Griffonnage

Scratching ("Griffonner") the soil on a beautiful fall day

Dear wine lovers,

Our current Indian summer has permitted our vines to keep on accumulating sun energy since not all the leaves haven't fallen on the ground, showing us their beautiful colors which change from each variety.

Before life stops for a few months, it is still time to stimulate life and think about the future :
- Stimulating the underground microbian life, which is one of the reasons I follow the biodaynamy concepts, can be done now by scratching the soil. This way, oxygen aerate it and permits to compost dead leaves. I also use a special preparation MT 500 (mainly made from cow ...) to ameliorate this organic decomposition.
- Replacing the dead vines by news ones. Even if the baby vine will be planted next spring, it is now time to make the future holes so that the hopefully winter rain (which we now need so much) will create water reserve for the future planted vine.

When I am done with these tasks, I will have completed a full year of vine care. I am almost impatient to start pruning just to have this great accomplishment feeling.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc Espinasse - Domaine Rouge-Bleu

Comments

[Diane Scott]

Your are soooo right! It IS a WONDERFUL WORLD!!!! (Especially now that the world's citizens can speak directly to one another via the internet and not just through pompous, prevaricating politicians.)

[Terri Savage]

A wonderful world is parfait, Jean Marc. Merci beaucoup for a lovely start to my day.

Have a marvelous day.... and Happy Farming!

[Phyllis E. Morton]

Hope that your future years are as much fun.

[Amy]

How proud you must be to be coming to the end of a full year, with wine in the cellar and things going forward.

It's good to be reminded of the continuity of the seasons, and that there are those who still have their finger on Mother Nature's pulse -- it is, indeed, a wonderful world.

[Emma McWold]

Ah Jean Marc, merci pour tout! Les mots du chanson et la voix de M. Armstrong son merveilleux. Chaque e-mail, avec les photos et l'information de la Domaine Rouge Bleu c'est comme une petite vacantion en France. Merci encore!

What a wonderful world... Oh yeh.

[Sarah]

WHEN WILL WE SEE THE FINAL-CHOICE OF LABEL?
'CAN'T WAIT!
MERCI POUR TOUT!

[Janine Cortell]

Bonne continuation Jean-Marc. Je suis impatiente de voir votre choix.
Janine Cortell

[Linnette]

Jean-Marc,
Sounds like you are having drought conditions like here in the south east U.S. It is a "wonderful world" and we need to protect it from pollution, wasteful desires, and politicians with narrow minds...sorry Georgie!
It would be nice for everyone to just get along. I get so upset when I hear my fellow Americans talk badly about the French and how rude they seem to think they are. I have found all my experiences there to be just the contrary.
I wish you luck with you vin adventure ! Sounds like you have the passion and the drive to make it work!

P.S. do you know any single French Guys who are looking for an american girl? I need to get outta here!
I am

[Angela George]

Jean-Marc:
I admire your tenacity and passion for life! It's encouraging and refreshing.

[Claire Fontaine]

Congratulations on your first year! It's truly a delight to follow your progress - the wine will taste all the more special for seeing how the grapes became the lovely elixer in my glass.

[Carole Buschmann]

What a grand surprise!! I love the music and the sentiment!! Bon Chance! Carole

[Kathleen]

Jean-Marc, congratulations on your wonderful accomplishment. I am especially interested in your biodaynamy concepts and applaud you. My daughter and her husband live a sustainable lifestyle off the grid in a strawbale house they built themselves on a farm where they raise all of their organic meat, fish and produce. I have even found their indoor compost toilet quite acceptable. How wonderful it is now to follow your respectful adventure with Mother Earth. Best wishes for many happy and successful years of harvesting.

[Marianne]

[Sorry, I don't know what I am supposed to put in the "URL" field.]

Vous avez travaille beaucoup, et je vous felicite d'avoir tant fait. C'est un nouveau metier pour vous, n'est-ce pas? Vous avez bien et vite appris.

Moi, aussi, attends la choix finale d'etiquette.

[Pat]

SON et lumiere, c'est formidable. Thanks for the delight; almost as good as a glass of great wine.

Pat

[MP HAYWARD]

Skyes of blue....
Bright blessed days...
What a wonderful word!

So many thanks Jean-Marc for this song and for sharing step by step your knowledge and your work.
All success to your biodynamic winemaking!

[Bob Spencer]

Félicitations, monsieur.

[Philip Steel, Jr.]

Glad to have you back - missed word-of-the-day and wine news for a couple of months. What happened.

Interested in th "Les Copains" Wine Society, but quantity required is too much.Any other options?

Thanks,

Phil Steel, Jr.