The art of pruning.

The reason for pruning and why it is so important.

January and February is pruning time in the South of France. This is a crucial time for vineyard management, as it helps shape the vines for the upcoming growing season. The process involves cutting back the previous year’s growth to encourage healthy new shoots and optimise grape production. It is so important that France has an official certification course just for pruners*. It is the difference between a bountiful harvest and ruining a vine.

* I am a certified vine pruner of the CFAA du Gard de Nîmes-Rodilhan, France.

The most important result of pruning is that it regulates the next season’s yield by controlling the number of buds which produce bunches of grapes. The number of buds retained after winter pruning may be influenced by tradition and/or local controlled appellation regulations.

Although the precise timing is not generally critical, pruning is usually completed by the time of bud break in spring,

In the South of France, there are basically three pruning methods. These are;

• Cane-pruned (Guyot): Each year one or two whole canes are retained and all the rest are cut off completely. The new canes are trimmed to a particular length and fastened to a wire.

• Spur-pruned (Cordon): Once a cane has been in place for a year and produced its shoots, those shoots are trimmed back to leave only two buds. The original cane is then known as an arm (or cordon) and the short little stumps that eventually become spurs.

• Gobelet: They are spur pruned but the arms are shorter and more vertical.

On a personal level, the act of carefully trimming grapevines is a calming and focused activity: being outdoors gives me a sense of connection to the natural world; I see winter gradually become spring amid magnificent landscapes. And pruning requires thoughtful decision-making about which branches to remove, how many buds to keep, creating a sense of purpose and control.

Pruning is generally completed by bud break from mid-March, that glorious time each spring when the vines wake up from their winter dormancy. The vineyards turn from drab brown to vibrant green as those first leaves appear. This can also be a dangerous time for the vines as early spring frosts can harm the tender buds, young shoots and leaves. This can lead to significant crop losses by killing fruitful buds and impacting the quality of the grapes produced.

Near Uzès, in a double cordon vineyard with rows I have pruned and rows to be pruned.

The art and science of wine making: from vine to bottle.

Winemaking is an ancient art that has evolved over millennia, blending creativity with science.It’s a process that turns humble grapes into one of the world’s most beloved beverages, enjoyed across cultures and ages. While each winery may have its unique approach, the core principles of winemaking remain largely the same

Wine making starts with the harvest.

As we know, grapes are the main ingredient in wine. The first step in winemaking is the grape harvest (already covered in our previous blog). Modern winemakers rely on a combination of science and ancient tasting to determine when to harvest their grapes.

From fruit to juice: the important and crucial vinification stage

In winemaking, the vinification stage is the process of transforming grape juice into wine. Many factors are decisive at this stage and the winemaker’s experience and craftsmanship are essential at this stage.

De-stemming, crushing and pressing: extracting the juice.

De-stemming involves removing the stems (or stalks) from grape bunches, essentially turning whole grape clusters into single berries. Crushing breaks the skins of the grapes, releasing the juice, pulp and seeds. Pressing separates the juice from the skins and other solids of the grapes. 

For a white wine, the manufacturer will quickly press the must after crushing it to separate the juice from the skin, seeds, and solids. This prevents color and tannins from entering the white wine. Red wine, on the other hand, is left in contact with its skins to infuse color, flavor and tannins into the wine.

Fermentation: The Magic Begins

Fermentation is where the true transformation takes place. In this stage, yeast—either natural or added—converts the sugar in the grape juice into alcohol. This process typically takes a week or two for red wines and a bit less for whites.

Once fermentation begins, it will generally continue until all the sugar is converted to alcohol leaving a dry wine. This can be a period of ten days up to a month. Alcohol levels may vary from wine to wine, depending on the amount of sugar that the initial must has.

During fermentation, the winemaker monitors various factors like temperature and sugar levels to ensure that the process progresses smoothly. The result is a "must"—a mixture of grape juice, skins, seeds, and yeast.

Aging: Shaping the Wine’s Character

Aging is a crucial stage, as it allows the wine to mature, develop its flavors, and achieve balance. Oak barrels are often used for aging red wines, as they can impart additional flavors like vanilla, spice, and toasted wood. Stainless steel tanks, in contrast, preserve the wine’s freshness and fruitiness, which is why they’re commonly used for white wines and some lighter reds.

Malolactic fermentation

The wine obtained during the previous steps is again subjected to a new fermentation process. Through this process the acid flavor is lowered, which makes wines more pleasant for the palate.

Bottling and Beyond

Once the wine has matured to the winemaker's satisfaction, it is filtered to remove any remaining solids and bottled. Some wines are ready to drink immediately, while others continue to evolve in the bottle, gaining complexity and depth over time.

The art of winemaking is not just about the technical process; it’s about understanding the interplay of nature, technique, and intuition. Each bottle of wine is a reflection of the land it comes from, the skill of the winemaker, and the unique conditions of that particular year’s harvest.

Wine is a living product—one that reflects the efforts of many hands, from the vineyard workers to the winemakers themselves. With each sip, we taste the culmination of this ancient craft.

The 'vendanges': grape harvest in the Languedoc

Les ‘vendanges’: grape harvest in the Languedoc

The grape harvest season, known as the ‘vendanges’ in France, marks a crucial phase in winemaking. It is the time when grapes reach their peak ripeness, delivering the perfect balance of sugars, acids, and flavors. This season typically falls between late summer and early fall, depending on the region, maturity, grape variety, and weather conditions. 

The timing of the grape harvest is one of the most important viticulture decisions affecting the winemaking process. 

The winemaker will start sampling grapes from the vineyards several days before harvest to check for sugar levels. When the grapes are perfectly ripe, and weather permitting, he will make the call for harvest to begin. 

Although many vineyards are harvested by hand, mechanised harvesting is commonplace throughout southern France. Machines increase productivity and can run day and night, no matter the weather conditions. A rising trend in recent years, nocturnal harvesting involves picking grapes during the cool night time hours. This helps preserve the grapes' natural acidity and delicate aromas, enhancing the overall quality of the wine.

Hand-harvesting affords more precise selection of grapes and tends to do a better job of protecting their juice from oxidation as a result of damaged skins. Mechanical harvesters allow for a more efficient, often cost-effective, process and are well-suited for large vineyards situated on flat ground.

White grapes are generally harvested first, such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Grapes for sparkling wine are harvested early because they need to have lower sugar levels. Red wine grapes are typically next in line, as they take a little longer to reach full maturity. Pinot Noir is an earlier red ripener, followed by Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Production of wines of the highest quality requires, in addition to carefully planned grape harvesting, the selection of clusters or berries before further processing takes place. The goal of this selection is to separate unripe, damaged or rotten berries and other undesirable organic material, as well as insects, caught up during harvesting. Sorting gives the winemaker the opportunity to collect for further processing those grape berries that guarantee or enhance the potential to achieve the highest quality of wine.

 What comes next is vinification, but that is for another blog…

Languedoc Wine Classifications

AOP (AOC) & IGP

For the average wine drinker, one of the most confusing things about French wine is knowing the difference between AOP & IGP wines. Most people believe that AOP means top quality and IGP as lower quality.

That is no longer the case.

In 2009 the EU standardized the names of the wine categories across each EU country and for France this meant that AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controllée) became AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protegée). The use of AOC is still allowed and some parts of France have decided to stick with it but Languedoc-Roussillon has moved to the new labelling.

The aim of the AOP was to preserve the traditional and famous wines of France and preserve them for future generations. When you buy an AOP wine it is regulated in terms of where the grapes come from, how they were grown and the grape varieties used to make it. It must also have ‘typicity’, a French word meaning the wine tastes and looks as you would expect it to. For instance, if you buy an AOP Minervois it should taste of a Minervois wine and not a Bordeaux, Corbières or something else.

The AOP classification imposes a quality control system that also includes pruning methods, vine-training, yields, minimum alcohol strength, harvest times as well as delimiting the geographical area where the wine was produced. This area is defined as terroir. Without it, France might have lost some of its ancient and historical wines forever. But It is a protectionist system which inhibits innovation and creativity. It guarantees a process but not quality. An AOP Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine is not necessarily a good one!

In 2009 IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée) became the new name for Vins du Pays in France, and in Languedoc-Roussillon that means the wines formerly known as Vins du Pays d’Oc are now called IGP Pays d’Oc. Like AOP, the IGP is a designation used all over France with over 150 in existence. But Languedoc-Roussillon embraced it with fervor and has used it to spearhead a revolution in winemaking to produce some of the best and interesting wines in France.

The success of the old Vins du Pays proved to be a saviour for the region. It was led by a clear marketing campaign that latched onto consumers increasing preference for buying wine by grape variety rather than provenance. In the early days the success was based on what I like to call ‘cheap and cheerful’ - in other words; simple, fruity wines, named after the grape and at a price that most people can afford. But as the brand strengthened and as wine makers adopted it to label their non-conformist wines, it has evolved to include mid-priced and premium wines as well with international reputations.

Whereas AOP limits vine growers to about a dozen of approved varietals, IGP producers have a list of about 80 grape varieties to choose from and can opt to make a mono-varietal wine, a bi-varietal one made from two varieties or a blended wine made from three or more varietals. As you would expect from a warm region, red wine makes up the majority of IGP (and AOP) wines in Languedoc at about 60% of production with rosé and white making up equal shares of about 20% each.

The multitude of different soil types and the permitted use of ‘international’ varietals such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc allows for experimentation and innovation and the result is an extraordinary range of red, white and rosé wines.  But although there is a lot of flexibility when making IGP wines, there are very strict criteria to adhere to especially with regards to where the grapes are grown and the wine is produced. Bottle labelling must state if the wine is regional, departmental or zonal.

Régional IGP wines in Languedoc-Roussillon are called IGP Pays d’Oc. The grapes for these wines can originate from anywhere within both Languedoc-Roussillon, and like in the New World the rules for how wines are made are far less strict to encourage innovation and creativity. These wines are about territory and grape variety rather than the personality of terroir and the art of assemblage. However none of these are ruled out and the wines still retain a ‘Languedoc-Roussillon’ character when grown in the Pays d’Oc. The majority of these wines are single varietal which has helped make this the most successful IGP in France.

There are 4 Departmental IGPs, each carrying the names of the departments where the grapes are grown; IGP Aude, IGP Hérault, IGP Gard and IGP Côtes Catalanes.

Within these Departmental IGPs there are 23 Zonal IGPs: only a small percentage of producers label their wines this way and labelling will accurately pinpoint the areas where the grapes come from and where the wine was produced.

It is amongst these that we find the special wines of the Cévennes and the Pont du Gard…

Biodynamic Wine

What is biodynamic wine?

If you have ever heard a winemaker tell you that he buries cow horns, previously filled with dung, at the beginning of winter and that he plans to dig them up in the spring to spread them in his vineyards, rest assured that you are not crazy, and neither is he! He is simply a biodynamic wine maker, and although chances of him using cow horns are slim these days, he has a more global vision of viticulture which is very different from traditional viticulture.

The concept of biodynamic farming may be familiar to you, but few fully understand it. If you think that biodynamics is something akin to organic farming, you’re half right. While both types of agriculture eschew chemical fertilizers and pesticides, biodynamic farming also incorporates aspects of astrology. Among its central precepts is the idea that hidden elements connect a vineyard with the farmers who care for and cultivate it—and with the wider world and universe.

Biodynamic wine finds its source in a vineyard that has created a sustainable ecosystem.
In biodynamic growing, the vineyards are considered to be a living organism. Biodynamic practices aim to strengthen the unity, balance and resistance of this organism, and thus create harmonious living conditions between the earth, the heavens, the plant and its entire ecosystem. Cultivation focuses on prevention and on enhancing the soil and the vines in their natural environment, as well as creating an equilibrium between pests that are predators and prey.

The use of pesticides and artificial herbicides in the vineyard is absolutely prohibited, and winemakers allow nature do all of the work. For example, sheep may be left to roam throughout the vineyard plots. This not only helps to contain the weeds, it also helps to fertilise the vines. Chickens may also be introduced into the vineyards; they will feed on the bugs as well as help fertilise the soil.

With the climate of southern France ideally suited to organics and biodynamics, it’s no surprise that some producers here are embracing environmentally conscious viticulture.

MAINTAINING A LIVING ENVIRONMENT

There are four different types of days biodynamic farmers need to follow: root days, flower days, fruit days and leaf days. Each of these days has specific tasks that must be completed. Root days are when the pruning should take place, flower days are when it’s best to leave the vineyard alone, fruit days are when it’s best to harvest, and leaf days are when the plants should be watered. That said, in viticulture, pragmatism and flexibility are in order; the weather ultimately defines how and when the above can be applied!

Biodynamic growing creates vines that are naturally more resistant. The vine adapts to its environment and is better able to cope with the stress caused by adverse weather conditions and diseases. The effects of this growing method can be seen in the soil, which becomes loose, dark, rich in life and organic matter. As a result, the soil is better able to combat drought.

Growers must also generate as much fertility as possible on site; biodiversity is most important with the presence of animals, birds and insects to create a healthy, naturally balanced environment. Composting is also crucial, and growers must make use of nine biodynamic “preparations” to help promote soil and plant health. These preparations, made of such ingredients as cow manure, herbs, and chopped-up oak bark, are sprayed onto the vines.

BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity in the vineyard reflects the natural balance of the vineyard environment and its interactions with the fauna (animal life) and flora (plant life) in it.

An established ecosystem contains a community of living things in balance with each other and their environment. The more numerous and genetically diverse these interactions are, the higher the biodiversity and the better buffered and more sustainable a system will be. For example, if a particular species declines due to changing weather conditions, then other species may be available to carry on with essential ecosystem functions.

The Duché d'Uzès

A duchy and a vineyard steeped in history, lying between Pont du Gard and the Cévennes mountains.

Located to the northwest of Nimes, the vineyard stretches from the Pont du Gard, all the way to the foothills of the Cévennes to the west. The area is bordered by the foothills of the Cévennes to the west, the Lussan limestone massif, to the north, while vast limestone plateaus and woodland expand out to the east and south, standing between Nimes, Sommières, and the Rhone Valley.

The wines of the Duché d’Uzès are all blended wines. These powerful wines are made using the great Mediterranean grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre for the reds; Viognier, Marssanne, Roussanne for the whites. 



The area enjoys a Mediterranean climate, though slightly gentler due the distance from the coast and the high ground that curbs the maritime influence. The temperature varies more widely than in coastal regions, with significant differences between day and night. The local geology has created a variety of small formations with pockets of sandstone, marl, pebbles, scree, alluvia, hard limestone, etc. These formations are dotted across the landscape, forming the mosaic of soils that are one of the strengths of the Duché d’Uzès vineyard.

Wines of the Delta

The Costières de Nîmes is the key wine-growing zone of Western Europe’s largest river delta.  It’s not Languedoc, and it’s not Provence either.  It’s the Camargue where the Rhône reaches the sea via a multitude of ever-changing mouths, and where, over hundreds of thousands of years has dumped huge terraces and banks of rolled pebbles en route - the same as the famous galets roulés of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

But Is it a different terroir to Châteauneuf?  Certainly.  It’s much closer to the sea, and much more clearly maritime. The sea wind comes in every afternoon in summer and temperatures drop significantly. These ‘maritime entrants’, as they are locally called, always bring moist air as well as cooling breezes. That is something the Mourvèdre loves. The region’s other key variety is Syrah of a fleshy, voluptuous style. And Grenache makes up the trilogy but it is less widely planted here than in Châteauneuf.

Costières de Nîmes encloses the virtually unknown white wine appellation of Clairette de Bellegarde. Created in 1949, the Clairette de Bellegarde appellation was intended to provide distinction between the more usual style of southern French wines and the unique style of Bellegarde's Clairette-based output.

The history of the Clairette de Bellegarde AOC vineyards dates back to the ancient Greeks who planted the vines, and to the Romans who played their part in developing them. Much later, local monastic communities – here the Abbey of St Romain – also had a hand in boosting viticulture in Terre d’Argence. The area is impacted by the presence of a number of inland waterways including the Rhône, the Petit Rhône, a series of streams and brooks, the Canal du Rhône to Sète and the Philippe Lamour canal.

Few people have had the chance to try the white wines of this appellation - probably because of it’s size. Only 7ha of that remain in cultivation today. Its wines are made by 7 winegrowers only, in a cooperative winery and in private cellars.

Wines of the Cévennes.

The Cévennes, the south-eastern corner of the Massif Central, is a hard and beautiful land, but it is also filled with the dazzling light of the warm south and the sense of freedom that always accompanies vast open spaces. If there really is a heaven, then it probably looks like the flower-strewn rocks and meadows of these timeless limestone uplands.

This rugged, mountainous region is a world of lairs and hideaways, that engenders a spirit of independence and rebellion. But it has also been a land of refuge from persecution, particularly for the Huguenots - the French Protestants, during the Wars of Religion who were protected from attack by the hilly terrain.

Primarily cultivated on limestone soil, the vineyards find themselves in a rolling landscape shaped by rivers with fearfully high water levels, where they stand alongside orchards, olive trees, and grains.

The scattered vineyards of the Cévennes are landscape interspersed with chestnut and olive trees, and mountain sides - a far cry from the carpet of grapevines found on Languedoc’s coastal plain. They enjoy a Mediterranean climate that is cooled by altitude and more moderate winds from the northwest. These both provide micro-climates (terroirs) that are wonderfully suited to viticulture. However, the area is prone to rainstorms caused by the collision of winds from the cold north and the warmer Mediterranean, the redoubtable épisodes cévenols, so most vineyards are planted on slopes where there is enough natural drainage to ensure the vines are not swamped or flooded. Here, excellent exposure to sunlight and the prevailing winds help grapes reach optimal ripeness

The winemakers of the Cévennes have a taken full advantage of the French IGP classification for which the Languedoc is famous. Their rebellious and independent spirit has translated into innovation. The micro-climates of the region and the long list of permitted grape varieties in IGP Cévennes wines have allowed them to handcraft extraordinary blends that are unavailable anywhere else in France.

Sunny days followed by cool nights boost the level of balance and finesse; the reds are characterized by their elegance, their aromatic strength, and their tannic structures;  the whites and the rosés are medium to full bodied yet supported by a lovely acidity and fruitiness.