Wine making

We are wine making in France. Pumpjack is a trained Oenologist, or Oenologue if you are in France. He makes wine. The perfect man. We’ve moved to France as he wants to make wine here. Follow our journey from trying to buy a vineyard to renting instead. From growing grapes to making wine.

The Fete de Vendange is the celebration of the end of the grape harvest here in France - PumpjackPiddlewick

October, or at least some time in October, signals the end of grape harvest (Vendange) here in France. Depending on how early, or late, the harvest began will determine how early or late in autumn it comes to a conclusion. But ultimately, October signals it’s time for the Fete deRead More →

We review 2 books on wine and war in France, 1 fiction and 1 non-fiction at PumpjackPiddlewick

Interestingly I was given a book recently – The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah. And at the same time Wine and War, by Donald and Petie Kladstrup, was recommended to me. I read them both, and can recommend them both. Wine and War Wine and War is a non-fictional book.Read More →

Grapes - posh plants or down and dirty agriculture - Featured Blog Post at PumpjackPiddlewick

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.Read More →

Winter in the Vineyard with Pumpjack Piddlewick

When we think of vineyards we most likely think of autumn and the harvesting of grapes, the making of the wine. That is the busiest time of year for both the vineyard and the winery, but it’s just the culmination. Whereas winter in the vineyard is possibly the most importantRead More →