I just love these days when my group comes from the four corners of the world. It always makes for a really fun time! This year, it’s harvesting on the slopes of Bayon on an organic vineyard in the Côtes de Bourg wine making area – the Château des Cots. In the group there were 6 Australians, 1 Japanese, 3 Quebecois, 7 British and 3 Bordelaises.

Saturday 17th September 2011 : Harvesting day in Côtes de Bourg wine area

I just love these days when my group comes from the four corners of the world. It always makes for a really fun time! This year, it’s harvesting on the slopes of Bayon on an organic vineyard in the Côtes de Bourg wine making area – the Château des Cots. In the group there were 6 Australians, 1 Japanese, 3 Quebecois, 7 British and 3 Bordelaises.

From 10.30 a.m., the day harvesters were hard at work and full of good cheer – even though the rain had invited itself to the party! It was unanimously judged “such good fun”!

Now this is something unique on the planet Côtes de Bourg ! I know that the appellation Côtes de Bourg is one of the rare ones which uses up to 10% malbec grape in its wines, but its the first time that i have tasted a Bordeaux with 80% malbec content in the final blend. The cuvée prestige Château de Cots 2007 is a sheer delight – it has spent 24 months in barrels of new oak and made up of 80% malbec and 20% cabernet sauvignon.

Saturday 2nd October 2011 : A new day harvesting in Côtes de Bourg

 Haute-Gironde – this time 3 Californians, 2 Indians, 4 Quebecois, 2 Brazilians and 2 Mexicans met up to discover the vineyards of Haute-Gironde, despite the fact that there remained no grapes left to harvest ! (the weather forecast had made us bring the harvest forward in 2011). The participants nonetheless were enthusiastic about the visit. Mr Feillon from the Château Les Roques in Côtes de Bourg took great care in explaining in the finest details the journey that the grape takes from the vine stock to the glass. There followed an interesting and informative wine tasting of rosé, while still fermenting and at the end of fermentation both from the same vat of cabernet Franc….. So we tried a Bordeaux Clairet 100% malbec  and it was an agreeable surprise!