The harvest ball

Good morning, my friends !

When I woke up this morning, I felt a certain restlessness in the air. Trusting my legendary instincts, I went out as usual into the castle courtyard, my wig still a little ruffled, and watched.

What did I see then? Troops of grape-pickers, basket and shears in hand, waving in a perfectly orchestrated ballet. I deduced that they were there. Yes, the ones we wait for every year, I named… the harvest! Curious and excited as a flea, I decided to learn a little more from the providential man, the master of the vines, David Houdet. “My dear, what happened in this 2018 vintage? Tell me about it! “Always kind and affable, the vineyard manager was not shy. I learned that the vintage had not been a restful one and had given the estate’s teams a few cold sweats. The onset of winter and the rainy, mild spring left the field open to the dreadful and vile fungus called “mildew”, requiring constant vigilance to avoid destroying the harvest.

Then, after this high dose of water, a great drought suddenly fell on the vineyard from July 21st. Listening attentively to my interlocutor, and strengthened by my few viticultural knowledge, I asked him: “but my friend, I thought that the lack of water was favourable to the vine? “The vineyard manager instantly enlightened my lantern: “as in everything, excess is not good, Marquis. The vine needs water for its growth. But, unlike clay, our very filtering gravel soils do not retain water. If we had to take a picture, it’s a bit like growing a flower on the beach. You can still plant it, but without hydration, it dies! “David Houdet explained to me metaphorically.

Not wanting to, in the face of this suspense, and anxious to accompany my future feasts with a beautiful bottle of Château Marquis de Terme 2018, I continued to question him by stamping my feet: “finally, will this 2018 be divine, easy to drink, dazzling? “With an amused look on his face in the face of my impatience, he replied: “Rest assured, Marquis, the outcome of this vintage is a happy one. 2018 will be rich, with a very aromatic profile and a beautiful tannic structure. “Then stopping suddenly, he stared at me intensely behind his glasses, and said: “Can I confide a secret to you, Marquis? “As a man of my word, I assured him of my reliability.

“We have tasted the first juices and it seems that I have ‘vintage of the century’ tattooed on my teeth,” he confessed to me, smiling with…all his teeth! “We’re making 2018 the vintage we’ve never made, a real bomb in sight!”

Delighted by this pleasing announcement, I set off again to go about my business, after having encouraged the vineyard manager, now that the harvest is over, to go for a little nap to regenerate… before the 2019 vintage!