Grapes are gathered, and vineyards abandoned awhile. Then, nature and nuture perform the alchemy that produces our goblet of wine..
Winemaking
(vinification)
art of pressing,
maceration,
fermenting,
and fining,
filtration,
blending,
maturation,
and bottling.
Vintage
A wise winemaker accompanies a winegrape, from its birth, to maturation as a good wine. He cares for it, and provides a nurturing ambient. He lets it live its own life. He does not interfere with its development too much, because this always results in a mediocre wine. As each year is different, with its amount of rainfall, and sunshine, so the grape is different to the year before, and after. Left alone in the barrel, the wine chooses, according to its experience, how it will mature. Its hues of colour, aroma, and taste will be unique, and maybe it will be a good vintage, maybe not. That is tradition.
Le Chai au Quai
Alongside the Dordogne river sits Le Chai au Quai (shay-o-key) built in 1856. Here, wine barrels were stored until rolled across the quay, passed into ‘gabares’ (flatbottomed boats) and then carried down river to the Port of Bordeaux.
Today, in this beautiful, and historic building, wine is made, matured in barrels, then bottled before exportation.
Between Two Tides. 
Je ne connaissais pas le mot “gabare”. Merci ! 🙂
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The story you shared about the winemaker following the grapes on the vine, nurturing them. Nature, with rain and sun, just adds its special effects on the outcome. The photo of the vine was beautiful and the building where it is bottled and sent everywhere, is gorgeous with such a pretty river there, too. Hugs, Robin ♡
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Hope you are not too sad nor traumatized by the bombings still. Horrible and I cried and was depressed for awhile. Being down, though, gives the terrorists the “power” of controlling our lives.
Your posts were and always will be so warm.♡
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Thanks for your thoughts and concerns. We have friends in Paris, they are fine. Like you, and many, many others, I have been deeply touched, feel grief for those that died, or are injured, and I have found it difficult to carry on as normal. Yet, the terror continues today in other parts of the world. I pray that we find some way to replace hate with peace, at least.x
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Lovely post. I enjoyed so much reading how the winemaker remains with the grape through the journey. The photos were exceptional.
Wine-making is becoming very popular here in the Verde Valley Arizona USA right now. I’ve tried some of the desert wines, but still am loyal to French and Italian ones.
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That’s nice to know. Quite a number of Chinese students come to Bordeaux to learn the skills of winemaking. It seems they too are developing a taste for red wine.
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Gorgeous reflection. Did you have a taste?
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We brought a bottle or two home, delicious. Thanks for your compliment.
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Inside that building my husband and I tasted the best wine I had in two weeks in Bordeaux. We spent time with the winemaker, Mark, and it was incredible. My only regret is that I did not buy any of one of the very special and unique wines that Mark was so generous to share with us that day right out of the barrel. He had to rush off to a luncheon appointment, or I would have tried everything to convince him to sell me a bottle. We did, however, not leave empty-handed and I am grateful, at least, for that!
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Hi, thanks for sharing this lovely story. We enjoyed visiting the Chai, and discovering the inside of the building and its past. Unfortunately we had no taste from the barrel, I envy you that expeience.
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