Harvest whirlwind
In this post Caro Feely shares some photos and impressions of harvest 2020.
We started almost a week earlier than ever and finished a week earlier than ever. Whirlwind is the best way to describe this harvest.
We started 24 August and finished 11 September.
Last year we started end August and finished on 21 September. Our first harvest, 2006, we started on the 21st Sep and finished the reds second week of October. There is no question that
Global Warming and Climate Change are affecting our vines, our harvest and our wines.
Our small and excellent harvest team – Vincent, Ines, Barak and Caro – was complemented by Sophia and Ellie roped in on their holidays – wishing their parents were not winegrowers as their lovely ‘grasses matinées‘ lie-ins disappeared like the harvest mist on a sunny morning.
Barak, left of the harvest trailer in photo above, won bunch of the day – a magnificent merlot multi set with a bright blue-purple hue.
There was no stopping us as maturity progressed at a ferocious pace with the hot days and dry wind. We flew onto the sauvignon blanc the same week.
With hardly a breath after the sémillon the next week then the merlot planned for reds was begging to be picked and we were into the final straight. Elodie and Jamie joined on for the reds and we powered on with a tight team of 6 – working in the same pairings keeping a good 1.5m between us at all times. Nature showed up with magnificent sunrises to ease the early starts.
Harvest doesn’t end with the picking. From there its into the winery for processing and constant cleaning – before, during and after.
Thanks to our fantastic team we have great memories of harvest 2020, good laughs and great wines. We are looking forward to sharing these wines with you in the coming years.
Vive les vendanges!
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Wonderful photos! You all look so cheerful – no wonder that your wines are so excellent!
Thanks Joanna. We so appreciate your comment. For sure, the energy of the team and the sense of the place is transmitted into the end product. 🙂 This is part of why biodynamics suggests that we handpick. A biodynamic certification doesn’t guarantee handpicking though as it is up to the producer. When we went 100% handpicking in 2014 we felt a change in our harvest energy – way more positive and joyful – that and the selection and care of handpicking – translated into better quality wines.