Salut, tout le monde! (hi, everybody) You’ve arrived at the perfect moment! It’s September, in the South of France and the summer has warmed both the earth and the sea. The air hangs heavy with the odor of ripening grapes on the vine as the harvest begins. It seems the perfect moment to start our journey, dear Stationary Traveler. Come, let us take to the road and see the vineyards! (This photo is of Mas Deu, run by the Olivier family)
It is time for “La Vendange” – a phrase that describes the cutting of grapes particularly for wine making but can also mean the harvest itself or even refer to the vintage of the wine. Our region of the Languedoc-Roussillon depends both on the tourists who visit, and the fruits and vegetables that grow in abundance. Of the agricultural bounty, wine grapes make up a substantial portion.
The rolling landscape of the Pyrenees Orientals is embraced by mountains and caressed by the Mediterranean Sea. Small roads lined with leafy trees wind through row after row of carefully tended vines that are loaded with bunches of ripening grapes. Some are green-white and others range from cherry red to a black-blue shade. This is our favorite time of the year! Most of the summer tourists have left for home and the roads are fairly empty. But occasionally we will find ourselves in a short line of traffic, just the same. The aroma of grapes fills our car and we can see why – ahead is a small tractor pulling a grape-laden carrier. This is the cause of the traffic and each car has to wait until the way is clear and visible. Just as importantly, each makes sure there is no small dirt track in the fields to the left up ahead before overtaking. The tractor may casually turn into that lane without a thought of signaling. After all, what could be more important than the delivery of that precious cargo? (Here is one doing just that!)
We have planned our trip to avoid the main highway and travel the more leisurely route along the departmental (county) roads that throw out a web in all directions from the principle city of Perpignan. The reward is a stunning patchwork of green countryside, long vistas of the Alberes foothills to the south, small villages clustered around rustic churches, and fields accented by occasional bands of Cyprus trees. Now and then, as we climb the rolling hills, you catch a glimpse of the bright blue sea sparkling on the horizon. Golden fields of mown hay add a glow to the scene and you notice a variety of trees serve as field boundaries; Olive, Fig, Bay, Oak, and Poplar to name only a few.
In September our focus turns to the jeweled chains of vines weighed down with grapes. Local wisdom says that the best wines are made from grapes gathered by hand. The fruit must not be bruised. Those who labor to harvest the fruit work in the mornings and late afternoons. We pass their cars parked along the lanes next to the vineyards. They work in groups or alone, moving across the verdant rows, with baskets and small secateurs in hand. The baskets now are mostly plastic and rectangular but occasionally you see the traditional style basket perched high on a worker’s shoulders. It is a large cone-shaped affair worn like a backpack. I’ve been told that it’s easier and quicker to cut bunches and drop them over the shoulder into the basket, leaving both hands free to work. When the baskets are full they are taken to the carrier wagon. Once filled, the wagon ferries the grapes to the winery.
You can see that this outdoor work is not for the faint-hearted and it will last through October. (Feel free to volunteer at Mas Deu with these workers!) The varieties of grape ripen at different times and each vigneron (winemaker) must decide when the grapes have reached the ripeness he desires. Then the harvest must be done swiftly, avoiding the hottest hours of the day, for this has an effect on the fermentation. Fortunately, September is a month of warms days, balmy evenings, and only an occasional rain shower.
Many winemakers in this region welcome visitors and sell wine direct from the winery. You do not need to be a wine snob to admire their agricultural endeavors. In fact, you do not even need to imbibe to be impressed. Some, such as the Co-op at Bages, sell fresh-pressed grape juice. Imagine the most delicious grape cooled into a refreshing beverage with no added sugar or artificial colorings. It’s delicious!
Some winery shops closed while the harvest is brought in, while others continue to allow some trade but may have altered hours. As advised by Jonathan Healey, wine columnist and author of Discovering Wine Country: South of France and The Wines of Roussillon, be sure to call ahead so as not to be disappointed. His excellent books make entertaining reading for both the stationary traveler and those who visit in person. Highly informative about the region, the grapes grown and the history of many wineries, they include contact information as well.
We arrive at our arranged visit to the vineyard at Chateau du Mas Deu, near Trouillas. Visitors are always welcome in the afternoons. At the end of the long drive, you see a handsome stone building set in the midst of the vines, next to the ruins of an ancient chateau. Beyond, stands the beautiful modern family home. Claude Oliver, vigneron and proprietor, meets us at the car and welcomes you like a lifelong friend. A hale and friendly man, his English is accented not only by French but also the regional language of Catalan. He explains to us which varieties of grapes are being cut and gathered in the field. The love he has for his land, the wine and the history of the Chateau where legend says Hannibal with his troops and elephants took repose, becomes easy to understand when admiring the tall vats and stacks of barrels.
A slow moving grape carrier pulls up to the large “Cave”, as such a building is called. This long building where the wine is made, matured, bottled and sold has thick stone walls and a red clay tiled roof. Here, the temperature stays constant all year and on this hot September day, it feels cool and fresh. Watch as the carrier drops its bounty onto a conveyor belt. (See? This is where that tractor went.) The bunches ride into a stainless steel mangler-like vat that strips the grapes from their stems. Next, the grapes are crushed into juice. Claude draws off a large wine glass of pure, fresh grape juice for you to taste. He draws one for himself also. His toast is ‘to wisdom’ for, he tells you confidentially, thanks to the goodness of the grapes and all this hard work, we already have La Sante (health).
In the sun-drenched afternoon, we drive back home through more vineyards busy with the harvest. Now you know where that little carrier is going when it slows down the traffic once more. At this laid back pace, you have a chance to notice that at each town and village we’ve passed there has been a sign with the word “FÊTE” on it. Even without much French, you see that it’s advertising a fun-filled weekend of celebration.
Here at our village fête, there will be traditional folk dancing called La Sardane in the afternoons, displays of art, contests, and an outdoor BBQ with a sit down meal that will fill the school courtyard with tables and hundreds of happy neighbors. The children will enjoy the fun fair with booths and rides. These festivities are a counter-balance the hard work of harvest. It gives everyone a chance to get together, eat, sing, and dance to live music late into the night.
Perhaps you’ll come back and join in the fun? Now, however, it is time for, as the French call it, “le sieste” (the afternoon nap). We loved your company and hope you’ll take care as you drive out of the village where those little carriers will still be trundling along.
We’re so glad you stopped by to share the time of La Vendange. Until next month, dear friend, when we’ll have a chance to Taste the New Wines! À bientôt (See you soon)!