2010 Harvest is in and looks good...

Autumn has arrived in the Jura and so have Granny and GP, and so I've managed to get GP working on the blog. Such dereliction of duty- what an example to set us young folk!

As for my wine empire, well, it's pretty good news. In September the harvest was delayed because there had been much less sun this year. Probably a good thing, because Daddy didn't start bottling his final 2009 bottles until the week before, thus creating some space in the vats for this year's offering. So now we have added to the Ploussard Rosé, Red, and Champ Fort (the larger plot in Mesnay) two whites- Savagnin and Savagnin/Chardonnay, a Red Trousseau, "So True" (it's a French joke-Norman Wisdom would have been impressed) and the final top quality Ploussard- Cote de Feule. A total bottling of 9,500, but now only some 8,000 left, so get in quickly. An order for 150 bottles has just been received and there is some restaurant interest for the spring. GP is looking to take a few cases back to England, "for medicinal purposes" apparently, but all the medicine I have to take tastes fairly dreadful and GP seems to enjoying his tipple -"Jolly good, old boy, but just a drop more to be sure....".


GP and Granny couldn't make this year's vendanges as they clashed with teaching, but Mami and Papi, Auntie Christelle and lots of Mummy and Daddy's friends descended on Mesnay for the two weekends 25/26 September and 2/3 October. A bit damp the first weekend, but quite pleasant the second. Here I am just testing the qualité, Mami is preparing the fondue for the pickers, Papi is picking the grapes, and Mummy is next to

Marie-Laure wearing the Hughes Beguet Team Shirt! GP keeps on telling me that some bloke called Confuscius said a picture is worth a thousand words. Many thanks to all the pickers and helpers.

Here are Daddy and Gilles emptying the grapes into the de-stalking machine. They are then either fed through the large press (think space rocket with chains to break up the grapes) to produce the white wine or kept in a tank to give the colour and tannins for the rosé and reds. The 2010 red grapes, which have been in the vats for 3 weeks, will be pressed next week- Daddy has a new press, about the size of a barrel, for the purpose. The really good news, after losing a fair amount of the crop to odium and badgers, is that the remaining grapes already seem to be producing really good quality wine. GP and Daddy seemed to spend quite a long time checking yesterday- obviously still secondary fermentation needed but apparently lower yields often produce superior wine; there should be some 8,000 bottles of the 2010 vintage.

More news- solar panels have arrived chez HB which will hopefully keep me cozy for the next 30 years or so -will let you know. In the meantime I'm trying not to get GP too excited- he always seems to want to chase me- I have to laugh to humour him; old people- what are they like?!

Look forward to speaking to you all soon.

Gros bisous

Bastian xxx

Ten green bottles - or Ten thousand?

Hi there

Gosh, doesn't time fly when you're having fun? Here we are in the height of summer and the really exciting news is that .... I can walk! It's been about 6 weeks now and I can motor along pretty jolly well- I might even need another pair of shoes soon. There have been a few bumps along the way, but generally I'm a pretty brave soldier when I fall over, and just get up again, keep calm, and carry on.

And the news from my wine empire is that.... it now exists! Daddy has 5,000 bottles of Rosè and two red Ploussard, one from Mesnay (AOC Arbois) and one from Pupillin (AOC Arbois Pupillin). GP can confirm that the final fermentation has worked well and the wine is very acceptable, particularly given that it is Daddy's first year and he had to accept the vines as they were in February 2009.

More important is how the wine is going down locally as most Vin du Jura is drunk here. And the short answer is: very well indeed! Daddy has sold over 20 cases in his first month and the feedback has been particularly good from those in the know. Not for nothing did Daddy go through 2 years at University becoming an oeneologist, with a particular strength in blending, use of oak, control of fermentation etc, quite apart from vine husbandry in all its glory. Piece of info: Louis Pasteur had part of his career in Arbois and was instrumental in identifying the cause and treatment of, in particular, the vine disease Odium, which has regrettably struck Daddy's vines in Pupillin -similar to mildew. It has affected both the organic and non-organic growers and will hopefully not be as disastrous as first thought-potentially the loss of 1,000 bottles plus.

What, I hear you ask, about the white wine (savagnin and chardonnay) and the trousseau? Well that has now also fully fermented and will be bottled in a couple of weeks giving a total 2009 production of just under 10,000 bottles with some in reserve for Vin Jaune and Macvin when the qualifying period of ageing has arrived. Certainly the white wine will extend the current range, despite the fact that the Pupillin Red has got into the list of top French wines (under 8 euros)http://www.larvf.com/,guides-rvf-2010,10408,1109564.asp, and a red about to be bottled will appear in the next edition of Cuisine et Vins de France http://www.cuisineetvinsdefrance.com/. So Domaine Hughes Beguet is very much on the map and, to prove it, above is a picture (taken on patio) of the first three bottles with 3 or more to come. You will note the labels which I think look pretty impressive and which are individually tailored to the wine type with differing coloured bottles for the red, white, and rosè. I was at a village fete/market on Tuesday where Daddy sells his wines and the village has a communal BBQ, and the HB labels looked by far the best of 3 available and sold very well to wash down the pork chops, sausages and trout! I particularly liked the acrobats who seemed determined to kill themselves most of the evening, but surprisingly didn't.

August/early September is when we wait for the grapes to fill out, change colour, gain sugar, (and hopefully avoid disease and hail) and the next really physical task will be the harvest or Vendanges. Last year it started on 12 September, but it probably won't be until the 18th or possibly even the 25th because the weather has not been as kind this year. I hope that most of Daddy's friends will come back to help - they had a good time last year and can now drink the "fruit of their labours" then.

GP and Granny are here in France at the moment but GP seems to have spent most of his time providing his opinion on the various blends. Funny how indecisive he has become, always seeming to need another glass "jusht to make shure...."!

Bisous from Basti XXX

Golly- it's summer already! And I am one year-old tomorrow!

Here's the news from Domaine Hughes Beguet, the name selected after many months of deliberation. Catchy, isn't it? Apparently a number of vignerons who didn't select their own name have regretted the need to establish their own name as well as their domaine and Daddy has heeded their advice. As the major brand in Arbois is "Vin Fou" I think they have a point.

Daddy (he'll probably become Papa soon) has been busy with Year 2 in the vines. He has acquired a new plot of vines near the house in Mesnay albeit on a 1 in 2 slope and popular with tobogganists, which is at the top of a hill and he will be planting the lower field shortly. He has not kept on "Pylones" which was not a quality plot but helped with volume last year. All the vines have been pruned, the dead wood removed, then bent and tied in good time although the weather at the beginning of the year was not conducive to open air activities. The tractor has come into its own with a small plough-like attachment to remove the weeds around the vines (albeit it jammed every 2 hours) and is now into spraying mode albeit with a 40 minute journey to Pupillan where the majority of the vines are situated.

Most importantly the wine from last year's harvest has nearly completed its secondary (malolactic) fermentation which means that it can shortly be bottled, a good job as various stands have been booked at wine fairs where it can be sold. Initially red only with the white later in the season. The good news is that some publicity has already been acquired regarding the quality of the wine which can only help, and it's only Year 1 and the "en conversion" to organic (biologique in France) can only be applied to this year's vintage. So it should get better and better, although the 2010 weather probably won't be bettered in the short-term unless global warming continues to make the Jura tropical like last year.

On the subject of bottling, the distinctive bottles of Jura wine will shortly be adorned with Hughes Beguet labels- watch this space for an example next blog.

Visited England again in May for the wedding of a school friend of Mummy's and a couple of photos appear alongside. As you will see I am now standing and expect to start running about any day now. 5 teeth and counting. Granny and GP are due to visit this week but Great Grannie is poorly and their arrival has been delayed. We wave at each other on Skype regularly which is good.

A longer update when I have briefed my ghost-writer(aka Grandpa) when I see him later this week.

Bisous

Bastian

Happy 2010- Spring is on its way and Daddy is working hard

Hello everyone- sorry that the blog has been quiet for 3 months. We all know who to blame- the sooner I can take over editorial control the better. And so much has happened since we last communicated. Firstly I enjoyed my first Christmas staying with Mami and Papi in Lescheres. It was a super family get-together with cousin Alexis there-hopefully a photograph of the two of us will appear on the right.

At the end of January I made my first visit to England which was good, and I met Mummy's cousin James, along with second cousin Ben who is a few months older than me. Ben's Mummy Sarah provided us with a lovely meal and I was also introduced to Great Auntie Susie and GU Peter in Colchester. Such family get-togethers are rather rare in England because of the distances involved so this was special.

GP, Granny and Auntie Vicky were very pleased to have me staying with them in Kent, and though I say so myself I behaved very well. I was also delighted to meet Great Grandma Hughes- all 4 generations together.

Right- the news. I can tiger crawl (elbows only) at remarkable speed and love opening every door and cupboard I can find. I am now fenced in to stop me toppling over the edge of the lounge into the dining area.(Wait 'til I can walk- we'll see then). I am also now eating everything put in front of me and am allowing my parents much more sleep as a result, sometimes sleeping 11 hours. Everyone is perkier including me!

Last year's wine is progressing well- still some secondary fermentation needed, but jolly nearly there and all agree it's tasting good. Bottling in the summer for some of the reds- GP can't wait...

Daddy has now had his vines for a year and has already nearly finished pruning. Mami and Papi are doing sterling work with the dreaded blue string and removing the death-like grip of last year's vines on the wires. He has also acquired some more vines and some land for planting vines in Mesnay, close to home, except that the land attached is where generations of Mesnayans have enjoyed sledging in the winter. He is probably going to have to leave a reasonable slope for me and my friends to go sledging in the future- you know it makes sense, Dad! A fair amount of snow this year, as everywhere else, and I have been out in my sled which was reasonable fun- suspect that I will be more enthusiastic next year, beginning preparation for the cross-country in the 2030 Olympics! Mesnay is at about 1000 feet with some of the vines being a few hundred feet higher. Plenty of snow every year making Daddy's pruning fairly challenging temperature-wise.

Still no definite news on the Brand Name for our wine. Vins Achentoux is still a front-runner, but will need explaining.Suave Wines might get people thinking it's Italian, Vantage Vins combines advantage with vintage (cunningly, GP thinks...). Now it's the turn of all the blog readers to come up with a minimum of 3 suggestions- patrice@hughesbeguet.com. Winner gets a case!

Will try to get Grandpa to whirl his pen before Easter- and it's only a month away.

Great to speak to you all again

Love from

Bastian xxx

Bastian