I don’t know about you, but I never really thought about wine grapes and their vines as part of agriculture. In fact, when associated with wine, ‘agriculture’ sounds almost like a dirty word. Don’t you think?
To me grapes aren’t a crop, like wheat. They are too posh for that. They are more like a seasonal delicacy. Think asparagus or artichokes. They are something I enjoy, but don’t really pay attention to how they are grown. I just liked the taste.
The Vagaries of Wine
I have always liked wine. Ok, maybe not so much when I was younger, but as I grow older I appreciate it more and more. The taste of course, but also the variations, the vagaries and sometimes the sheer fun. Of course, living with a wine maker has given me a whole new perception. He has added to my level of knowledge immensely. And, I am still trying to decide if that is a good thing.
Gone are the days where I just tasted a wine and thought, yeah, nice. He’s taught me to really taste it. You know, all that rolling around, slurping in the mouth thing. (Read why: Wine Slurping, Seriously?) Many laughs were had as I tried to learn to breathe in the wine whilst also tasting it. You can just imagine. But it was worth the various snorting messes I caused as, once I got the hang of it, it opened up whole new levels of taste. So, okay, that’s a good thing.
A Slave to Grapes
I knew moving to France to make wine would change my perspectives, maybe add to my knowledge. I just didn’t realise how much. Now I have intimate knowledge of how it is grown and how it is made.
I have worked over a number of years in various vineyards, including our own. Learning to prune in winter, tuck in in spring, of course harvest, squish grapes and actually make wine. Well, maybe not the finer points, after all I am not a trained Oenologist like Pumpjack, but I get the gist.
The Down and Dirty
In particular, one of the areas I do appreciate understanding better is the agricultural side. The vineyard if you will. The mystique that was wine has changed for me. Don’t get me wrong, I still love it. But I have got over the whole ‘posh’ thing that seems to be associated with wine. All it took was some very long hours of back breaking, get my hands dirty, build a few callouses work in a vineyard to knock over that pedestal.
And, although I may prefer to wear my rosy coloured glasses when it comes to wine tasting, I like the reality that is behind wine making. What is in affect an agricultural crop. A crop with an abundance of potential. One of the few that people are actually willing to pay money for. But, like any crop, one that can also hit hard times.
A Bad Year
2016 will go down as a very bad year in the Chablis area of France, and sticks in my memory. The rain simply did not stop. The odd sunny days amongst were lost in the mire of fog, frost, hail and mud. There was a deep frost on the 27th of April that killed about 40 – 50% of our own crop. Bud burst was just under way (when the leaves start to come out) and the frost killed the new growth.
And one month later hail hit. We were lucky with our vineyard as it is lower down, thus warmer, but nearby Chablis was not so lucky, not to mention Champagne, Cognac, Beaujolais and other parts of Burgundy.
On top of this, with the continuous rain it was not possible to treat the vines against disease and mold. We lost the remainder of our crop. All that work and… nothing. 2016 became a moot harvest. No grapes, no wine to make. No income. A very bad year.
A Price to Pay
I remember in the past hearing on the news about hail devastating France’s vineyards, and honestly didn’t pay much attention. Now, with my new found knowledge, and callouses, I understand and have seen first hand the reality. Frosts kill growth. Wet weather brings disease. Hail hits hard.
This latter tears and strips the leaves off the vines. Without foliage, even broken foliage, the vines can’t produce the grapes, or what they may produce will have no protection from the elements, particularly the sun (should it come). They are in affect of no use. And it impacts not just on this year, but the next.
So you see, although wine has its romance, and I am all for it, the industry lends itself to a harsh reality behind the label. The vagaries of nature determine whether this years crop will be good, bad or simply not at all. But it is this vagary that makes for the vast variety and thus interest in wine. And it might go a bit toward explaining why some wine is worth the price.
Wish to Learn More?
Our Wine 101 Articles – give insights into the various aspects of wine. Such as, how to afford a wine cellar. We explain What is Terroir and why it is so important. Which leads in to What is AOC? (And how it also relates to cheese.) And we mustn’t forget whether Wine Glass Shapes really matter.
Our What Goes into Making Wine Articles – detail what needs to be done on a month by month or seasonal basis in the vineyard. It’s not just about the harvest, but rather year round work. I have had the pleasure, and pain, of working all the seasons. And truly had no idea how much goes into growing a crop of grapes.
And not lastly, Our Own Wine Making Adventure Articles – give a view to the process of finding a vineyard of our own in France, and ultimately make our own wine.
PS. Wine Lover Gifts in our Shop
You may have been able to tell from the above, we are passionate about wine. So, when I opened the P&P Vintage and Antique Shop, it made sense to offer wine lover gifts. Here’s a little taste:
(Simply click on an image to see more.)
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