October 2004
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Spring, and the end of a Summer In the vineyard spring was in the air. The vines were sending their shoots out and everything was green. In the winter the vines are brown and the ground is green, in the summer the vines are green and the ground is brown and dusty, so at this time of year it is uplifting to see everything green and blooming. The main tasks are de-suckering and trellising. The rapid growth is weak and can easily be harmed by strong wind so the long arms must be tucked in to the supporting wire. All unnecessary shoots are removed, water shoots which come from the wood of the vine and not from the buds and suckers which come from low on the trunk or even under the soil. The other task is the weeding which is back breaking business. Where the lupin cover crop had successfully grown in among the vines and had out-competed the weeds there was little problem, but in some areas the Kikuyu grass that spreads rapidly if not checked had to be dug out by hand and the area mulched. We also bought a couple of tons of organically certified guano to spread in areas where growth was patchy. So on cold spring mornings all was busy in the vineyard and getting in a good state for the new season. Meanwhile J-C was working hard through the French harvest at Ch Pibarnon. His experience on the steep slopes of Cote Rotie stood him in good stead. The Count had decided to buy the Chateau in 1977 after drinking a bottle of the wine in a local restaurant. Apparently his current lifestyle suddenly no longer held meaning for him and he got up from the table and bought the place. It had only 5 hectares of vines at the time but the Count has built it into a 48 hectare estate producing wine of the highest quality which is lauded internationally as the best in the region. It was heartwarming for us to hear that romantics do succeed.
After the harvest was over and the last tank pressed J-C rented a car and explored France a bit. He first headed up to the Rhone valley, spending some time in beautiful Avignon and Chateauneuf, followed by a few days in Cote Rotie and then Burgundy saying "Hi" to friends from 2003. He then headed south to discover the half sleeping, but wonderful regions between Nimes and the Spanish border. If you are interested in French wine, then there are brilliant Domaines in the south of France just waiting to be discovered : the Coteaux de Languedoc, Pic Saint Loup, Banyuls, and parts of Minervois to name a few. Here you'll find the highest quality wines, still oozing loads of character and individuality, and importantly, they don't cost an arm and a leg. We think J-C may well be setting his sights on Languedoc as next year's port of call in his vinous tour of education. On his return to SA though there are less romantic considerations. The budget for 2005 needs to be sorted out and the tanks need finishing. Also John M's brother Ziggy was due to hit town any day so there would be no rest and recuperation. Copyright © 2000 Tulbagh Solutions. All rights reserved. |
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