Hi
Sorry to have been rather quiet for a few weeks. This is, of course, GP's fault- something to do with him teaching, but in fact he only has 6 lessons a week. I ask you!
Life in Mesnay (Arbois) has been less hectic after the harvest. The leaves on the vines have turned brown and the autumn tints look spectacular this year with stunning reds amongst the browns and greens- a few photos appear to one side. The weather has apparently been much better than the UK and during Granny and GP's visit at half-term they both got sunburnt. Apparently this is unusual with snow at the end of October a more usual occurrence than a reading of 31 degrees on getting into a car which had been parked in the sun.
Whilst less hectic Daddy has nevertheless had plenty of work to do. Nearly all the primary fermentation has finished and there is now some malolactic fermentation where the slightly more acidic malic acid (think green apples) is converted into lactic acid. This makes the wine rounder and more buttery. Alongside this D has various wine varieties in a dozen oak barrels which he will use to add some flavour and roundness to his eventual blending.
Slightly disappointing at harvest was the quantity of wine achieved from his Savagnin grapes, at the lower end of expectations, whereas the other varieties had produced better volumes than anticipated. This was put down to insufficient pressing at the time. The upside of this was a greater quantity of grape skins which were placed in various plastic tanks. The largest of these did not, unfortunately, have a lid and despite valiant efforts with a plastic tarpaulin the fruit flies attacked it (in their thousands) and it turned to vinegar. Or so we thought... Not for nothing did Daddy spend 2 years at Montpellier University becoming an oenologue.
With some input from fellow vignerons in Arbois, D took off the top layer of liquid and brought forward the next activity - distillation of the grape skins. Expecting only a modest amount of 60% spirit- called marc in the Jura - lo and behold nearly 4 times as much as expected has been produced, without a hint of vinegar. So perhaps not pressing all the juice out was the right thing to do. Unfortunately D will have to pay about £10 per litre duty on the spirit when it is sold in 2011 as Macvin, blended with 70% wine and some oaking,- a sherry-like aperitif, and jolly good too.
The current plan is to produce the first bottles in May/June next year with aromas of raspberry, redcurrant and some pepper, if GP has got his translation of D's email correct! GP is getting excited....
My news hot of the press is that I can now move, an achievement which has not been entirely positive in that I roll over, always on my left side, with the result that several gyrations will often leave me further away from my intended destination than I was when I started. This has led to a certain degree of angst and so I propose to explore other methods of transference over the next few days. However it has precipitated a trip to Besancon for Mummy and Daddy to purchase rails to prevent my imminent demise over the ledge down to the dining room!
I am apparently still a bonny baby, which is good news, and have more than doubled my original birth weight. Mummy is reluctant to give me solids until 6 months old and so it's now 14 days and counting to my first Morteau sausage and Comté cheese. What? Baby rice? You must be joking! After all this time waiting for a Jurassic specilality. I ask you.
Oh well, Christmas soon. I'm looking forward to playing with the wrapping paper and my first Xmas pudding................
Still no decision on the Wine Label name... www.hughesbeguet.com with suggestions. Bastivin?
Love from
Bastian xxx
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