Vine cycles : Winter

# Winter in France: we cut the vines!

From December to March, in the vineyards of France is the operation of pruning.  Once harvest is completed, leaves disappear. The wood become brown and sap go down. The advantage of wood cutting is to limit the grapes and concentrate them.

# Different way of pruning

Depending on wine regions, grape varieties and vineyards.

During the exam reviews I took advantage of good weather to go to the Villa Quat'z Art, an area that produces wines in the Languedoc AOC and AOC Saint Chinian. 
 




#Carignans are cut into the cup "Gobelet",  







 








#Mourvèdre, Syrah, ad some Grenache in "Cordon Royat" 


In the picture we see  two rods following the wire, and on top we leave beginning of branch from where will start two new branch.





 

# Grenache in "Guillot Simple".

One the picture only one piece of wood stay. We keep it and fold it.

To finish, the materiel we used for pruning : 

It's not a bird, but it looks like no?












Thanks for reading
LIWB

Welcome on the Bottle : François Desperriers

Welcome François Desperriers aka @BourgogneLive 

Who are you ?
I'm François Desperriers et behind me on the picture, this is Aurélien Ibanez co-founder of the website Bourgogne Live. We are wine lovers and we have one foot in Burgundy and one foot on the web.





What is your background "story", experience in the wine?
I have no experience at all. I'm a baby in wine. I love people who make, drink and talk about wine. I will learn everyday like Aurélia Fillion said : one bottle after one bottle.

What is your website / blog?
Bourgogne Live

What is your best memory in the wine?
One day we were meeting  at Meursault Véronique and Nicolas Bernard-Bonnin in their cellar for an interview. I had a terrible headache...
I tasted a little glass of their Meursault Genevrières 2009 right out the barrel and the miracle... no more headache at all ! This is the truth !

Thank you François :)
LIWB  

Welcome on the Bottle : Jean-Charles Chapuzet

It's my pleasur to present you one of my favorite french writer.

Welcome Jean-Charles Chapuzet aka Biiiip "a pen name exist to remain secret"
 
Who are you ?

Jean-Charles Chapuzet, journalist about wine, free, endangered species

What is your background "story", experience in the wine?

I discover the wine during my adolescence, just for the drunkenness. After, I found that well. During my studies, I sold barrels for earn money. My grand-father was a "spiritmaker" about cognac. So, when I worked in Figaro, literary critic, I began to write on the wine. No studies, no licence about wine. I'm as my readers, an amateur. 

What is your website / blog?

www.jcchapuzet.com/

What is your best memory in the wine?
I'm not going to say like Gérard Lanvin "with my best friend, in the corner of the fire, around a big cassoulet". I remember a mythic "petanque" in Australia with Michel Chapoutier, three hours to the libano-Syrian customs with Stéphane Derenoncourt. And a diner at Mendoza with a winemaker who explain he was Argentine since generations; but he was typified German, not at all South American, may be his father was a nazi refugee. Why not?

Thank you Jean-Charles :) 
LIWB

Welcome on the Bottle : Shirley Jagle

Welcome 

Shirley Jagle aka @shirleyjagle

- Who are you ?

Entrepreneur for a living, I’m a taste explorer the rest of the time. Traveling from one wine to another, making the most of each discovery, keep on learning about hidden wonders.

- What is your background "story", experience in the wine?

Everything began with a teacher getting my attention on a Saint Chinian project. Then I fall deeply in love with the wine world, applied for a job at Jean-Merlaut and Aries-Vins.com, and crossed Vitisphere road.  I am now continuing on this path for the best.

- What is your website / blog?

I used to have a blog but unfortunately don’t have the time to write anymore.

But you can always read me on Twitter or Facebook ;)

- What is your best memory in the wine?

I just lived a great wine memory, hard to forget. I was celebrating with friends and family, while they made me discover Château Rayas for the very first time. Of course I heard about the legend of Emmanuel Reynaud, already tasted Château des Tours but here it’s a step further. With a 2000 vintage, it gave me shiver from nose to palate. Not ready to forget that. 

Thank you Shirley :) 
LIWB 

Château Macay

Château Macay

It’s a pleasure for us to present you Château Macay (pronounced Macaille). We tasted some of its wine thanks to a member of our group who works at the Château.

Little History

Hervé Descouvieres, became the new owner of Château Macay in February 2012.  We decided to tell you his first year as a owner of this vineyard. Mr Descouvieres and his family decided to live their passion for wines. That’s why they have been attracted by the Château Macay which has been existed since the nineteenth century, and has a history and high quality wines which perfectly reflect the character of the Cotes de Bourg. The new owner care to the quality of his wines.

“We want to make a pleasure product”

H.Descouvières owner of Château Macay

 

 

 # What ?

Château Macay is located in the heart of the appellation Côtes de Bourg, so it benefits from goods climatic conditions. It’s measured 42 hectares from which 28 hectares are in production.

A wine made thanks to an important selection of plots that perfectly captures the character of the Côtes de Bourg.
Supported by tannins present but silky, this wine offers a wide aromatic palette imbued with aromas of candied fruit.

#Who?

Château Macay work with several kind of distributor or customers, old customers who coming directly at the property, lots of restaurant or bar in bordeaux and burgundy regions, retailers companies like Auchan, and also directly with some wine trade companies in Belgium, USA, China, United Kingdom and New Zealand (specialy Auckland).

#How?

The grapes of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec destined to become Château Macay are harvested by hand, the property changed its winemaking process into reasoned agriculture, setting tank by gravity, the Château Macay is aged in oak barrels for 12 months

Welcome on the Bottle : Julien Maingraud

NEW : Lifeinwine Bottle Team is happy to presente you a wine lover. Welcome in the wine actors discovery world.



 Welcome

Julien Maingraud aka @extraterrien


- Who are you ?

I am a boy embarked on the epicurean ship.
Fond of gin and other divine nectars,
I am looking for eternity moments.


 

- What is your background "story", experience in the wine?

Take a few studies in Wine & Spirits business,
Add a certain amount of advertising accounts from the same business, managed with communication agencies.
Mix them with a passion for meeting and sharing with wine lovers.
Get the feeling that you open a part of history when opening each bottle.

- What is your website / blog?

Once upon a time, a blog which shares stories about wine, spirits & gastronomy.
www.extraterrien.com
 
- What is your best memory in the wine? 

I do not especially have any best memory, emotions are uncontrollable!
The charm of these moments comes from the alchemy between many aspects, there must be a Twist, and wine is a catalyst!
Magic mostly happens when you expect it the least, when you are with friends, enjoying different dishes, or sometimes, only with a good song.
But I also love discovering new flavors, to be surprised and charmed by wines elaborated out of the box.
I am looking forward to tasting the next bottle.

Thank you Julien :) 
LIWB

Vinocamp Cognac 2013 - After

The Vinocamp it was last weekend, back on a memorable event ! Beginning on Friday with a meal at the restaurant the Globe. Workshops began the next day at the BNIC , Bureau National de l'Interprofession de Cognac.

Copyrights @gjapiot #Vinocamp

Life in a bottle can't be at several places at a same time, here are the workshops we followed :
1) Multichannel strategy
2) Social Networks in Asia
3) Succeed in online wine sales outside of France

The entire day was ponctuate by animation, Cognac, wine and food tasting. All the participants had the chance to taste several Cognac based cocktails, Bordeaux Wines and also participant's wines from Loire Valley, Burgundy, Natural wines etc. 

This incredible journey ends by a firework : the visit of Meukow Cognac House. After an insighful tour, all guests assisted to an amazing flair demonstration. It's your turn to discover it :

Millésime Bio organic wines fair

 The 28^th, 29^th and 30^th on January in Montpellier will be held “Millesime bio”, an exhibition of 700 producers of organic wines expected to 3500 visitors for these 3 days.

Several words on this new trend: 

Production:

With 61 055 hectares in organic agriculture in France in 2011 against 50 268 hectares in 2010 meaning a rising of 21% in a year the organic vines represents now 7, 4% of the total French vineyard.
This sector is the most dynamic in France and involved more and more producers.

Consumption:

In 2011, 1/3 French consumes organic wine frequently or sometimes according to a market study directed by Ipsos/SudVinBio.

The trade increased by 11% in 2011 towards 2010 with a benefit of 359 million Euros in France and developed also to export (Germany, United States, Japan, etc) representing 34% of the international turnover.

Today, France is the third organic wine producer behind Spain and Italy.

Actuality :

A little revolution in the wine world. Since  the 1^st August 2012, the organic wine has an European label which takes into account the method of wine making. The French organic wines could be called now “vin bio” instead of “vin issu de raisins de l’agriculture biologique”, it means that until this reform, only the grapes was considered as organic. Now, the grapes should be organic but also the way of wine making must be certified by the European committee. It is a new  constraint for producers but a very good point for customers whose want to buy organic wines.

Now let’s note the 3 favorite organic wines

  

Alsace – Domaine Pierre Frick Pinot Gris Sélection de Grains Nobles – 2007

The mouth expresses notes of quince jam, apricot and honey. A very long and fresh final mouth

Pierre Frick winery was converted in organic agriculture in 1970. Its whole production is selling within the property.

Price : 14-18 €

Lubéron – Château La Canorgue Coin Perdu – Rouge 2009

This vintage offers a very specific wine, heavy and fine with notes of mature black fruits and pralines.

Château de la Canorgue is a family property located in the heart of Lubéron and is organic from more than 30 years ago.

Price : 15-20 €

Bourgogne- Domaine La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles – Blanc 2009

Agrums and citrus aroms. A long and whole wine in mouth. This vintage is a blend of “young vines” (23 to 48 years old) of vineyard.

La soufrandière is an organic producer since 2000.

Price : 14-18 €

Vinocamp Cognac 2013 - Before

 

Hang on, the first Vinocamp of 2013 is coming !

A Vinocamp is a joyous meeting of wine world stakeholders in all their diversity, whom meet regularly to discuss web and social networks issues, comparing their views, providing solutions to those who are web beginners.

--> Meetings are organized around workshops, set in the early morning and driven by the participants themselves. 

"Vinocamp: When wine stars come together, it makes sparks!" Emilie

It's definitely a moment of intense branstorming on the issues occuring in the wine industry, web, new technologies and future changes. This is the opportunity to step into the small world of a thousand players.

Next week-end, from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th a Vinocamp will be held at Cognac,
the French region worldwide known for its spirits.

Of course a member of our blog will attend it and will write back at you a full report of what was said and what was saw !

More info on the official website > VinoCamp