Usually the climate is particularly mild in cognac land, due to the atlantic ocean and to its situation in south west France.

The past year has been totally impredictable :

First a mild (too?) winter, except few days in january

Frost came suddenly  … on end of april, when the first small leaves and buds were out. A very rare and awful event fore winegrowers.

The day after…

About 10 % of the cognac vineyards did not produce any grape this year or in very small quantities.  Fortunately,  it has been an interessant harvest for the remaining 90 %.

Then summer has been hot and dry.

No rain in october and november, the moment for the water tables to fill up for the next spring and summer. It has been one of the most dry year since 40 years until… end december !

As the small rivers and the Charente received so much rain, they spread out on the banks, ,quite at the same level.

Thus, we get moving landscape, with some small  short-lived lakes, trees with roots in water, such as vines, roads disappeared under water.

The quiet Charente looks like a mountain stream !

Boots are highly recommended to walk along vineyards and and food paths.

As we were in water deficit, we’re not going to complain even if this rain causes some temporary inconveniences. It’s good for nature.

L’article Vineyards take a dip in december est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

Since an half century shape of cognac vineyard has changed, from low trained, narrowly-spaced vines to high-trained with 3 meters on average between each row. Pruning method follow the same evolution.

As an evidence, pruning is a crucial moment and cannot be done any which way. The know how of the winegrower is essential. Achieve pruning operation needs to learn about it in school and then experience. On this video, it seems to be simple, but he is an experimented guy. Pruning shear on hand, when  you are in front of your first vine, it is not so easy, even if you were a good student. It seems that the vine is not similar as that you have learned !

Nevertheless several methods are authorized depending for the vine, the choice of the winegrower, the age of the vine…

Traditional pruning method here is arch-trained or horizontally-tied Double Guyot and Guyot Poussard. On each side of the trunk, a long branch is kept with 8 to 10 buds.

With grapevine trunk diseases, a worldwide  plague on which numerous teams of international researchers work, such  INRA in France,  the pruning is now an issue of great importance.

Then theses branches are binded to the wire in an arch or horizontally

. Pneumatic tools are a great help for this operation requring, however, some physical strength and patience !

Hundred and hundred hours are necessary to end pruning, a winter time work. Cognac vineyards represent 75 000 ha !

At the end of the rows vans and cars are used as rear base for pruning material, and mobile cafeteria : french saucisson and home made « pâtés, bread and cheese, coffee, wine (with moderation!) water, essential to get through the day…  for theses tough guys and girls in their vines .

L’article Pruning work and binding the vines in all weathers est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

Pretty sunny days in december and so stunning sunsets. Just, what I have seen when I was going back to my car… 

In Bordeaux for a business day, I switched over on lunch time to see the awesome exhibition « Montaigne Super Star » in Media center. Very emotional moment to be face to the first edition of the famous « Les Essais » annotated by Montaigne himself.

Even in winter, vineyards offers  graphic lines, playing  with theses of the sky.

Nice meeting with Line, winegrower and distiller on her property of Cognac Guillon-Pinturaud. To know more about her it’s here on the blog

Crossing and blurring musical boundaries is an art form for Piers Faccini. travelling from the English moors to the Saharan dunes via Itialia, Sicilia and mediterranean influences, I was in a magic world during this  deligthful evening offered by « Les Quais Ici ou Ailleurs » in Cognac. Like a fairy tale before Xmas.

Christmas dinner is most important. I have ordered truffles from the area and on 24 th december, I was on site before the market opens in nice village of Villebois Lavalette to be sure to have my order. Just the time to take a coffee and read daily regional papers, and….

…. I got them. I have prepared a glass jar to carry them safely.

A quick stop on the way back to the Mercerie Castle, foolish dream of two brothers, who wanted to build a replica of Versailles Castle close to their old family castle. Nowadays, an association works to the restoration of the castle.

And for the last days, we were in Pays Basque, in Biarritz : running along the beach on morning…

…and discovering the awesome lightshow on the walls of the Church, in the gardens, and on the walls.

It was really magic. See be yourselves.

L’article December between culture and viticulture est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.