Cave de Sauveterre - Vignerons de Bordeaux

A desire to turn back the clock in a leisurely fashion was the purpose of this demonstration, ‘Harvest 1900’, held at Sauveterre de Guyenne on the 19th September.   The harvest was opened by the confraternity present.

With a background of folkloric music and dancing the harvesters - dressed as their ancestors would have been -   commenced their task.  A brandishing of secateurs, a merry-go-round of wicker baskets garnished with beautiful bunches of grapes, a procession of clogs and images of a by-gone age, not forgetting the good humour. . . . all these were on the programme.

This was the occasion for some to recall souvenirs of a hand-picked wine harvest and for others to discover this laborious yet convivial work.  The fruit of their labours was transported - observing the pure tradition - in a cart to the wine cooperative of Sauveterre, where a glass of ‘bourru’ (unfermented grape juice) was offered in honour of the willing grape cutters.  The day’s event was closed by a well-earned meal and a traditional ball, which helped to forget the slight aches which had been incurred by the afternoon’s grape harvesting.   Our next rendez-vous, arranged for the harvest of 2010, will be at the home of the wine producer Mr Marty, this time it will be the bottling of the wine ‘Harvest 1900’.

Let’s bet that this vintage 2010 will have a very special taste to the palette of these ‘harvesters for a day’.