Dear Friends,
I know that I am not posting much...but this project has not a lot to offer as news as it is still small.
I wanted to start with a big thanks to my friend Robert who managed to capture with talent the spirit of Mas des Brun in this article posted on the Wine Spectator
Our first farming year happened very smoothly. Summer was hot but not too much with a few welcome showers for our fragile baby vines. I took the best care the make sure those baby vines did not get too much "weed" competition as the video below explains...
And they actually grew quite well! Some Mourvedre produced more than my size vine shoots, showing that even with any industrial food, vines can survive !
The hightlight of my summer end season is that I actually had the privilege to be a cellar assistant during harvest at the very famous Château de Pibarnon and where I learned a lot from this place which "does not leave a cigarete paper space" for chance when it is time to pick, by sampling, analysing and tasting every day the grapes that will soon be harvestingand which made, I am sure a wonderful vintage was performed, not thanks to my little help but because Pibarnon always makes the best of the vintage
At the very end of harvest, I had the chance to process in their cellars, a ton of Mourvèdre (producing about 600 Liters of wine) and decided to vinify them sulfur free. Of course, the wonderful sanitary state of the grapes and the modern cellar equipments have been a blessing for this still (at least in Bandol) "newbbie" winemaker who decided to make his first sulfur rose. The result is that I manged not to turn it into vinegar and that it is actually not bad at all...
During my little winemaking experience at Château de Pibarnon, I carefully analysed their cellar's organisation because soon it is going to be time to think about building Mas de Brun cellars. This project is not going to be easy, thechnically, financially and, most of all administravely speaking. Already, I know that I am not eligible just beacause I officially don't have enough agriciltural production registrered...
Yhe other challenge is to be ready to plant our next parcell of vines next March. The "issue" is that we are going to plant right in the middle of the olive groove and that a few tres have to be removed as they were not aligned...
We have also been delayed by the very wet weather which has brought always welcome rain but now, my wish for 2015 is to have a little wind and sun as to be able to welcome another 6000 vines in 2015.
Wishing you a wonderful Holiday Season...and see you in 2015 for new stories @ Mas des Brun
Jean-Marc .. Congratulations on your wonderful endeavor and Merry Christmas from Kauai!
Aloha,
Bill Facker
Rédigé par : Bill Facker | 24/12/2014 à 20:00