free ranging

in process

We're a ways out from harvest time, but these guys are well on their way.

soon to awake

last call

I'm sure by now these guys have been harvested and crushed and are now peacefully fermenting.  Maybe we'll meet again.

Ready and waiting

I took a bike ride through the vineyards surrounding Amboise yesterday.  I saw many fields that looked like they're ready for the vendange (grape harvest).  Some were being harvested while others have already been so.  Due to the weather situation throughout the growing season, it looks like most will be harvested earlier than usual this year.

pressing matters

I just recently discovered this 1875 grape press on display next to the vineyards at the local viticulture high school.  You can judge by the size of the beam how much pressure this press was able to apply.  This post is for all my friends in the States who have pressing matters to attend to today, election day.

the château and the gold

The shot was taken in the (currently golden) vineyards of the local high school for future wine makers.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  This particular school literally sits on high above the Loire river valley and has this commanding view of the château in the distance.

the little vineyard

It's not unusual in this area to see enormous vineyards reaching to the horizon.  What is unusual is to see a little vineyard of this modest size.  It's surrounded by fields of other crops and so I wonder if it's perhaps a family vineyard. The quantities of wine that could be produced must be small, but to the family I'm sure it's more precious than any store-bought wine.

the cycle begins

It's like opening day.  The buds are just starting to form on these old vines.

la fête du Touraine Primeur

We had the Touraine Primeur* festival here on Saturday in spite of the unusual all day rain.  This was the first time that I had tasted the local version of the celebrated Beaujolais nouveau idea;  that is to say, quickly bottled wine from some of this autumn's harvest for immediate consumption (most wine is aged a least a bit).  There were a number of interesting events including wine tastings, a Renaissance style procession down rue Nationale, and a simulated grape harvest.  For the latter, a temporary vineyard was constructed on the town's main square (Place Debré) with fresh grapes attached to real, yet dormant (or dead?), vines.  The kids were encouraged to harvest the grapes, and then with the aid of the local high school of agriculture and wine, the grapes were pressed in a hydraulic wine press on the spot.  You gotta love a town that has a high school for viticulture.

* Touraine is the area surrounding the city of Tours that is famous for its wine, goat cheese, and châteaux.  It is also known as the "Garden of France".  Primeur means freshly picked.

red vines

The grape vines are going out in a blaze of glory.  They were good soldiers.

vineyards of gold

At last, I am back from two months of being on the road and so yesterday I did a little bike ride to capture some fresh autumn scenes.  Here's one of a nearby vineyard that has long been harvested and is now putting on its final show of the season.  And a golden one it is.

September status report

This was taken in early September and by now these guys could already be pressed and in a big holding tank.  Compare these plump fellows with those in another vineyard in August.  I left again before finding out when the vendange (grape harvesting) is to begin in the area this year.

carpet vineyards

The landscape of Touraine is carpeted with mile after mile of vineyards.  The name Touraine refers to the area around the nearby city of Tours.  As usual, I snapped this panorama from one of the bike paths that splits this gigantic plot of vines.

To see this skinny photo enlarged, maximize your browser and then click on the image.

safe behind the walls

While exploring a new bike route this week, I discovered this rather large vineyard totally surrounded by these imposing walls.  There must be an interesting story behind them (in addition to the vineyard).

August status report

In spite of this hot and dry summer, I think these grapes are looking pretty good.

fields of gold, fields of green

This ocean of wheat surrounds a little vineyard island on the outskirts of Amboise.

the grape press

This old grape press has been retired and put out to pasture, or in the case, out to the vineyard.  It's along one of the wine routes in the area and is next to an informational map of the area.  It's also along one of my favorite biking routes and so I have passed by here many times.

hold that thought

The vineyards are waking up and soon there will be little flowers and then the grapes.  I spotted this beautiful vine on my first real bike ride of the season yesterday.

City Daily Photo Theme day - "Ageing"

The first day of every month is theme day for the photo bloggers of City Daily Photo.  Today's theme is "ageing" and you can see how it has been represented by bloggers from around the world here.

This is my first day back on the job after taking "vacation" the month of February.  Since this is France, I guess I'm still due another two weeks!  Anyway, in my photo taken at a vineyard in nearby Vouvray, we have not only the ageing wine but the ageing barrels as well.  And like us, it's all getting better with age.