After a few days without picking at Grand Mayne when the atmosphere was very calm and strange, today we were back in to crazy mode picking the perfect grapes for the rosé from Cabernet Sauvignon.

We had the right maturity with citrus aromas in place of the green pepper of last week. Soon back to the Merlot for the reds!

After the frantic activity of the week before last, when all the Sauvignon ripened at once, there’s been a strange calm over the vineyards as we wait for the all important balance to form in the grapes.

Next will be Sémillon and the last of the reds for the Rosé (possibly on Monday next), and then we wait again for the ripening of the Merlot and the Cabernet. All is good, as so far as the waiting is being done under clear skies and with the perfect weather, but for the perfect wine we need the red skins to ripen before the sugar levels get too high.

We’ll be biting on those lovely grapes daily until the perfect moment arrives.

This year’s harvest has started, with 2 big days on the Sauvignon grapes which all ripened at the same time. 400 hectalitres (that’s 40,000 litres) in 2 days!

The order of ripening and picking is always Sauvignon first, then Merlot, then Cabernets and we’re hoping for a dry September.

We’re delighted that the Guide Hachette 2019 has awarded 2 stars to our Merlot Cabernet 2016. This follows the Silver medal awarded in Paris earlier this year.

Our winemaker Mathieu describes it as “Vibrant and intense with fresh fruit aromas. Soft, juicy, succulent and long-lasting flavours with a delicious weight of pure ripe fruit and a smooth, velvety texture”.

If you haven’t tried it yet, we have stock in the UK, at Calais and at the vineyard.