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Tagged articles : Adopt-a-Vine

Training the vines at Château de la Bonnelière


Marc Plouzeau, the winemaker at Château de la Bonnelière, welcomed us to his winery during this very warm weekend, introducing us to our adopted vines, the life of a winemaker, and the beginnings of the 2015 vintage.

 

Rent-a-vine wine experience, Loire Valley, France

Our Discovery Experience Day started with a coffee and Marc recounting the long history of the winery and the region.  Marc took over the reins from his father in 1999, and started working organically straight away.  Today the winery covers 35 hectares of vines situated on Chinon's left bank.

In the vineyard, we took a few minutes to meet our adopted vines.  Thanks to the great weather we have been having since June and the warm temperatures, the vines are further advanced than is usual.

Adopt-a-vine gift experience at an organic French vineyard

The vine branches have grown quickly, and our task for the morning was to train them.  The vine is a creeper plant, and grows up from the ground producing big branches.  To cultivate it, you have to help support it, and that is why between each post in the vineyard, run three sets of training wires, with the middle one doubled up.

We had to raise the middle two wires and by doing so, trap the vegetation between them, and then attach the wires together using a clip.  This will help support the weight of the foliage and grapes, and will allow the tractor to more easily pass between the rows.

Vineyard experience working on the vines in the Loire Valley, France

The temperature rose during the morning, and Saturday's group welcomed the shade of the hanger whilst Marc explained the work in the vineyard to come between now and the harvest.  It was a little cooler on Sunday, and the group were able to finish training the remaining vine rows, before listening to Marc.

Organic winery tour in the Loire Valley

The 2015 vintage is shaping up very nicely so far, and we could be in for a great year.  The harvest should happen around the beginning of October.

It was then time for the aperitif!  We started our wine tasting with the "Perle Sauvage" sparkling rosé, and we appreciated the fine bubbles.  We then sat down to eat lunch, lovingly prepared by Madame Plouzeau, and tasted five different wines during the different courses.

Wine tasting gift at the winery in the Loire Valley, France

Despite the calls for a siesta, we continued our learning in the afternoon with a visit to the fermentation hall.  Luckily, this is the coolest place to be as it is air conditioned!  Marc quickly described how he vinifies his wine, something that we will go into much more detail about during the Vinification Experience Day.

Original gift for wine lovers. Visit an organic winery in Chinon, France.

The day then came to a close and it was time to thank our host and participants, many of who we'll have the pleasure of seeing again during one of the Harvest Experience Days.

Other articles relating to the work in the vineyard

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

A great 2015 harvest in the Loire

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Training the vines at Domaine Chapelle


Last week-end couldn't have been better. The sun, warm weather and good cheer were all in attendance for the last two Discovery Experience Days of 2015 at Domaine Chapelle. We spent most of the day in the vineyard under the glorious Burgundy sun. These two days allowed us to discover the winery and to learn about the different work of the winemaker throughout the year.

Wine experience in Burgundy

To start the day, Jean-François Chapelle (Saturday) and Yannick Jacrot (Sunday), introduced us to the geology and geography of Burgundy, as well as the history of the winery. It's now over 100 years that this Burgundy winery has been in the hands of the Chapelle family! They also explained why they chose to make their wines organically, to respect the soil and the people who work it, as much as the pleasure of drinking a wine free from toxic products that can harm the health of the consumers! We then headed for the "Clos des Cornières" vineyard, which is located in front of the manor house. For most of us, it was the first contact with the Burgundy terroir and our adopted vines.

Rent a vine in Burgundy, France

Thanks to the good weather of the past few weeks, the vines are coming along famously. The grapes are already of a good size, and the bunches are plenty and in good health. If the summer passes without any hiccups, then the 2015 harvest should be of an excellent quality!

Original wine gift in Burgundy, France

Time to get down to some work... The work at the moment is to raise the training wires for the second time. Having finished the de-budding, which involved removing excess branches that the plant would otherwise have to nourish, we now have to air and give the vines as much space as possible to limit the spread of any potential disease, and to help the grapes mature. We trained a few rows of vines, being careful to separate the branches between each vine without breaking them. This is another of the manual tasks that has to be done throughout the winery's 18 hectares of vines.

Vineyard experience in Burgundy, France

Back at the winery, we made the most of the sunshine and took the aperitif outside. We tasted the Santenay Saint Jean 2013 white wine, accompanied by some gougères, a Burgundy savoury speciality. We continued the tasting of the Santenay red wines over lunch, finishing with a "Les Gravières" 2011 Premier Cru with the cheese.

Wine tasting gift in Burgundy, biodynamic, France

The afternoon started with a walk to the "Beaurepaire" vineyard, a Premier Cru plot of vines. This gave us the opportunity to discover a little more about the southern Côte de Beaune landscape and the local geology. This particular vineyard was replanted in spring, and the young vines are doing great. We learnt about the life cycle of a vine and were told that the vines won't give a full harvest for 5-7 years from now.

Wine gift packs at Domaine Chapelle, Burgundy

When we returned from the walk, a glass of water was greatly appreciated before continuing the day with a visit of the fermentation halls and the cellar. The fermentation hall is where the grapes are received at harvest time, and where we also bottle the wines. The building has been added to over the generations. In the oldest part, the old wooden casks that hold some of the Premier Cru wines are to be found.

Original wine gift in Burgundy
The second part is a little more modern, and was built by the father of Jean-François who furnished it with concrete vats. The most recent part houses stainless steel vats, with a cooling system to regulate the temperature of each vat. We quickly learnt how the grapes will be worked during the harvest, and how the alcoholic fermentation will occur.
Personalised bottles of wine in Burgundy, France

We finished the day with a tour of the vaulted Burgundy cellar. The 2014 wines are still ageing there in the oak barrels, and it is also where the majority of the bottles are stored.

Wine lover gift at Domaine Chapelle

Many thanks to Jean-François Yannick and Yvette for their availability and passionate explanations. And thanks also to all of the participants for a very enjoyable week-end at Domaine Chapelle. See you again soon for the harvest!

Other articles relating to the work in the vineyard

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

A great 2015 harvest in Burgundy

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Pruning the vines in Chinon


Last weekend, we welcomed the first clients of the 2015 vintage to Château de la Bonnelière in Chinon for a Discovery Experience Day. This sunny and fresh day enabled us to learn about the winery and the Clos de la Bonnelière vineyard. We met our adopted vines and learnt how to prune the vines, an essential step in the development of the vines.

Our host, Marc Plouzeau, introduced us to the winery and explained his long family connection to the estate. The winery's vineyards stretch across the left bank of the Vienne river, and include different terroir of gravel, clay and flint soils.

Having presented how the work is approached in the different vineyards, Marc gave us a sneak preview of his new range of labels which graphically represent this philosophy.

We then headed out into the Clos de la Bonnelière vineyard to meet our adopted vines for the first time!

Wine Experience in Loire Valley, Chinon

After a few photos for the "My Vine" photo competition, it was time to get down to some more serious work!

To warm us up, we started by pulling away some of the pruned branches. The vineyard had been pruned by Marc's team, but he had left us the task of stripping away the old wood to leave a clean space around the branches left to produce this year's harvest.

Adopt a vine in Loire Valley

Marc also taught us how to prune using the "Guyot Simple" technique which is anything but simple!

Each vine is unique, so each needs a moment of reflection before the secateurs start snipping. We started by removing the branch that had produced last year's grapes. Then we needed to choose the new branch for this year, which is usually on the other side of the vine from last year's. We then cleaned up the branch to leave just 8 eyes, so as to reduce the number of grapes, and increase their sugar levels. To finish we left a shorter branch or  "spur", which will then become next years fruit bearing branch.

Rent a vine in Loire Valley, Chinon

To end the morning's activities, Marc explained the next stages of working the vines until they are ready to be harvested, from de-budding, trimming and green harvesting. Each of these steps will help to control the future yield and produce better quality grapes.

We were then rewarded with a tasting of the wines from the château and a meal in the barn. We tasted a Touraine Sauvignon 2014 white wine with the fish terrine, a Chinon Rive Gauche 2014 and a Clos de la Bonnelière 2012 with the blanquette de veau. To finish in style we enjoyed a Chapelle 2012 with some local goat?s cheese, and the little treasure of the winery, the "Ante Phylloxéra" wine, which is made from a micro plot of vines that haven?t been grafted, and can be traced back for more than 200 years!

Wine tasting eperience in Loire Valley

Despite some requests for a siesta after lunch, we continued the day by visiting the tool shed and learning about the machines and equipment which help Marc and his team work the vines organically.

Vineyard unique experience in Loire Valley

As the day drew to a close, we visited the fermentation hall, where Marc answered some of the last questions from our apprentice winemakers.

Many thanks to Marc and to all of the participants for a great day!

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The 2014 harvest gets under way in the Côte de Beaune


The sun was out for the Harvest Experience Days last weekend at Domaine Chapelle in Santenay. We were there for the first days of this year's harvest, and we got involved in each of the harvesting stages from picking the grapes to putting them in the vats.

 

Adopt a vine gift in France and follow the making of your own wine

 

The day started in the Clos des Cornières vineyard, the plot where the adopted vines of our apprentice winemakers are located. Before getting down to the serious business of the day, we took a few minutes to find our vines and mark the occasion with a few photos.

 

rent a vine in France. Wine experience gift

 

Jean-François Chapelle, the winemaker and owner of the winery, showed us how to harvest; which grapes to pick and which are better left behind due to rot or a lack of maturity. Armed with a pair of secateurs and a crate, we spread out, two people to each row, to start harvesting the grapes. The harvest is looking good, and the warm, sunny weather of the last couple of weeks has done the world of good to reduce the acidity and increase the sugar levels in the grapes.

 

Harvest Experience Day gift in Burgundy

 

Each pair picked to their own rhythm, and once the crate was full, they brought it back to end of the row to exchange it for a new one. Fortunately, the vines in the Clos de Cornières are more heavily laden than last year, so the crates quickly filled up!

 

Participate in the harvest in Burgundy, France

 

After the morning's work, we returned to the garden of the château for a well earned aperitif - a nice fresh Santenay Saint Jean white wine to refresh the palate!

 

Rent-a-vine and wine tasting gift in Santenay, Burgundy

 

We continued the wine tasting with some red wines from the estate over lunch, which was served in the harvester's refectory. We tasted a Santenay Clos des Cornières, Santenay Premier Cru Les Gravières, before finishing with an Aloxe Corton. After lunch, we continued in the steps of the grapes. First stop, the harvest reception hall. Here, the crates of picked grapes are unloaded from the vans, and then emptied one by one onto the sorting table to remove any unwanted grapes that went unnoticed in the vineyard. Yannick, the winery's Technical Director, showed us how to do this important work.

 

Original gift for a wine lover. Harvest Experience present in France

 

At the end of the sorting table, the grape bunches pass through a de-stemming machine to separate the berries from the stalk. The grapes fall into a chute that carries them down into the fermentation hall where a trolley is waiting to transport them on the final leg of their journey up a conveyor belt and into the vat. Jean-François explained how the sugar in the grapes will ferment over the coming days to transform the grape juice into wine.

 

Get involved in the grape harvest in Burgundy

 

The day ended with a final tasting session to taste the grape juice that we had harvested from our vineyard. The next chance we will get to taste it will be during one of the Vinification Experience Days at the start of next year.

 

Learn how to be a winemaker with the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience

 

Many thanks to Domaine Chapelle for letting us take a sneak peek behind the scenes during the busy harvest time, and to all of the participants for their good cheer and hard work!

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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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Original Wine Gift for Father’s Day


What's the ideal father's day gift to choose for a wine lover? This year, give more than a simple wine tasting gift, and adopt some vines for your Dad in France. It makes for a unique wine experience gift.

If your Dad is interested in wine but has never had the opportunity to get involved in making wine with a winemaker, the Gourmet Oydssey Wine Experience will enable him to learn first-hand about all of the work in the vineyard and cellar. He'll be the adoptive owner of his vines for a winemaking year and, thanks to the newsletters and photos, he'll follow all of the steps in making his personalised wine.

He can also get stuck in and learn by participating in working at the winery for one of the Discovery, Harvest or Vinification Experience Days. He'll visit one of our seven partner vineyards and spend the day with the winemaker.

All of our partner wineries are organically certified, and are chosen for the quality of their wine, and the enthusiasm of the winemakers in sharing their passion for their profession. It's an unforgettable experience that will enable your father to open his bottles of wine in good company and explain how they were made.

Our welcome gift packs contain a sommelier's apron, a DropStop, adoption certificate and a brochure that explains the experience. They are delivered within 2 to 5 days depending on the delivery country, and for any last minute gifts, we'll send a copy of the certificate by email ahead of the welcome pack.

And the little added bonus, is that the Experience Days are valid for two people to share the fun!

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Adopt vines in France for an original wedding gift


It's the height of wedding season, and with it comes the search for that original wedding present idea. If wine is a passion of the wedding couple, and you are looking for a personalised wine gift that lasts, adopt a plot of vines for them in France!

One of the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience gifts will enable the newlyweds to understand all of the work that the winemaker undertakes in the vineyard and the cellar when making their personalised bottles of wine. They will follow all of the key stages via newsletters and photos as their vintage unfolds.

 

Wine making course as an orignal wedding gift

The newlyweds can roll up their sleeves and get involved themselves if you include in their Wine Experience one of the Discovery, Harvest or Vinification Experience Days. They'll get to visit one of our seven partner vineyards to participate in the pruning, de-budding, harvesting or discovering the art of ageing and blending wines in the cellar. The winemakers will be there to explain their work, share their passion, and of course to let you taste their wines during the winemakers meal.

All of our partner wineries are organically certified, and are chosen for the quality of their wines, and the enthusiasm of the winemakers in explaining the intricacies of their profession. This means that the newlyweds will embark on an unforgettable experience to follow the making of their wine, from the same year as their wedding.

 

Orginal wine making gift box for a wedding

The welcome gift packs are delivered in 2 to 4 working days depending on the country of delivery, and for any last minute gifts, we can email the adoption certificate ahead of the welcome pack.

The Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience is an original idea for a wedding present for wine lovers and those curious to learn the secrets behind making a quality wine. An original wine gift that will last long in the memory.

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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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De-budding the vines in Bordeaux


We spent last weekend in the Bordeaux vineyard for a couple of Discovery Experience Days at Château Beau Rivage.  With Christine Nadalié at our side, we headed out into the vineyard to learn more about the profession and work of a winemaker.

 

Wine Experience Gift. Adopt a vine in Bordeaux, France, and follow the making of your own wine.

 

The winery grows five different grape varietals in the vineyard, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  Christine showed us the difference between the vines and talked to us about grafting.

 

Rent-a-vine gift. Learn how to make wine with the winemaker

 

Before getting down to work, we took a few minutes to visit our adopted vines, and to encourage them to produce a good harvest!  It was also a good occasion to pose for a few pictures!

 

Original gift idea for a wine lover. Adopt your own plot of vines and get involved in making your own wine.

 

Christine told us about all of the work that has been done in the vineyard during the winter, notably pruning.  The buds have already burst and the first signs of the future grape bunches are forming on the vines.  It's now time to de-bud and remove any unwanted shoots that have sprouted from the trunk or roots of the vines.  This will help the vines to concentrate their energy on the future fruit-bearing branches.  Christine showed us how to do it, and then we rolled up our sleeves to get stuck in!

During the morning, Christine also answered a flow of questions on a range of topics including organic and biodynamic farming, harvesting and the appellation system to name a few.

 

Wine tasting gift in Bordeaux at the winery.

 

By lunchtime, we had earned our aperitif, and we started with a nice cold rosé before tasting a range of the winery's red wines during lunch.

 

Winery Tour gift in Bordeaux, France.

 

In the afternoon, we visited the fermentation hall and barrel room to get an introduction into the winemaking and ageing side of things.  Christine told us about the stages of fermentation and explained the influence that the barrels have on the taste and structure of the wine.

Many thanks to Christine and to Guillaume for sharing their passion for their profession, and to all our participants for their enthusiasm and good cheer.

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De-budding in Chablis


Last weekend, we spent an excellent wine Discovery Day in the vineyard at Domaine Brocard in Chablis.

The day started in the Boissonneuse vineyard, which was the first plot to be converted to organic and biodynamic farming. Here the head of one the vine teams, Arnaud, explained the differences between cultivating the vines traditionally, organically and biodynamically, and brought us up to speed on the work that has already been done in the vineyard since the harvest last year

 

unique wine gift
 

The vines are currently a couple of weeks ahead or a normal year, and the first leaves have already appeared.  This means that the work of de-budding can begin.  Arnaud showed us how to remove the double buds and the unwanted shoots.  De-budding is an important step in determining the quality of the harvest to come by concentrating the energy of the plant in the fruit-bearing branches.

 

wine making experience
It was then up to us to roll up our sleeves and to get stuck into the de-budding.  As our experience with pruning during the previous Discovery Experience day had shown us, it's more complicated than you would think!

wine making experience

 

Before heading back to the winery, we took a few minutes to find our adopted vines, giving us the opportunity to take a few photos with them, and to fuss over them a little!

Domaine Brocard makes an impressive range of Chablis wines, and we tasted several Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines before sitting down to lunch.

 

original gift

 

In the afternoon, we took some fresh air and went to visit a different vine plot before visiting the vinification hall that holds the large oak vats.  Here, Pierre introduced us to the vinification and ageing side of wine-making.
Many thanks to Pierre and Arnaud from Domaine Brocard, and to all of our participants for a thoroughly enjoyable day.

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Original Christmas gifts for wine lovers


The days are getting shorter and the cold is setting in... winter is coming and with it Christmas! There's still a little time to go before the frenetic Christmas present rush begins, but why not get a head start and discover some original Christmas gift ideas?

 

Adopt-a-vine in France. Original Christmas gifts for wine lovers

 

Looking for something more inspiring than the usual good bottle of wine to give your Dad? Why not give him the chance to make his own wine this Christmas! Your father will be transformed into an apprentice winemaker for a year with the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience! Adopt some vines for him, allow him to follow all of the key steps in making his wine, and he'll even be able to personalise the labels on the bottles of his wine that will be produced at the end of his Wine Experience.

Your father-in-law is hyperactive? With his Christmas gift pack, send him off to France for a Harvest Experience Day to pick his grapes and follow their journey into the fermentation tank. He'll learn from the winemaker about the work in the chai, and will end up with his own personalised bottles of wine at the end of his Wine Experience. He'll also get to share the harvesters' meal and taste the wine from the estate. What's more, each Experience Day is valid for two people, so your mother-in-law can make the most of exploring one of France's beautiful wine regions too!

Your sister loves wine but doesn't understand anything about it? The ideal Christmas gift for her is a Wine Experience gift pack including a Discovery Experience Day. She'll roll up her sleeves and get involved in the work carried out in the vineyard to produce the best quality grapes come harvest time. She'll learn all about the fascinating profession of being a winemaker, and will get to taste the wines and enjoy other local delicacies during the winemaker's meal.

 

Rent-a-vine in France this Christmas with the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience gift.

 

Your brother is a fan of all things organic? All of our partner winemakers are organically certified and passionate about the sustainability of their vineyards. He'll discover the challenges or producing organic wine, and will learn about the organic treatments used to care for the vines. An original organic Christmas Gift!

Here are a just few ideas of unusual Christmas gifts for wine enthusiasts. Thanks to the unique and down to earth approach to wine of the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience, your recipient will appreciate one of the personalised Christmas gift packs.

And to have something to open on Christmas Day in front of the tree, the welcome gift pack includes some goodies such as a wine waiter's apron, a DropStop, a personalised certificate and details of the chosen Wine Experience. Who said that Father Christmas wasn't a wine lover?

More information on the Gourmet Odyssey Wine Experience

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2013 Harvest in the Loire Valley


The tour of Harvest Experience Days for the 2013 season came to an end last weekend in Chinon, in the magnificent settings of Château de la Bonnelière.  Bright sunshine and a beautiful blue sky were also on the menu for Sunday!

Harvest Experience Gift for wine lovers. Rent-a-vine and harvest your own grapes

Marc Plouzeau, the estate's winemaker, had reserved the "Clos de la Bonnelière" vineyard for us to harvest, as it is here that the Gourmet Odyssey clients adopted vines are to be found.

Wine Experience Gift for wine lovers. Get involved in the harvest in Chinon, the Loire Valley, France

We started each day with the handing out of the essential tools needed for harvesting; a bucket and a pair of secateurs each!  After the initial instructions of how to harvest, we spread out in two among the vine rows to start the harvest.

Rent-avine gift for wine lovers. Harvest Experience Days at the winery in France

Every ten metres a crate had been placed under the row of vines.  Once the bucket was full of grapes, we emptied it into one of the crates.  The group was very enthusiastic and the grapes in abundance, so the crates started to quickly fill up!  So much so that we had to fetch some more to keep up with the efficiency of our harvesters!

Adopt-a-Vine Gift in Chinon, Loire Valley, France and get invovled in the harvest

Once we had finished the first few rows, a few brave volunteers helped to load the full crates, first onto the small tractor that went up and down the rows, and then to transfer them onto the flat bed truck.  Harvesting isn't just about picking bunches of grapes!

Original_Wine_Gift for wine lovers. Adopt vines and participate in the harvest

We then took it in turns to follow the grapes journey to the chai to get involved in the sorting.  We emptied the grapes from the crates onto the sorting table, and then removed the grapes that weren't ripe enough or those affected by mould.  Given the dampness of the preceding couple of weeks, there was remarkably little mould this year.

Wine making gift in France. Renat-a-vine and get involved in making your own wine

At the end of the sorting table, the grape bunches fell into the de-stemming machine to separate the stalks from the berries.  The berries then fell into the trolley below.

Seprating the grape berries from the stems

We put the harvest from the two days into two separate containers.   With the help of a forklift truck, the first part was put into one of the stainless steel vats, as is normal for the Clos de la Bonnelière wine.

Wine enthusiast gift. Harvest Experience in Chinon, Loire Valley, France

This year, Marc is also testing using some demi-muids, large barrels that can contain 600 litres.  We put some of the harvest into one of these barrels, the idea being to give a little more structure to the wine.  But we'll have to wait a few months before seeing the results!

Putting the grapes into one of the barrels

After these two work-filled mornings, the aperitif was just reward!  In the hanger next to the vineyard we tasted the "Perle Sauvage", a delicious natural sparkling wine made on the estate.

We took the harvesters lunch in the barn and continued the wine tasting with the "Touraine Chenin", a white wine made from Chenin Blanc, and two Chinon reds, the "Clos de la Bonnelière" 2011 and the "Chapelle" 2010.

Wine tasting at the winery during the harvest, Chinon, Loire Valley

In the afternoon we returned to the vineyard to find our adopted vines, a perfect excuse to take a few more pictures!

Harvest Experience Present

The day ended back in the chai.  Marc explained to us how the wines are worked during the fermentation period, and we finished with a tasting of some grape juices.  The first juice was before fermentation has set in, and the second one that had started to ferment, and so was slightly fizzy.

Many thanks to all of our clients for their hard work and good humour, and of course to Marc and his mother, Marie- Rose, for their warm welcome and hospitality!

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Our first Harvest Experience Day at Domaine Stentz-Buecher


Last Saturday, we harvested for the first time at Domaine Stentz-Buecher in Alsace, the last of the 7 organic wineries to have partnered with Gourmet Odyssey.

in Alsace, the last of the 7 organic wineries to have partnered with Gourmet Odyssey. The sky was grey, but that didn't dampen the spirits of our apprentice harvesters!

harvest vineyard alsace france stentz buecher 

Once the adoptive vine owners had arrived, Céline who manages the winery with her brother Stéphane, told us about history of this family estate. We then headed out to the vineyard where the adopted vines are located. For those who were returning after one of the Discovery Experience Days, they could see how their vines had been pampered, and for the others, it was the chance to meet them and take a few photos!

harvest vineyard vine adoption alsace france 

We then moved on to a vineyard lower down the village to harvest a plot of Riesling grapes. On the way we picked some Chasselas grapes to take home and eat. The goal for the day was to fill two containers, so each armed with a pair of secateurs and a bucket, we started to harvest the grapes.

harvest Grapes France Alsace harvester Stentz 

After the morning spent in the vineyard, we returned to the winery, where Stéphane explained how the grapes are put into the vats and how the juice ferments to produce wine. We tasted some grape juice which had been put into the vat 3 days beforehand, before tasting some of the wines, Rielsing Tradition 2010, Pinot Gris Rosenberg 2010, Gewurztraminer Hengst 2008 and Pinot Noir 2011.

winery tank wine fermentation alsace harvest 

We finished the day with a harvesters buffet of local charcuterie, accompanied by the domaine's wines, ending with a Crémant d'Alsace sparkling wine with the dessert.

harvest winemaker meal france stentz buecher 

We'll know leave the wine to slowly ferment before our next visit for one of the Vinification Experience Days.

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Harvest 2013 in Chablis


We spent two excellent days last weekend at Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard for the Harvest Experience days.  The grapes took their time to ripen this year, but with the rain at the start of October, everyone is now in the vines to gather the harvest in as quickly as possible.  Luckily we had some very motivated clients to help get stuck in!

Rent-a-vine gift wine experience in Chablis, Burgundy, France

After the introductions to the winery, we headed off to the vineyard to join Micheline, the head of the team of harvesters.  Equipped with a bucket and pair of secateurs each, we spread out among the rows to start picking the grapes.

Original wine enthusiast gift. Adopt vines in Burgundy and get involved in the harvest.

As soon as we filled the buckets, we called for one of our apprentice porters to come so we could empty the grapes into the baskets they were carrying on their backs.  Our brave porters then had to empty the baskets over their heads into the awaiting trailer, something that isn't as easy as it looks!

Harvest Experience Gift

We then followed the grapes journey to the fermentation hall to look at the wine presses that receive the harvest.  Here, we listened to the explanations of how the presses work and learnt about the first stages of fermentation that will transform the grape juice into wine.

Wine lover gift in Chablis.

After all of the morning's works, the tasting of the wines produced by the winery was most welcome!  We started with a tasting of some of the biodynamic wines: the Petit Chablis "Les Plantes" and the  Chablis "La Boissonneuse", followed by the Chablis Premier Cru "Les Vaudevey" and "Vaulorent", before finishing with the Chablis Grand Cru "Les Preuses".

Once we had enjoyed the harvesters' meal, we went to see our adopted vines in the Boissonneuse vineyard.  As usual, out came the cameras to take a few souvenir pictures!

Organic rent-a-vine gift in Chablis, France.

Many thanks to all of our enthusiastic harvesters, and to Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard for having welcomed us.

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Harvest Experience Days at Domaine Chapelle


We spent three excellent days last weekend at Domaine Chapelle for the Harvest Experience days.

All week, the Gourmet Odyssey team anxiously monitored the weather forecast as Jean-Franois, the winemaker at Domaine Chapelle, was predicting rain for the weekend. In the end, the wet conditions didn't dampen the spirits, and we had a great group who were fully motivated to participate in the harvest. Those lucky enough to have chosen the Monday even saw some sunshine!

Wine Experience Gift in Burgundy, France 

Each morning we welcomed the adoptive owners of vines in the "Clos des Cornires" vineyard. After a coffee and a short introduction to the winery, we set off to the vineyard. With a few explanations from Jean-Franois and plenty of good humour, we set about harvesting the grapes.

Harvest Experience Gift in Burgundy, France 

We then followed the grapes to the reception hall to sort the grapes and track their journey into the vats.

Original wine gift for wine lovers. Get involved in the harvest in Burgundy 

Whilst some got stuck in around the sorting table, secateurs in hand, under the instruction of Yannick, the Technical Director, others watched the grapes climb the conveyor belt and fall into the vat. Jean-Franois talked us through the first stages of fermentation and how the grape juice will gradually transform into wine.

Wine course gift at the winery in Burgundy. Learn about the fermentation process 

After a busy morning, it was time to taste some of the estate's wines, accompanied by one of the local specialties, gougres, before sitting down to lunch in the harvesters' refectory. The conversation, food and wine flowed, and it was difficult to get going again afterwards!

Wine tasting gift in Burgundy. 

The days finished with a visit of the cellar, an impressive labyrinth of barrels and bottles.

Wine tour of the cellar in Burgundy. Original wine gift for wine enthusiasts 

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First Harvest Experience Day at Domaine la Cabotte


Last Saturday was the first time that we ran a Harvest Experience Day at Domaine la Cabotte, and here is a small resum of how it went:

09:30 For this first Harvest Experience Day at Domaine la Cabotte, the day was forecast to be cloudy, but thankfully there shouldn't be any rain before tomorrow. Ideal conditions for harvesting without getting too hot. Everybody looked motivated, we'd find out once we're in the vineyard !

  Domaine La Cabotte

Marie-Pierre, the owner of the winery along with her husband Eric, introduced us to the region and the history of Domaine la Cabotte, and explained why the harvest this year is 2-3 weeks later than in a normal year.

10:00 We started the day in the plot where the adopted vines are located to see and take a few pictures of our vines. Eric explained that the grapes are not as abundant as usual, and that they are not quite mature enough to be picked, so we headed off to another plot of white Grenache grapes lower down in the vineyard.

2013 Harvest La Cabotte 

10:30 The buckets and secateurs were awaiting us, and after Eric explained how to harvest the bunches, we spread out amongst the rows in pairs to get down to work! In the middle of the first row, the sun came out and it started to heat up. Would we get to the end?! Marie-Pierre kept our spirits up by making us think of the wine tasting and meal to come! After the first row and a quick refreshment stop, we set off to harvest a second row each - uphill this time! We must have started to get the hang of it, because we were getting much quicker, or was it in anticipation of the wine tasting?!

2013 Harvest La Cabotte
 

13:00 Mission accomplished in filling the two trailers with grapes. We followed them back to the chai where we emptied our harvest into the press and set it going for 2 hours of pressing. Eric reckoned that it would give about 1000 litres of juice. Whilst waiting for the press to do its thing, we quenched our thirst by tasting some of the estate's wines. We started with the Colline Ctes du Rhne white wine, made from the same plot that we had just harvested, but last year in 2012. We then tasted the Colline red and the Gabriel 2011.

Wine Tasting La Cabotte 

13:30 Under the shade of the trees, we continued the tasting with the Garance 2011, accompanied by the delicious home-made meal prepared by Marie-Pierre. We ended the meal with cheese and desert accompanied by the Sauvageonne 2012 white wine.
15h00 After the coffee and the meal, it was difficult to get going again, but the hard work was now behind us. As the press finished the last part of its cycle, Eric explained the differences between working with the harvest for white and red wines, and talked us through the first stages of fermentation. We then finished the day by tasting the juice from the grapes that we had harvested and that from another lot which had been picked a few days earlier. Having finished being pressed, the juice from our harvest was then put into a refrigerated vat. The discarded stems, skin and pips will then be taken to the distillery. Finally we had harvested enough to produce some 1500 litres of juice! 

Juice Tasting La Cabotte
 
Many thanks to Eric and Marie-Pierre and to all of our guests for a thoroughly enjoyable day!

 

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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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