We were picking the grapes for our Rosé when the driver of an industrial harvesting machine passed by. He looked at us and looked at our baskets and clucked: “Hand harvest. That’s work.”
Indeed it was. But our family-and-friends hand harvest is one of my favorite rituals of the year. We spend days preparing the rows, while John tears up reams of calculations trying to estimate how much surface area will translate into tonnage which will translate into liquid capacity of the Rosé tank. Far from exact science since you don’t really know yield until the juice is in the tank, and by that point it’s too hot – i.e. risky for the grapes – to send the troops out for more.
Here is the chronicle of the day.
Esprit de Jeanne 2016 will be an assemblage of Merlot for richness, Cabernet Franc for finesse and Cabernet Sauvignon for structure and fraicheur. Ready for drinking by February 2017.
5 thoughts on “Harvest”
What a great labor of love! Heart and soul will be blended into a beautiful rose wine. Wish I could have been there with you!
I know it’s a strange thing to say, but as I look at these pictures, it’s as if I hear music. Classical music played by a small orchestra of people and vines.. It’s quite lovely. Thank you, Sandifers.
We can’t wait!
Great pictures.
Bravo à toute l’équipe !
beau reportage, photos et commentaires bien choisis,
Vive l’Esprit de Jeanne 2016
Beautiful! Love seeing these pics! The best of luck to you this year…….