After very tough climatic conditions during the first 6 months of 2021, and a tricky frost, cognac vineyard belongs to thoses less impacted that estimated previously. Summer rainfalls then the come back of sun and warm temperatures helped the berries to plump up. Finally, even if it will not be one of the best years, it is not a year to forget. Except for the winegrowers deeply impacted by spring frost.

Some pictures of the moment.

L’article Harvest time is ending est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

How to determine the D-Day ?

Each winegrower asked himself the question. The technical services of the Interprofessional Organization (BNIC) give an expected date for the beginning of harvest. Nevertheless, it depends from so many elements, that the final decision-maker is…the winegrower who knows and « feel » when it’s the right time to start. In fact, it looks like a very subtle balance between professional skills and intuition, and requires a fair amount of experience. Needless to say that it is a nerve-wracking period, especially when the weather has played unkind tricks during the year.

The D-Day of harvest and thereafter

It looks like a math equation : the maturity of the grapes, the health status of the vines, the weather forecasts and… the taste of berries ! The reason why experience and human sensibility are as so important as technical data, to get quality vines and thus, years after, fine cognacs !

End of september and beginning october

Depending from the year and temperatures, harvest in cognac land usually begin in the second part of september month for Ugni blanc, and ended in the second part of october. This year the official starting date was september 23 th due to a chill beginning of summer. Last year, it was more or less 10 days before and a huge part of harvest took place during the night due to very hot temperaturs in the day ! In fact, each year is different.

L’article Harvest time in cognac land est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

Grapes and cognac

After two successive tough years with hail and frost occuring a lot of damages on vineyards, everybody crossed fingers to live a « normal » year.  Not taking account of theses wishes, hail decided again to cross over a part of our area… Then a very long period of drought,never seen before in the past years, spread from end of spring till september, which was not optimum conditions, vines got thirsty !

Spring time…

… and summer time

And fortunately, harvest has been one of the most important both in quantity and quality for a while now.

Even if the hot weather was a bit tricky and induced some winegrowers to harvest by night, at the end of the game, smiles were on each face.

living-in-cognac harvest 2018 by night – courtesy R. Martinaud

A very good surprise for everybody involved in cognac.

It’s now time for distillation till end of next march.

The soon-coming definitive figures of cognac shipment will be on the same trend as the three past years, on a never-ending increasing line, throughout the world. Hereunder, the top ten countries loving-cognac-so-much figures published in last september. Waiting now for the figures of the complete year. ( mid january) – courtesy BNIC

More on the cognac economy here http://livingincognac.com/fr/cognac-combien-de-bouteilles-combien-de-caisses/ 

Cultural life and amazing artists

Not only in Paris, as someone could think that nothing interessant happen « au-delà du périphérique » i.e, just beyond the large circular motorway surrounding Paris !

In picture, some of the the interesting events we had the chance and opportunity to see this year in cognac area.

Vilhs and Hennessy

The portuguese and international-know artist Vilhs desgined the VS limited edition 2018. The exhibition on Les Quais gave the opportunity to enter the creative process of the artiste.

More on http://livingincognac.com/fr/vilhs-sexpose-a-cognac/ 

L’ombre de la vapeur à la Fondation Martell

A poetic, digital and immersive installation which brings the visitor  outside of the frameworkn outside the time.

More on http://livingincognac.com/fr/lombre-de-vapeur-a-fondation-martell/

Comics and movie in Musée de la BD in Angoulême with the famous author Goscinny

Poussières d’étoiles in Domaine des Etangs

More on  http://livingincognac.com/fr/poussieres-detoiles-domaine-etangs/ 

A stunning place for international designers and architects

The Domaine de Boisbuchet, in East Charente is  the dream of a design amateur and expert, Alexander von Vegesack who created this peaceful and amazing place to gather each year professionals and students to experience how internationally successful professionals structure their work, and how they approach design problems. Most inspiring architects & designers from all over the world, give a week-long workshop in summertime. Throughout the week, participants get insight on the process & techniques of top designers, and have the opportunity to connect with like-minded, passionate people.

If you want more highlights, click below

http://livingincognac.com/fr/ladies-cognac-rencontre-artiste/

http://livingincognac.com/fr/terre-belle-orbisterrae/

http://livingincognac.com/fr/manufacture-degorce-rend-charentaise-desirable/

http://livingincognac.com/fr/feminin-pluriel/

http://livingincognac.com/fr/reprendrez-bien-verre-de-bois/

I wish your a nice and bright end of year, and hope to have news of you on next year.
Thanks so much to follow Living in Cognac

L’article Back on cognac land news and events in 2018 est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

More than 200 millions bottles in more than 150 world countries

For the fourth consecutive year, cognac continue to boom. Theses figures represent for nearly 25% of the total value of exported french wines and spirits.

According to the data collected by The Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac US is on the top of the fist step of the podium « The dark spirits category is growing in the US market, encouraged by the historical presence of cognac and the constant investments of cognac houses » said Patrick Raguenaud, President of BNIC.

Shipments to the Far East have risen 13,5 % in volume in this period equaling a total of 60,9 million bottles. Sales are climbing again in China.

Cognac export volume 2017 2018

The dream team  of Cognac

This success is the result of a big dream team : 4309 winegrowers, 112 distillers, 279 cognac houses, without forget all different skills working for cognac. 60 000 persons are working  for this economy in the area.

Let’s have a look on precedent posts and links to highlight harvest time, distillation, work in vines, cooperage and so on …

http://livingincognac.com/en/cognac-harvest-days-the-crunch-time/

http://livingincognac.com/en/distiller-full-time-job-in-wintertime/

http://livingincognac.com/en/pruning-work-and-binding-the-vines-in-all-weathers/

http://livingincognac.com/en/toasting-the-barrelwedding-of-wood-and-fire/

L’article New record of volume and value for cognac export est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

So, to summarize this topic in a pre-and-post manner :

Harvest represents a lot of skill, tough work, and passion, men and equipments operate at the peak of performance…

In the vineyards

I talked you about the indian summer, last month. We have been lucky to keep it for a large part of  october :  some misty mornings  specially near the Charente river, and sunny  warm afternoons. A good weather for the winegrowers as it’s not really easy harvesting with rain and cold temperatures, and not so good for wine. So  great thanks to the weather which has been friendly with us.

I already told you how lucky we are to « live in cognac », this small french area which produces the most famous « eau-de-vie » of the world. Let me try to convince you below.

Awesome evening light

Land art in the vines…

The Charente river

Golf addict

Last days to play golf after work, days grow shorter,  and daylight savings at the end of the month, will stop this good moment for several months… Sometimes we could just play 4/5 holes…

A stunning place to see sunset on the white limestone front of houses of the city : a « spot »known by the photographs coming to take pictures and timelapse of this rainbow playing on stones.

Heritage

Do you believe me if I say we have a small Versailles here in Charente ?  A crazy dream of two brothers of past century, art lovers, who lost all their fortune, to build a replica of Versailles facade, closed to their family castle. After they died, it has been a bit tricky for Château de la Mercerie, during too long years. Happily, since 5 years, like a phoenix, the  castle is restored by an association of volunteers who worked with passion all the year long. Many work to do, many work have been done.

The 220 meters long of the facade has entered the Guinness book of records as the longest  castle facade ever built in XX century.

The end of the amazing facade  with nothing behind…

And to end this stroll, let’s have a look at the nice village of Villebois Lavalette,  neighbour of Château de la Mercerie, with its impressive castle and awesome market place.

I hope you have had a nice october month wherever you live.

If you  enjoyed this post, please share on social media, to your friends,  just click the buttons on the page, thank you so much.

L’article October means harvest month in cognac est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.

Let us see « backstage » how the cognac winegrowers spend their september month…

Complete check and hardware verification before harvest

During the harvest time, between one and three weeks, depending from the importance of the vineyards, men and equipments have to operate at the peak of performance and are overstretched. From dawn to sunset, it’s an on-going traffic from the vineyards to the wine press. Even a small trouble can undermine the harvest of the day, or the quality of the wine, its just unthinkable…

September is devoted to hardware verification and cleaning :

complete cleaning of the cellars and technical facilities  : stainless steel vats, floors, tanks, tractors…

Review of technical devices, such as flexibles hoses, electronic controllers, temperature regulators, motors…

Test of grape harvester machine and tractors,

Purchase of spare parts to ensure a quick repair if necessary…

New color for the tank in which the trailer unloads the grapes arriving for the vines

Absolute cleanliness required…… and immaculate space

Light is reflected in the stainless steel of the vats

Connecting the vats

Thanks to François Jérôme and his team.

L’article Preparing the harvest in cognac vineyards est apparu en premier sur Living In Cognac Land.