Traditionnal "vendange" near Blaye.

On Sunday October 3rd Jeanne and Daniel were expecting about 20 people to come and help them to pick grapes in the old tradition, that meant using clippers to collect the red grapes. We all had volunteered to help out and were happy to be helpful. So we set off at about 8.15am and drove to Blaye. A few kilometres before Blaye we arrived at a village called le Pontet and then to Jeanne and Daniel's house. We saw at once that we were in the right place as there were many cars parked around his property. Jeanne and Daniel have started their own wine production and are keen on organic foods and wine that's why they decided to become organic wine producers . They are far away from the widely recognised classifications but they are passionate about their work striving for the best from their vines year after year.
Our enthusiastic group of pickers who was composed of Daniel's Mum , brother, friends ....was ready to start picking the grapes. We reached the vineyards at 9.30am and we all took a pair of clippers and a bucket to collect the grapes. Daniel gave us the instructions , two people in each row facing each other and there were also the grapes carriers. I started down a line of vines opposite to Linda , she was much quicker than me to pick the grapes!!!
There was also a tractor trailer called a "tombereau" which was used to collect all the grapes and then they were carried to Daniel's "chai " (wine cellar) . We all had good fun while cutting the grapes and unloading our bucket into the the carrier's basket who went off with the heavy load , emptied it into the tractor trailer at the bottom of the field.
The weather in the morning was fine, it was a bit sunny. As midday approached we all had an increasing backache! However there were still two rows left and we finished picking at about 12.30am. Linda and Roy finished picking lying down! Fortunately for us the harvest was completed.
We were all very proud of our work and were invited to celebrate it. It was held in Jeanne and Daniel's future house, a large barn converted into a house. We had an aperitif composed of a glass of white wine , olive cakes and nibbles and then the men started to use a machine that removed the grapes from stalks. That was hard work because it was a hand machine using a large handle.
The process took about 2 hours to empty the two containers. Philippe emptied the two containers and didn't succeed in being replaced as no one was disposed to take his place! He entertained the other pickers who were just watching him!
While Philippe was throwing grapes to the splitting machine Paolo ( An English man who has been living in France for more than 30 years) was carrying them in a large basket climbing up to a ladder and then poured them into a stainless steel wine container. ( that was hard work !)
Then it was about 3pm we had lunch inside Jeanne and Daniel's house. It was a huge meal composed of vegetable tarts to start with , then "c�tes de boeuf " cooked on the barbecue and delicious beans cooked in red wine, cheese and a grape or fig and apple tart.
Daniel brought his own wine to taste, we all liked it very much. The meal ended after some two hours with coffee. We were overcome by Daniel and Jeanne 's hospitality and friendliness.
It was about 5.30 when we kissed goodbye and left thanking Jeanne and Daniel for this moment of great conviviality .