Tuesday – typed 30/9/23

Was up at 6.00 a.m. this day, start had been pre-advised at 8.00 a.m.

Matters went a little awry for yours truly before we set off as, mustering with others at the front of the domaine/in the yard, once again my attention was irresistibly drawn to the water obsessed Jack Russell terrier mentioned in my Day 2 words. Long a dog lover, ‘shaped’ by my Mother’s love of dogs which meant invariably as a family we always had one or two dogs, I went to stroke the very focussed terrier but, like lightning, before I had a chance to pull back my hand, he bit hard on my left forefinger gashing the skin and causing blood flow. The dog really was quick ! All sorts of thoughts of the likes of rabies, infection from the dog’s dirty water fascination, etc etc all passed quickly through my mind whilst I contemplated my bleeding, gashed, and quite/very painful finger. One of the more senior ladies, seeing my plight, insisted we return to the accommodation house ground floor room where a first aid kit was produced, my finger sprayed with something, then carefully plastered and bandaged up. Unfortunately, inside a hot, sweaty, glove the bandage didn’t last long and after a couple of replacements I gave up & did without. My finger was painful along the gash line for about a week but ok thereafter and no other ill effects – perhaps fortunately. My wife and daughter have, for years, been telling me off for stroking ‘strange dogs’ & I could just imagine their likely combined reactions of ‘told you so’ and mega amusement (as inevitably the case on my eventual return to the UK).

View down the cuverie – cement tanks to left

Evening grapes delivery – Pierre Gros in light grey hoody

Once the above ‘distraction’ was over we once again headed to Vosne La Colombiere to conclude activities there from the previous afternoon. Once again the majority of the team were on foot, walking to the site whilst, slightly embarrassingly, Michel called out to yours truly, again insisting I take the Land Cruiser front seat – who was I to argue 😉. The rear of the Toyota always importantly carried our (plastic) water ‘barrels’, cups, and various other bits and pieces. We finished La Colombiere without incident or note circa mid-morning and now came some excitement ! Maybe not for the walking team who once again were on foot from La Colombiere to……….drum roll !!!!………..Richebourg Grand Cru, or maybe more accurately, Les Veroilles ou Richebourg, with our (the car individuals) entering the site through a gap in northern edge brick wall. Whilst we waited for the walking group to arrive one of the Gros vineyard tractors arrived (for subsequent case collecting) but my attention was drawn to another domaine already working in Richebourg adjacent to our rows. A smartly dressed lady clearly seemed to be in charge & readily exchanged pleasantries with yours truly whilst I took photos of elements of her team, some notably keen to have their pictures taken. I had no idea who this other team were until some days later when, showing Michel some of my photos, he explained (relating the historic family divison of, and holdings in, Richebourg) that the lady was Caroline Parent, and in another photo the older gentleman (with wrap around shades) was her father Francois Parent – of Domaine Parent, Pommard.

Vosne La Colombiere grapes (1)

Caroline Parent talking to father Francois (in shades)

Domaine Parent porter in Richebourg

Domaine Parent Vendangeurs at Richebourg entrance

My 1st Richebourg grapes (they got better)

M Gros Full Richebourg case1

In my wildest vendange dreams, going back to Chassagne 2006, I’d never envisaged working in:- a) Vosne-Romanee; or b) a terroir such as Richebourg GC hence to be here was something of a ’pinch me’ moment. We worked here, with 2 row passes, until lunch. Once my initial excitement at being in Richebourg was over, & I was working, then ultimately it was just another set of vines etc. For my rows I wasn’t ultimately terribly/overly impressed by vines or grapes though. Michel did explain to me at one point that the vines belonged to an aunt in the family yet this lady would never allow replanting for some reason. Back to Vosne for lunch – so glad I wasn’t walking, and at same time feeling sorry for those who were – this was day 3 and, apart from the small team working other sites separately who were en vehicule, the majority had yet to experience transport ! Lunch main course meatballs and rice.

Gros In Vines Tractor arrives Richebourg

Gros Team in Richebourg start or rest break

M Gros Full Richebourg cases

Domaine M Gros sub team rest break Richebourg

My Sub Team & Others on Richebourg rest break

Back to the same area post lunch, but Richebourg had been finished, and now the southern element of Vosne premier cru Aux Brulees, adjacent to Richebourg, was to be the subject of our afternoon attentions. The rows here were long. I found the afternoon notably tiring & was asked a few times “Was I OK” – which made me wonder at my own appearance ! As we completed the last rows of Brulees, on a corner, as the road swings, and at the end of a row of vines was a memorial headstone to a Monsieur Ecard. I’d never seen anything like this in vines previously in any vendange. I was subsequently to learn the late J-F Ecard had been a domaine employee, and husband of senior lady employee, sub team leader/in vine triager, and bucket cleaner, Odile. I could only assume the location of the memorial stone perhaps reflected some particular spot of significance.

Aux Brulees memorial to former domaine employee (and husband of Odile)

Vosne View over Aux Brulees

M Gros Vineyard Tractor against Vosne Aux Brulees angry sky

Michel Gros age 67 setting picking example

Twin Sister Vendangeurs wow (1)

Halt called at 17.11 p.m. Back at the cuverie, ahead of the main, on foot, ‘pack’, I took the opportunity to grab some cuverie photos, had my first shave since arrival and, praise the lord, proper hot water was now available for the shower ! Pre supper, more than one person from the walking brigade, in passing mentioned on the return from Aux Brulees that someone had been asking about me !!! I was bemused by this but after a little thought had to assume it must be a roving Mr Nanson !

M Gros Tractor Musclemen

Lunch

China’s Fon Fon with unique hat

Belgian Mother & Daughter pre supper music recital (1)

Young Italian couple at lunch – owners of Acho

Our evening supper was notable for trouble and bad behaviour from one dining table which included a group of 20 something male Belgians, who’s in vine antics had already left me wholly unimpressed. Here they were throwing food around, very noisy, and just a collective, embarrassing, pain in the proverbial. I had intended to work on my laptop but, disgusted, at 21.00 hrs decided an early night was preferable. Unfortunately, considerable noise, continued until past 2.00 a.m. – not conducive to sleep. The evening had previously brought some thunder and eventually rain which became increasingly heavy for most of the night – wet weather gear seemingly would be the order of the day on the ‘morrow – mental note to self to get my rubber boots (‘wellies’ in England) from the car. The rain and its aftermath would ‘drive’ our activities on Day 4.

MdMdlV

(Typed 24/9/23)

Up at 6.09 for breakfast to be ready for a 7.15 departure for Vosne 1er cru Clos Des Reas – part deux. As circa 2 hectares clearly this monopole isn’t a site one can see off quickly, albeit as someone used to Arlaud’s 5ha of Bourgogne Roncevie requiring multiple visits, to complete Reas before lunch as we did was good going/satisfying. In finishing in Reas our sub team worked south down mid plot then we turned round and worked back towards the village picking the rows nearest to Rue de la Fontaine. At some point in our first pass someone complimented me on my speed (of picking):- “You are fast”. Similar had happened the day before and in all I would receive similar compliments 4x during the harvest – not bad for an old guy missing the last two years. Of course, out and out speed is to a degree irrelevant as it’s a team business with the name of the game to ideally stay aligned across the team for steady movement, grape collection etc etc. Over the Reas wall and across the street are starred names such as Leroy & Mugneret. Further along are the neat, tidy and well-presented premises of Domaine Michel Noellat I remembered fondly from my 2019 & 2020 harvests & where I’d anticipated I might have been this year except for 2023 they are using a Contract Picking Team for the whole of their terroirs. Coming to Domaine Michel Gros this year it slightly amused me to recall using the shower room at M Noellat once looked out over the Clos des Reas – and now I was standing in it !

Clos des Reas Edge to Village Street

Grape Sorting closing stages of Clos des Reas

Jack Russell crazy about water 2

My Best Vendange Friend Close Up

Whilst making my early way along the row closest to the Reas wall I noted a familiar looking car come past – it was (Mum) Isabel Noellat’s Mini Convertible. An idea formed and as I was well ahead in my row as I came to the gate mid way along the Reas wall I downed bucket, secateurs and gloves nipped across the road and to the door of the Noellat offices. The whole family (near enough) was there including father, Alain, Sophie (now mother of 3 boys after birth of her latest earlier this year), Isabel, and Sebastian’s wife (name escapes me now). We only had time for quick pleasantries and my explaining my sudden, bizarre, appearance which amused but Sophie, as ever the happy, smiley, glass most definitely in the full category personality, told me they were starting (their harvest) the following day. Rushed goodbye’s and I was back thro the Reas gate and back to picking which, with not many vines, was soon done.

Whilst we, the main bunch, were finishing Reas and moving on to the NSG site below the smaller team element were dealing with Echezeaux (this and Richebourg came to the domaine 3 years ago) and NSG Aux Murgers which, with some Aux Vignes Rondes, forms the basis for the domaine’s NSG 1er cru.

Other domaines vehicle towards Vosne Chaumes & Malconsorts

Other domaines vehicles in NSG Vines from Au Bas de Combe (2)

Other domaines vehicles in NSG Vines from Au Bas de Combe

Resting2 at NSG Au Bas de Combe after Clos des Reas

Back to us as the main bunch we were once again on foot (another Randonee !) south to NSG Bas du Combe. Interesting site this, a first for me, but sits below 1er cru Aux Boudots which I know well, and liked so much, from Domaine Michel Noellat. After a rest from walking there we worked here for a short spell up to lunch then walked back to the domaine for lunch – all this walking and no Minibus use yet for the main picking group is aiding the Domaine’s carbon footprint !!!!

Ultimately I reckon I would judge the food here for this harvest as the best I’ve experienced (in 14 harvests). Arlaud was pretty consistently good also but I reckon the Gros bought in catering, and chef use to finish off/serve is a great combo. Today, forgetting the entrée, we had chicken, gratin dauphinois, the cheese fixture, and fruit (an apple for me) for dessert.

I was spared the walk back to NSG Bas du Combe as, about to set off, Michel (Gros) called me back and insisted I share a ride with him in his ageing Toyota Land Cruiser. This was to be my transport for most of the vendange hereafter and glad of it/not to be in the minibuses was I. Michel told me he has been a devotee of Toyota’s for c30 years and likes to mention this when visiting Japan promoting his wines. It didn’t take us too long to finish Bas du Combe (not a large parcel) then we switched across the village to make a late afternoon start on Vosne La Colombiere. The view up to the village and rear of the properties along the Rue des Communes (including Gros, Mugneret-Gibourg, and Lamarche) was interesting from here – I reckoned I could now see what the crane in the front courtyard of Lamarche was all about i.e lifting materials etc over the property for what looked, from a distance, to rear extension works.

Vosne La Colombiere day close tractor movement(1)

Vosne La Colombiere grapes (unsteady camera operator)

Vosne La Colombiere in vines triage

Vosne La Colombiere starting 1st row towards village

Vosne La Colombiere view towards RN74

My sub team had the outside rows (right hand side of the plot looking up it) with the rear of the buildings on the D109 on our right, including that of Domaine Rene Cacheux. Late in the day halt called & once again I was glad of my new taxi status. Curiously, Michel seemed to have taken pity on me even though I was, and felt, fine – something which would continue. I know my gait has changed since my left hip procedure, added to my long time right sided back issues, with one leg longer than the other (common post hip procedures as I understand it). So back to the domaine, and as I’ve always done, I set to intending to wash, or help wash, the buckets when they arrived back but as I was setting out said pails I was admonished by one of the team leaders, a large, formidable, long time domaine servant lady, Odile. She made it quite clear it was her role, with a lady accomplice, and my involvement was unnecessary – fair enough, first time in 14 years, I’ll take that – at least I offered!

There was one final postscript to the day. Whilst the bucket situation sorted itself out and we queued to wash our hands attention was drawn to a hilarious (for me anyway) scene involving a cute little Jack Russell terrier. This animal had already fascinated me, arriving first thing with his owner from NSG, but upright and with supreme balance, with forelegs perched on the owner’s bicycle handlebars, back legs on the owner or similar. Here though the dog was absolutely and utterly fascinated cum obsessed with the water in the drain away shallow gutter in the yard as led to street drain. Some observed the dog might be looking at his reflection in the water (I doubted it given the dirty colour) or biting bubbles in the water was the attraction. Whatever, I’ve never seen anything remotely like it, as the dog was up and down the water channel, nose almost permanently down in the water, oblivious to everything/all around him.

And, other than shower (water still not properly hot/warm !), then evening meal that was it for our second day.
Day 3 – more doggy antics with a twist and amazing vineyard sites all to come.

MdMdlV

The Italians ‘Acho’ 5 (2)

The Italians ‘Acho’ 5 (2)

Juliette’s ace hound3

Warning:- Some Doggy Porn (clean pictures of dogs !) will accompany this report 😊

Slept pretty well given I’d been travelling for c24 hours to arrive yesterday, then wined & dined. Was up early for breakfast; for me was a routine of coffee or tea, a glass of orange juice, a breakfast bar (3 packets brought with me) and a piece of fruit from the domaine’s supply – mostly an apple. In time-honoured custom one’s drink is from a bowl, odd to one used to English custom. I quickly realised the early morning line up at breakfast, and who got things going e.g. the coffee and hot water, was of senior male team members who mostly worked as tractor drivers and in the cuverie with only two of them pickers – they’ve obviously been together vendange wise a while and sleep etc in a room/rooms over the cuverie. A key group to be on the good side of and share influence. A number of them have fantastic histories of vendange attendance e.g. c40 years – despite not looking old enough. My instant favourite was Philippe, a really nice guy, tall, slim, understated and a former officer in his local Sapeurs Pompiers. We instantly got on well.

Weather was immediately warm, dry and sunny and to get a lot warmer/hotter with cloudless blue sky. As common to all my vendages, post breakfast, there was much milling around cum hanging about, with locals arriving & others not ‘interning’. Then there was the gang of youngsters dossing in the old house at the village end of Clos des Reas. I’d been told the team would be c80 strong but I subsequently tried a couple of head counts & got nowhere near this. Surveying the scene with attendance clipboard, followed by her faithful 10-year old lurcher type hound, Prunelle, and with a word or several for many attendees/arrivals, was office lady, Juliette, who like many of her ilk appears key to the operations and indispensable.

Lined up across the road from the domaine premises and cuverie, in parking area to the front of the almost complete new bottle store building, were the usual for harvest several hired mini buses and 3 or 4 domaine vans of dubious vintage (a couple small, two bigger). But, as word was given to move off this was on foot !!! Wot no transport ??? Reason obvious actually, we were Clos des Reas bound so not far – I was in the front rank and looking behind me was amusing to see the rag tag of the Gros team coming along behind (see photo). En route to Reas we passed, amongst others, the premises of Domaine Francois Lamarche which has a large static tower crane in the front courtyard – hard to see any building work but think this is at the rear of the premises as I thought I could see from another angle a few days later when we were in Vosne La Colombiere. The buckets, cases, water etc. had gone by vehicle ahead of us.

We were actually split into two separate picking teams, one a smaller one which went on their way to smaller sites – on this Day 1 to Clos de Vougeot to be followed by Chambolle. I was slightly regretful to be in the main, larger, grouping but resigned myself that one could be everywhere – and I certainly wasn’t unhappy to be in Clos des Reas.

Clos des Reas 1st rest & water break (it was hot !!!)

Clos des Reas early a.m 10th FonFon with odd hat

Clos des Reas headless vendangeur

Clos des Reas my first bucket (1)

Clos des Reas 1st rest & water break (it was hot !!!)

And so into Reas and sort of upslope if there were a slope – we started on the high side, across from Les Chaumes. A word on vendangeurs/in vine management. M Gros have another variation on those I’ve seen before elsewhere. One might imagine from all the Burgundy domaines that, over the years, a universal way of working would have been arrived at but no ! The Gros method is conventional but, like Michel Noellat, they use small sub-teams of 6/7, within the overall group. The sub-team leader, and maybe a helper, don’t pick but accumulate, and sort, the pickers bucketloads into the usual size of cases strategically scattered along rows from the vineyard tractor before we start. I was intrigued by the sorting as a form of in-vine triage – Gros doesn’t appear to have a formal triage table. Many domaines claim in vines sorting but in my experience, this doesn’t happen or is perfunctory at best. Here at Gros though there is clear and obvious in vines triage and that after the pickers are encouraged to do their own care in cutting and rejection. The cases, once full, are collected by vineyard tractor then taken to a green sward area in the vineyard and offloaded to be collected later by road tractor & trailer, or immediately transferred from vineyard tractor to trailer.

Another innovation I’d not seen before until here are little blue seats on a strut for the pickers which strap to the waist & buttocks ! These were very popular – for me though I was happy to stay with my tried and trusted knee pads. Something that struck me immediately in Reas once we got going was the height, or lack of it, of the vines – very handy indeed if one needed to hop over. Not sure why this is. Featured not quite to the same extent in other vines we were to move to.

Clos de Reas grapes2

Clos des Reas another rest break

Clos des Reas interesting plaque – need Google Translate

Clos des Reas Michel directing tracteur

Clos des Reas Michel Gros avec technologie big phone-001

The ace boss in Clos des Reas

We quickly got going, with the morning passing unremarkably, whilst we moved steadily along the vines. Much needed water and rest break after Pass 1. Bending to my first vine, secateurs in hand it felt like I’d never been away rather than having missed 2 years. Lunch seemed to come quite quickly – back to the domaine (on foot !) where 3 small steel wash basins (fed from an outside tap) and soap dispensers were set up in a row for suitable pre-lunch hygiene. The domaine yard area outside the cuverie is quite compact. Lunch was a starter (can’t recall), lasagne, fromage selection (usually Comtes, Rebluchon and Brie) and an ice cream. Without getting ahead of myself the catering here has subsequently turned out to be at least on a par with Arlaud, if not the best. Food, pre-cooked, is brought in from traiteurborguignon.com in special containers then heated up for us.

Back to Reas p.m from 13.30 with, I think, 4 passes completed in the day. Boy, was it getting hot & your writer was perspiring freely. I’d taken Cyprien Arlaud’s warning to heart and worn a straw hat all day. Finish c17.30. Serious result coming back to the domaine as I’d been expecting some gear (buckets, secateurs etc) cleaning but as I went to voluntarily spread the buckets out a large, mature, lady scolded me saying that as a domaine employee (not sure she was to be honest) it was her job to do the buckets – fine by me !!! Things getting better all the time 😉.

Returned to my room for a welcome shower & change before returning to the dining cellar to work on photo downloads, resizing and captioning. A lot to this reporting for Bill lark, time is always at a premium. I didn’t note the evening menu but we never had leftovers, was always a new menu.

And so to bed. Tomorrow unsurprisingly, given its c2 hectares Reas Day 2 to a finish and then more very exciting things !

MdMdlV

High altitude Volnay

Pascal Roblet demonstrates

Mazis-Chambertin – Hautes

You always know that the end of the harvest is close when domaines start to pick their aligoté – typically a late-ripening variety. And so it was on Friday and through the weekend.

I still met a few hardy folk in the higher vines of Volnay and Pommard – Sur Roches, Lambots and of course, Vaumuriens. Today was Pascal Roblet. He was quite happy with his grapes – ‘Not the vintage of the century, but we have good grapes and they are ripe‘ I’ve long been a fan of his wines and the care whilst harvesting is obvious – only 4-5kg (grape weight) cases are used to collect his grapes – ‘and since 2001,‘ emphasises Pascal. In one of the images you can see him showing that he doesn’t cut the tops of his vines but unlike Leroy or Trapet’s high trellising, he prefers to spread the the lengthening shoots across the top wire of his trellis.

It was quieter in the Côte de Nuits too, the square in front of the Mairie of Vosne – a bustling hub of harvesting in the last days – becoming much calmer. A few blocks of vines were still waiting to be picked – the Chambertin of Rossignol-Trapet and the Mazis of the Hospices de Beaune – but even the traditionally ‘late pickers’ were in the vines. So, right now, the Hautes Côtes are seeing the most action – together with Chablis and Irancy too. A significant part of Beaujolais is already done.

The major efforts are now in the cuveries!