots, which will help improve the quality of the grapes, and showed us how to select which shoots to break off.  Easy! We each settled in front of some vines, looked at each shoot, remembered what Jean François had told us, and then froze as the realisation of the responsibility that had been placed upon us hit home. No-one wants to choose the wrong shoot to detach!  Luckily Jean François and Yvette Chapelle were at hand to guide us, and soon the pace of activity increased!

 

Signs had been placed in the vineyard to mark where the adopted vines of each client are located. Time was set aside to search out each client's mini plot of vines.  The cameras came out, various poses were adopted, some set about weeding around their vines, and others even started murmuring sweet nothings to encourage their fertility!

 

After the effort, time to head back to the winery for a well earned aperitif!  In the shade of the courtyard, we began the wine tasting, accompanied by some Gougères, a delicious cheese pastry specialty from Burgundy.  We started with Domaine Chapelle's Santenay "St Jean" 2009 white wine, a crisp and mineral chardonnay from the upper slopes above the domaine that we had seen from our time in the vineyard.  Next we tasted the Chassagne Montrachet  "Morgeot" Premier Cru 2008 white wine, a more fruity and complex wine.

Lunch, including boeuf bourguignon and local cheeses, was served in the reception hall, whilst the wine tasting continued with the red wines. First a comparison of the Santenay Village "Clos des Cornières" 2009 and 2006 (the wine selected for the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience), followed by the domaine's Aloxe Corton 2007, and finally the Santenay "Beaurepaire" Premier Cru 2002. 

The cool of the cuverie and cellars awaited us in the afternoon.  First an introduction to how the grapes are received at harvest time, sorted, and ferment in the tanks.

 

Ducking our heads, we descended into the vast cellars where the 2010 wines are currently ageing, and some 130,000 bottles are stocked.  Jean François explained the ageing process, and the choice of oak barrels used.

 

The visit ended with an explanation of the bottling and labeling stations, the final stage in preparing the wine before it is packaged up and dispatched to be enjoyed far and beyond the small village of Santenay!

A very warm thanks to Jean François and Yvette for sharing their passion with us, and for giving us an insight into the many and varied facets that make up the life of a winemaker.

Watch the video (french langauge)

 

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A special guest was there to welcome us on the Saturday morning.  Perched in a tree next to the Château, we were surprised to hear the "craw craws" of a large green parrot!

After the introductions, we headed off to the Tonnellerie Nadalié, the cooperage run by the family of Château Beau Rivage's owner, Christine Nadalié. Having passed the wood park, where the planks of oak are stocked in open air for 2 years to remove the bitterness from the wood, we entered the factory at the start of the production line.  The factory was operating on the Saturday, something that only happens once every two years, the noise from all the activity as strong as the smell from the worked wood!  Someone remarked that it smelt of wine, but it was actually the association of the smell of oak with the aroma of wine aged in oak barrels!

 

We followed the cutting of the first planks, the assembling of the barrels in a rose shaped cone, and the placing of the first hoops that help give the final shape to the barrels.

 

The next stage showed us how the inside of the barrels are toasted with a naked flame to bring different tastes and aromas to the wine that will be aged inside.  A truly impressive sight!

We continued our passage to see the placing of the heads at each end of the barrel, the sanding stations, the placing of the final hoops, and the laser marking of the barrels before ending the visit in the huge stock depot, where we could see the barrels ready to be shipped to the four corners of the world.  It was absolutely fascinating to better understand the craft of a cooper, crucial in the ageing of many types of wine, and to witness the harmony between the efficiency of the machines and the expertise and know-how of the coppers themselves.

 

To gather our strength for the afternoon work in the vineyard, we returned to Château Beau Rivage, and began the tasting of the estate's wines, which we continued over the winemaker's rustic meal.  With the sunny conditions on Saturday we ate outside, but with the cooler temperatures on Sunday, we snuggled up in the warmth of the Château's large kitchen.  The wines were greatly appreciated, and included the Clairet 2009, the Château Beau Rivage 2007 and 2006, the Clos La Bohème 2006 and 2005, le Phare 2002 and a selection of the "nephew and niece" cuvees!

 

After the local charcuterie and cheese meal, hoe over the shoulder, we headed off into the vineyard.  Each client dispersed between the rows to find and introduce themselves to their adopted vines.

 

The aim of the Wine Discovery Experience Day is to learn more about the winemaker's profession by participating in the tasks according to the time of year.  This time we learnt more about "acanage" and "décavaillonnage".

 

Acanage is the fixing of the vines to the posts and wires using a piece of elasticated string.  We had to tie a slip knot and cut the string with a hooked ring, worn around two fingers.

 

Décavaillonnage is a more physical task involving removing the soil from between the vines that was mounded to protect the vines from the frost during the winter months.

 

The day ended in the winery with an introduction to the stages of vinification, and a visit of the cellar to see the 2010 wines ageing in the Nadalié barrels.
So we started and finished with the barrels, rounding off two very instructive, and above all fun, Wine Discovery Experience Days!

Click here to watch the video

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The Vinification Experience Day is the most technical oenology course of the wine experience days offered by Gourmet Odyssey, and most of the time is dedicated to wine tasting.  We therefore headed straight to the cuverie (fermentation hall), and after a brief explanation of how the grapes are received and put into the tanks at harvest time, we learnt more about the fermentation process.

To prepare us for the wine tasting to follow, Yannick, the Technical Director at the wine estate, had prepared a little test: four numbered cups, each containing a sugary, acidic, salty or bitter solution.  The game was to guess which was which.  Not the most appetising drinks, but as Jean-François Chapelle, the owner of the winery, told us, wine tasting is a work tool!  He also explained the importance of the five senses when tasting wines; smell, sight, taste, touch and hearing.

In the cellar, we began the tasting of the 2010 vintages, using a pipette to draw the wine directly from the barrels.  The côte de Beaune region of Burgundy uses just one grape varietal in the makeup of its wines, pinot noir for the reds and chardonnay for the whites.  The wines we tasted were chosen to highlight the difference in terroirs and the impact that the choice of oak used in the barrels has on the wines.   The first comparison was between wine from the same vines, from the same vineyard plot, and of the same age, but aged in different barrels.  The second comparison showed us the difference in terroir, comparing two Premier Crus, Santenay "La Comme" and Santenay "Beaurepaire", which hail from two different vineyards with differing geology and relief.

Climbing back up from the cellar, we stopped at the bottling machine before arriving at the final test.  This time we were presented with three wines, each coming from different plots in the same vineyard, the Clos des Cornières, where the adopted vines of the Gourmet Odyssey clients are located.  As well as their situation, the vines also varied in age, so we could also compare the impact on the wine.  One of the wines was more advanced in the ageing process than the others, one more fruity, and the last had a longer finish.  Using measuring cylinders, we played with different proportions of these three wines to make our own blends.  We tasted some great blends, but unfortunately the doses were not always remembered!

We passed the labeling machine as we headed back to the reception hall for the aperitif of Santenay white wine and gougères, a local specialty.  During the meal we tasted other regional fare such as beouf boruguignonne, and Epoisses cheese, and continued the comparisons of the estate?s wines with a Clos de Cornières 2009 and 2006, an Aloxe Corton 2007, and a Chassgane Montrachet Premier Cru 2007, before ending with an old marc de Bourgogne with the coffee.

After all that, we needed to take in some fresh air! Off we headed into the vineyard to inspect the work, and to give each person the chance to (re)introduce themselves to their adopted vines!

Thank you to all for two enriching and enlightening Vinification Experience Days.

Link to video (video available in french language only) 

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Céline Brocard, the daughter of Jean-Marc, welcomed us to the winery in the magnificent reception room that overlooks the estate's vineyards which surround the building.  Céline introduced us to the region and winery, and from the balcony explained the difference in the terroir of the Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru.

We were fortunate to have a crisp blue skied day.  After equipping ourselves with boots and warm coats, we headed off directly for the Boissonneuse vineyard, where the adopted vines of the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience clients are located.  We were accompanied by Yvonnick, a modern day "druid" who is in charge of the biodynamic culture at the estate, and passionate about working in harmony with the environment and nature's rhythm.  Under his expert guidance, we learnt why and how to prune the vines, and realised that pruning vines is not as simple as it seems!

Yvonnick then explained the fascinating principles of biodynamic farming, explaining the difference between organic and biodynamic, and how the biodynamic treatments are prepared using plant infusions, cow manure and silica, and how they are applied to treat the vines. 

After a few hours spent outdoors, the relative warmth of the cellar was very welcome!  At one end of the cellar, the wall has been left in its natural state to expose a cross section of the earth that characterises the Chablis terroir; Kimmeridgian strata composed of alternating limestone and clay marl.  The cellar was the location for our wine tasting session of the estate's organic Chablis wines, including a Chablis "vielles vignes", the Chablis from the Boissonneuse vineyard, several Chablis Premier Crus and a Chablis Grand Cru "Les Preuses".  The gougères, a Burgundy specialty, helped keep the hunger at bay before tucking into the Chablis Ham, served at lunch overlooking the vines!

In the afternoon, we headed down to the wine making building to get an introduction into the vinification side of things, and finished with a final wine tasting, direct from the oak casks, of a few of the 2010 wines that are still ageing.

Another great day that once again helped better understand the care and effort that is needed to make a quality wine!

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This fair's aim is to present organically certified wines from around the world to the visitors and professional wine buyers.

Two of Gourmet Odyssey's partners, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard and Domaine Chapelle, are exhibiting at this organic wine fair, and will be happy to welcome you should you be attending.

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Domaine Chapelle and Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, the two Burgundy partners of Gourmet Odyssey located in this beautiful region, will be presenting a wide range of their best wines.

It's the occasion to meet the winemakers and discover the richness of Burgundy wines during a huge wine tasting session that lasts the whole day! And for those who want to improve their knowledge of wines, a training seminar with a commented tasting of Village appellations will be presented from 10 to 12 am.

A mouth watering and enriching day awaits!

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The aim this time was to learn more about the technical side of making wine, particularly the ageing and blending of the wine.

As with each wine experience day, it started directly in the vineyard, giving everyone the chance to see what shape their adopted vines are in.  At this stage of the year, the pruning has already begun to prepare the vines for the 2011 harvest.

Christine Nadalié, the owner and winemaker, and Christophe Issartier who assists her, explained how to prune the vines and the importance of doing so to control the growth of the plant.

 

The main idea of the wine experience days is to get involved, so we helped Christine and Christophe "tirer les bois" which involved pulling the cut vine branches from the training wires.  We set some aside to be dried, for use during the harvesters? barbecues next year, and left some in the middle of the rows to be crushed, enabling some of the nutrients to be returned to the soil.

The temperature being just above freezing in the vineyard, we were very happy to return to the relative warmth of the château to begin the main part of the day.

 

In preparation of the wine tasting sessions to follow, we started with a little exercise.  With the help of small jars containing the aromas found in red wine and wood, we tried to identify the different smells, something which is more difficult than it seems!  Often we know that we recognise the aroma, but find it more difficult to put a name to it (one in particular caused a big debate - smelly feet, leather, or burnt toast??)!

 

At Château Beau Rivage, each grape variety is aged separately in French or American oak barrels.  Our first tasting session enabled us to discover the difference that each type of oak plays in influencing the taste of the wine.  Two merlots from exactly the same plot, but aged in different types of oak barrels have completely different structures!

 

Next up, we blind tasted 4 of the grape varieties grown at Château Beau Rivage - merlot, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and petit verdot from the 2010 harvest, and tried to identify the characteristics of each one.  We learnt for example that the cabernet sauvignon gives length to the wine, and that the merlot brings a fruity first impact, but little length.

These tastings brought on the appetite, so we shared a good meal accompanied by a selection of the estate's wines in front of the vines that were burning in the large fireplace.

 

After a visit of the fermentation hall and the cellar to see where the vinification and ageing takes place, Christine unveiled her recipe for blending the Château Beau Rivage wine by mixing in front of us the different grape varietals in the measuring tubes.

 

The professional's demonstration over, it was now our turn to split into small groups and blend our own wine, according to our tastes and the outcome that we desired to achieve.  As is often the case with the magic of winemaking, there were a few surprises, as the taste changes depending on the grape varieties and percentages that are blended.

 

We finished by tasting each of the blends we had created, each with there own characteristics - some ready for drinking quickly, others better suited for laying down.  One constant of the day was that it enabled us all to share a great moment, and to learn a little bit more about the art and science of winemaking.

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Biodynamic wine making shares the same root principles as organic wine, eliminating the use of chemical herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers, and then goes much further.  The guiding philosophy of biodynamic agriculture is to respect the harmony between the earth, plants, and animals, and the natural energy from the cosmos. 

The practice of biodynamic farming dates back to 1924, after a group of farmers had voiced their concerns about the deterioration of the quality of their seeds and produce to Rudlof Steiner, an Austrian philosopher.  Steiner believed that an over-used and poor quality soil can't re-establish itself on its own.  It is therefore necessary to give life back to the soil using natural treatments using medicinal plants, or animal matter such as cow manure.  Administered following the lunar calendar, these treatments improve the wellbeing of the soil and plants, and help to produce more healthy food. Biodynamic agriculture has continued to grow in popularity, and now has many practioners in a wide variety of sectors.

Sounds pretty farfetched to many, but there are many followers and indeed initial doubters who have noted that it significantly improves the quality of the wine.  One of Gourmet Odyssey's partners confided to us that intellectually he finds it difficult to believe that the state of the moon and the herbal treatments have such a direct impact on the health of the vines, but what he has actually witnessed from biodynamic winemaker friends is that their vines are indeed healthier, resulting in better quality wines since their biodynamic conversion.

 

In France, two labels exist to certify and show that the products have been produced biodynamically: Demeter and Biodyvin (specialised in biodynamic wine. French language only link).

Another of Gourmet Odyssey's partners, Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard, started producing biodynamic Chablis wine in 1999 from their Domaine de la Boissonneuse vineyard.  In 2005 the estate received biodynamic certification by Demeter.  Clients of the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience who adopt vines at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard not only learn all about winemaking, but also about the biodynamic methods used.

Follow this link if you would like to find out more about biodynamic winemaking.

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The snow flakes that have fallen during the past few days have been enough to cover the burgundy vineyards with a white cloak. This picture is taken from the "Boissonneuse" vineyard, looking back across the vines towards Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard.

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A true test for Julien Brocard.  Convince his father, Jean-Marc, one of the great Chablis winemakers, that a biodynamic wine, made using the traditions of yesteryear, can achieve excellence.  The bet has paid off : a white wine that is mineral, generous, perfumed and very much alive.

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This event brings together a wide range of small, independent boutique brands that offer unique and original Christmas gift ideas.  So if you're looking for an original Christmas present, come to the Rare Brand Market, and make sure you visit us at the Gourmet Odyssey stand!

 

Opening Times of the Rare Brand Christmas Market:

Wednesday 17th November, 9am to 8pm

Thursday 18th November, 9am to 5pm

 

Goodwood Race Course, Goodwood, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0PS

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Château Beau Rivage

12-15 November, Salon des Vignerons Indépendants, Reims

19-22 November, Salon des Vignerons Indépendants, Lille

25-29 November, Salon des Vignerons Indépendants, Paris (Porte de Versailles)
 

Domaine Chapelle

 

17-19 November, La Bourgogne à l'Hôtel Napoléon, 40 avenue de Friedland, 75008 PARIS (Private Tasting - Invitation Only. Please contact us to receive an invitation)

 

Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard

10-11 December, Le Grand Tasting, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris

20 January 2011, Terroirs & Signatures de Bourgogne, Old Billingsgate, London

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After a brief introduction to the winery, Christine (the owner and winemaker) and her team, we headed off to the vineyard, each carrying a basket and pair of secateurs.  Christophe explained the differences between the five grape varieties grown in the vineyard, the work involved in bringing the grapes to maturity, and what to look out for to know when the grapes have reached the ideal moment for harvesting.

 

Before starting to harvest, we made our way to the part of the vineyard where the Gourmet Odyssey vines are located, so that each client could find their adopted vines.  To help identify the vines, Château Beau Rivage had engraved wooden signs, specially for the clients of the Harvest Experience Day, at the barrel-making firm that belongs to Christine's family.

 

Christine threw out a challenge to us to fill a trailer! In pairs, each on opposite sides of a row, we began to harvest the Merlot plot that was at the peak of its maturity.  A few songs and the regular cry of "Porter" added to the snip snip of the secateurs and the rustle of leaves.  Once the baskets were filled, the harvester called for the porter, and empties the picked grapes into the basket that the porter carries on his back.  Having collected the bunches from the different teams of harvesters, the porter then empties his basket into the trailer, which starts to fill little by little.

 

The work of the harvester and porter is very physical, especially if done day after day for a couple of weeks.  Luckily, our mission was finished in a little over two hours, and a wine tasting session and harvester's meal awaited us back at the château!

 

The first wine we tasted was the Château Beau Rivage Clairet 2009, a fresh Bordeaux style rosé, served with local charcuterie.  Accompanying the duck and gizzards salad, we tasted the Château Beau Rivage 2005 and 2003 vintages, and the Clementine 2004.  During this time, Christophe started the barbecue by lighting the dried vine branches that would cook our delicious steak bordelaise, served with a gratin dauphinois and a carafed Clos la Bohème 2007, and the Phare 2002. Once the cheese and home-made chocolate cake were also finished, it was time to get back to work!

 

The tractor reversed the trailer full of harvested grapes to the reception area.  The grapes climb up a mechanized ladder from the trailer to the de-stemming machine, where the grape berries are separated from the stalks.  We all gathered round the sorting table to remove any bad grapes or stems that managed to get through the machine.  There were very few rotten grapes this year, which helped us with the sorting!

Once the sorting was finished, we entered the winery to learn more about the first stages of fermentation which turns the grape sugar into alcohol.  We watched a "remontage" happen, where the must (grape juice) is drawn from the bottom of the vats and pumped back into the top to mix with the grape skins that remain at the top.  This process is very important to ensure that the tannins and colour from the grape skins are best extracted to help improve the quality of the wine.  We tasted the sweet tasting must directly from the vat, to better understand firsthand about fermentation.

 

After a quick tour of the cellar to see the barrels that are currently holding the 2009 vintage, and some cleaning of the tools used during the day, the time had come to say our farewells.  A huge thank you to all the clients, and to the staff at Château Beau Rivage for having brought such energy and good cheer to this harvest experience day.

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A few morning rain showers meant that we changed the order of the day a little.  After the introduction to the region and the wine estate by Jean François Chapelle, we headed off to the reception hall where the grapes, freshly harvested by the team of 40 harvesters, are received to be inspected by the expert eyes of the sorting table team.

Yannick, the Vine Manager and, during harvest time, manager of the sorting team, explained and showed us how to separate the good grapes from the bad, thus ensuring that only the best continue their journey into the fermentation tanks.  Around the sorting table, the atmosphere is very jovial, and the jokes fly around.

Once sorted, the good grapes enter the destemming machine to separate the grapes from their stems.  The stems are then collected together with the rejected grapes, part of which will be turned into compost to nourish the vines for the next harvest, and the rest used to make the strong liqueur, Marc de Bourgogne.

Domaine Chapelle boasts a new reception hall which was completed just in time for last year's harvest.  It was engineered to make the handling of the grapes as gentle as possible to help further improve the quality of the wine. And so instead of the grapes being pumped, as is the case in many wineries, they slide by the force of gravity into the awaiting trolley below.

The trolley is then wheeled by hand to one of the vats where each vineyard plot is fermented individually.  The grapes and their juice enter the vats to ferment, which can last between 10 and 25 days depending on the year.

By this stage, the rain had now stopped, and so arrived the moment that everyone was waiting for!  Down to the vineyard, booted up and armed with secateurs to harvest the grapes.  Each client introduced themselves to their adopted vines, identifiable by a sign with their name on, and after a quick lesson by Jean François on which grapes to pick, it was time to knuckle down to work!  And we can testify that the harvest was a good one!

After the effort, the just rewards! Back to the winery for the wine tasting, accompanied with gougères, a local Burgundy specialty.  We started with Domaine Chapelle's Meursault 2008, followed by the 2003 and 2005 vintages of their Santenay "Clos des Cornières", the wine chosen for the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience.  Jean François explained the difference between the two vintages, which is very pronounced due to the heat wave of 2003.  We then finished with the Gevrey Chambertin 2007 and the Santenay Premier Cru "Beaurepaire" 2002. 

Next, off to the make-shift harvesters' refectory, to savour one of Yvette Chapelle's legendary harvesters' meals.  Yannick had spoken of them in hallowed terms during the last Wine Discovery Experience Day, and we weren't let down! Parsley ham, followed by beef, stewed in an Aloxe Corton (one of the estate's wines) sauce, regional cheeses, and a delicious apple tart, all accompanied with a Santenay Premier Cru "La Comme" 2002.  Difficult to get moving again after such a feast!

We finished the day with a guided cellar tour.  Yannick explained the important ageing and blending side of winemaking, and the impact that the choice of wine barrels has on the wine.

To sum up: A very pleasant day, full of encounters, sharing and conviviality.  We hope that everyone left with a small insight into the life of a winemaker during the busy harvest season, and that the next drop of Domaine Chapelle's wine will be that much more appreciated!

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