A NEW and LUCKY Vintage

Dear Friends,

For our 4th harvest, I have changed a bit our "routine" with NEW habits. And I have surely been helped by Angels (probably you, Dear supporters) who have tuned it to be a very successful and LUCKY vintage.

Our routine has been a little changed this year. The first NEW thing was to offer our Dear pickers beer on tab. And, boy, this Alp Mirco-Brewry of "Alphand" was really, like his ski founder, World Champion Class. The secong NEW thing was that, for the frist time, the US team was the biggest in numbers. And it was actually even more bigger when NEW 83 years old Lou showed up to help harvest (his very first one) vines that are almost his age. Lou was a bit younger when the Pink Floyd played that song and music has been a NEW addition to bring the good spirit while harvesting. In order to also relax, we also took some Yoga with Sara and the last NEW addition this year has been the "official" harvest diploma that all our Dear pickers got in reward to their efforts.

  

But this vintage has not been so easy despite its defintive quality. Even if the big LUCK was to get almost 2 weeks with rains, the odds could had been quite problematical...True is that, after having picked the rosé, we had some welcoming rains which have permitted to compensate for the very dry summer and bring a bit more juice to our berries. On the pure mecanical side, we had 3 minor ones with our old machines falling apart but even if at 3 occasions, the harvest in our trailer could have ended on the road, we managed by chance to save them and I even saved my soul one time... And just fater we brought back our last grapes to the cellars, some heavy rains and even some hail came from the sky but soon after the LUCKY awesome rainbow showed up as amessge to tell us that Angels were with us their years.

But harvest is actually not finished for me as I have decided, after my crush on Etna to go back there...and make some wines next week with my friend Ciro Biondi. Harvest there happen to be in October which permits me to do both. While there, I will meet with my Friend Robert Camuto who will be back to the US to sign his great book on the West Coast. If you are around, you are invited to meet him. Here is the link for his coming events.

And on my side, I have been also a bit under the "light" recently as I was invited to a TV show that you can watch (in French) via this link (note that depending on computers, the media player does not work). And we were also very happy to see our Mistral red 2008 rewarded with one star in the very respected Guide Hachette des Vins.

Our Dear Vines are now resting after having delivered their babies which are still fermenting in our very aromatic cellars. They will then get into some deserved sleeping before waking up in next Spring. It will then be time to consider another NEW vintage, hopefully as LUCKY as this one.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc
Domaine Rouge-Bleu 

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Last update...
As I said earlier (when I wrote it last week), I was supposed to continue my harvest marathon in...Sicily. But, during our harvest, I managed to loose both my ID and Passport and, this time, I was not LUCKY enough to pass the security with my driving license. I am now back at the farm, managing my Sicilian harvest "online" with my Ciro who has been so kind to understand my situation. Please join your spirits to mine for this Sicilian harvest on which you will be posted, of course...and here is the first video of the grapes.

PS : All harvest videos can be watched by login to my Youtube channel (jmespinasse). Photo Album will put added as I receive them. For now, you can watch Elizabeth's super pro ones. 

Comments

[Jens, Copenhagen, Denmark]

Congrats!
The bikini girl will surely bring you quite a new audience! If it's OK with Kristin, please bring more of the same ;-).

[Dad in Palm Springs, CA]

Hello Jimmy

Thanks for sharing your videos with us and congratulations on a successful forth year harvest!

[Denise in the Pacific Northwest]

Congratulations on your fourth seau-throwing (!) and on the good Mistral showing.

Also sorry to hear about losing your passport. I hope you can easily replace it.

Rest up after harvest - and happy bottling. :)

[Tim Stevens]

Because such great effort went into their making, it will be difficult to have to wait for the wines to show up in our market!

[Elissa]

Thank God it's done for this year, a wonderful harvest, and a great vintage to come!!!! Now, you have your life back, your wife your son and daughter, your mother and brother and any extended family, enjoy life as it is...rest, recouperate and the reat of us, still envious will await your next post!!!
Elissa in Florida!

[Joe Lillard]

Yes, it was certainly a "different" vendanges this year - it took us three weeks to harvest Amy and Matt's (I Cindy and my two new plots) seven hectares this year. The raisins just did not cooperate this year.

[Natalie Shaby]

Hmm, I have been trying to convince David to take me for the harvest every year! I think he may be more motivated now after viewing the bikini crush!

[Tom Fiorina]

Jean-Marc, thanks for having shared your harvest-experience thoughts. I'm happy to hear that you survived a number of difficulties and I'm certain that your 2010 wine will be magnificent. Too bad that you were unable to harvest in Sicily, but there's always next year. I have to salute Lou for his energy and willingness to travel. My 83-year-old father is going to hear about him. The harvest here in Gaillac was also difficult, with the lack of rain bringing down the yield, particularly for the reds. I start my DNO studies next week in Toulouse, so wish me luck learning Biology and Chemistry in French.

[Amber, Peoria, IL]

Jean-Marc,
I just re-read "A crush on Etna" and I love that you felt there, the same way I felt at Domaine Rouge-bleu! As I read your words and think about your grapes, I am there. It takes me back to late May, drinking your wine, chez vous, with you, Kristin, my husband, Doug, and two Alaskans (Scott and his wife). Sicily was a small world for you, but it is really just a small world overall! I am excited for you for this harvest. I have just been in touch with Tim in Texas and I am planning to order a case for the holidays! I can't wait for the first taste! Merci beaucoup for your passion!

[Pat Cargill]

Congratulations on the 4th harvest. Enjoyed watching the progress through FWAD and now! some very interesting harvest/grape-stompting videos. Would love to sign on early for next year's harvest...put me on the list. If an 83-year-old can do it, perhaps this 63-year-old can, too. Congratulations, Lou, and thanks for the inspiration. So sorry to hear you missed the Sicily experience and hope you find or can easily replace your passport. Looking forward to tasting the 2010 vintage. Cheers, Pat

[Pharmaceutical Packaging Material]

At the end of the day, packaging up your rope is as simple as folding up your tarp and stuffing it into your bag