These pictures were taken in the first week of July. We had just finished the final adjustment of the wires, which will support the vines. We tucked all of them in, as if they were getting ready for bed, and feel like we know each and every vine personally! Both the 12 hectares of Grand Cru and the 8 hectares of Bordeaux Superior got this necessary treatment. The weather was perfect in almost every way; a few downpours which came unannounced and as the heavens opened, guaranteed we were at the other end of the row of vines, far from the cars and had to run like mad men for shelter. Don’t be fooled though, we don’t stop working when it rains heavily; we just get our waterproofs, cover up and carry on! It takes a lot more than heavy rain to prevent us from tucking in our vines!
A typical day will start for me at 5am when I take the dogs out for a walk. There’s something magical about walking through the vines, just me and the pups, watching the sunrise. By 5:30am I’m in the fields and by 6 am the crew arrive ready and raring to go.
Here is our July work crew, all here to work their hearts out to prepare this year’s harvest. We have a couple of permanent staff who work their wonders and then a flux of 7 or so for the season. They get a real sense of satisfaction when they can see the results of their hard work. There’s nothing more rewarding than looking back over the fields and seeing the rows of neat vines. You can’t get the same result any other way, just doing it hands on. You can be proud when you know you’ve earned it. It is images like this that make it all worthwhile.
The sunrays beat down on us all day so it’s important to put on some protective cream. The only crew member with blue eyes and blond hair is me, and I put sun cream factor 80 on my face and 20 on my legs. I go through about 3 litres of water per day just keeping up the fluids. By the end of the day the whole crew is exhausted and there’s nothing I like better than being able to sit outside in the shade and relax.
Although as any winemaker would know, the day isn’t over when you come in from the fields. As one working day comes to an end, another begins and I go to the office and start the paperwork. That’s partly why I’m writing this only now!
