Growing Wine in France

Wine growing and harvesting: A grapevine produces for 30 years. It takes three years for a young grapevine to begin producing and six years to reach its normal production. Pruning takes place in winter and the vines are sprayed several times a year in order to eradicate the grapevines' enemies: mildew, phylloxera, oidium and vicoses. Artificial clouds protect against frost.

Winegrowing methods vary from one region to another. In Burgundy harvesting the stems begins without delay. In the Bordeaux region, however, harvesting takes place over three weeks, especially for the sweet white wines, and the grapes are harvested as soon as the grape reaches absolute maturity, and not before. The workers go from grapevine to grapevine each day picking only the fully ripe bunches to ensure the sweetness of the grapes. They are called "rotis" (roasted by the sun.)

In Champagne, the grapes are carefully cut off the vine with scissors and any grape that isn't perfect is removed. The grapes are then transported in special carts equipped with springs. Once they reach the winegrower's facility the grapes are stripped from the stems, either totally or partially depending on the region and placed into vats where the grapes are pressed to burst the skins; certain wines, however, retain their grapes intact, with the skin on. The pressing (foulage) is now done by machines, except for very small private wine growers. For centuries this was done by men. The author remembers spending hours under a hot September sun, jumpings in vats with several other little girls, squashing the grapes. It took months to get rid of the stains on our legs. The skins were collected and thrown to the side and chicken gorged themselves, until they were drunk, falling and running in circles. They loved their "vin nouveau."

Once the skins are removed, the grapes are placed in vats where they will ferment. For many centuries these vats were made of wood, but these days they have been replaced by stainless steel vats, with the exception of certain grands crus wines.

The legal definition of wine: The product of the fermentation of fresh grapes. Fermentation occurs spontaneously due to the yeast contained naturally in the grapes. According to Pasteur, the temperature required for fermentation must not exceed 35 degrees Celsius and never reach below 19 degrees. The ideal temperature is 25 degrees. The length required for fermentation varies according to regions, from twenty four hours to fifteen days. Modern tendencies seem to prefer shorter periods. In Burgundy, for example it is now only one or two days. The wine is then filtered and put into oak barrels where fermentation continues at low temperatures. Ordinary table wine is then delivered for consumption and quality wines are allowed to stay in barrels for three or four years before being poured into bottles where they will continue to age.

Our next article will be dedicated entirely to Champagne. See you then.

Francine Fuqua - author, artist and lover of life. Born in war-torn France at the beginning of World War II, I have experienced and remember the horrors of war. Having witnessed the pain and suffering of so many, I have a true love of life and appreciate the freedom I now have living in the United States of America. Join me in a celebration of art, french cooking, my family's rich history and my native country at.

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All You Need to Know About "Old World" and "New World" Wine

The earliest New World winemakers in the 18th and 19th centuries generally followed the principles of the wine making techniques present in European countries at that time, with the intent of creating wines that strongly resembled those obtainable in Europe. However, their own climates and soils were totally different; often having to put up with sweltering temperatures never encountered in the Old World homeland. For example, settlers in California found the scorching heat was too much for the production of superior Wine grapes, until finally they realized the valleys of Napa as well as Sonoma could take advantage of the gaps within the Coastal range of mountains which sucked in cold air and fog from the ocean, providing the essential cooling element so necessary for top class wine.

New World wines are usually defined as "Wines produced in regions established by colonies of European exploration, which started with a number of the longer voyages in the 15th century."
Put simply, New World wines are all those developed in areas other than Europe and the Mediterranean countries.
It was during the 1960s, when traditions ended up being questioned, and boundaries were coming down, which gave New World Wine its chance for worldwide success. Brought about within the US by men such as Robert Mondavi and in Australia by Max Schubert of Penfolds, there came the desire to change and improve on the Old order. This arrived in combination with a complete rethink of how to explain and market the wines.

Initially, the New World were simply using well-known names from the Old World; "Australian Burgundy" and "Californian Chablis" became commonplace. International law quickly caught up with this particular practice, however, ruling that Burgundy or Chablis are only able to be made in Burgundy or Chablis. so even though the New World producer would use identical grapes and identical techniques to produce a top quality version of one of these famous wines, he could not use any name which the customer would recognise.

These producers soon came to the conclusion that it was the flavour belonging to the different grape varieties that was the single most important factor in their wines, and arrived at the solution of varietal labelling.They highlighted the grape variety on the label, their own name, and left it at that. This has changed the whole way we think about, speak about, choose - and most importantly - buy Wine. We now know the importance of the various grapes, as it is these varieties, as opposed to the place of origin, that is stressed on the label. We are all now used to ordering a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or a Rioja. No other idea has made the enjoyment of Wine so easily accessible to every one.

This accessibility has led to a willingness to experiment: to purchase and experience the type of wine we enjoy, no matter where it was made, New World or Old World. Now the Old World has recognized that it must move into this modern World so that it can compete and survive, and the naming of grapes on labels has become almost as popular in Europe as anywhere in the winemaking World.

The task for the newer producers is to produce wines which have the high quality of the originals from the Old World, that will have the staying power to keep them being purchased and enjoyed by wine lovers around the world. This really is all good news for us; it means that we have a larger choice of wines than ever before, from a wider variety of places. Additionally, it means that we have a opportunity to experience what some of the world's best wines have to offer - at a reasonable price.

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