Our 2022 harvest took place in joy and good humor.
Our team of about twenty brave harvesters is mainly composed of cutters but also of carriers and washers of boxes and machines. Quite a few days that start very early, with a headlamp!
A typical day of harvesting grapes for white and rosé wines looks like this (for reds, it's a bit similar but we get up less early):
3H30 Two people stack the boxes in the tractor's bucket. They will be used to transport the cut grapes.
3H40 3:40 am: the tractor starts to drive towards the plots that will be harvested in order to distribute the crates in the rows. Generally, 1 row out of 4 must be filled because it is in these rows that the tractor will pick up the full boxes (you must not go to the wrong row, otherwise you will have to start again!)
3H45 The cutters arrive at the domain, it's time for coffee.
4H00 4:00 am: the secateurs and the bucket in the hand, the headlamp well hung, let's go to cut grapes! Depending on the grape variety, it is more or less easy: there are many leaves, very low grapes, twisted stalks, etc. A real adventure!
5H30 (or before) : the first rows are finished, the carriers have the heavy task to collect all the full boxes (hence the importance of the good distribution at 3H45). Maximum 15 kilos per box and they have to be piled up in the tractor's bucket. One driver, two people behind to pick up, one in the tipper to put away and off we go for long rows. Depending on the grape variety and the year, there are more or less grapes and therefore more boxes!
SUNRISE - We pick up the headlamps which we do not need anymore because it is finally day. We see ourselves at last, no more need to locate ourselves by voice.
6H30 The first grapes arrive in the cellar. We put them well in the shelter of the sun which begins to rise and of the heat because we need more quantity to launch the first machines. During this time, the cutters are always active in the rows and continue to cut the bunches.
8H00 second passage for the porters and then breakfast for everyone! At the same time, we launch the first machines: destemmer, crusher and press. The goal: to use these new grapes to obtain the first juices of the year (a moment of excitement and stress at the same time!!!).
8H30 Here we go again! Everyone leaves again in direction of a plot to resume the cutting.
10H00 It's the end for the cutters. Deposit of buckets and secateurs, we wish them a good rest and say to them to tomorrow. The carriers have not finished, it is necessary to go to collect the last boxes.
From this moment, different posts are set up: the washers are dressed in their best rain gear to valiantly wash more than 300 used boxes (grapes are sticky!). The carriers return and the harvest must be sent to the machines. In place, those who put the grapes in the de-stemmer, those who sort and those who make sure that the juice is working properly and going into the right tanks.
Once all these steps are over, the day is not over yet! A small meal on the go before moving on to the meticulous washing of the machines (the grapes always stick) but also of the cellar and the potential vats used.
One thing to remember: we love this magic moment of the harvest but at the end of the day, we are very tired.
PS: if you want to participate in the next years, just contact us!
