‘Why this was my most challenging harvest as a winemaker in France’ Vigneron Jonathan Hesford gives us a behind-the-scenes account of drought, hail and unreliable pickers in his mission to make wine in the Roussillon
A French grape variety guide by winemaking region Winemakers in France rarely put grape varieties on the label so Jonathan Hesford reveals which grapes are probably in your glass
Harvest fears as damaging mildew fungus hits French vineyards As much as 90% of some vineyards in Bordeaux have been affected by the latest crisis to hit the winemaking community
magazine French vineyard yields: it’s quality versus quantity Vigneron Jonathan Hesford looks at why regulating grapes on a bunch is so crucial for French wine producers
How to read French wine labels - Château, Chablis and chardonnay We explain French winemaking terms like ‘négociants’ and ‘récoltant’ plus how to spot useful information rather than marketing spin
When is the right time for grape picking in France? One of the most stressful and difficult decisions a vigneron or winemaker has to make is when is the right time to harvest their grapes, writes winemaker Jonathan Hesford
French vineyards can now offer 'vendange vacations' Law change means winegrowers can offer grape-picking holidays, under certain conditions
Signs good for fine (and early) French wine crop Many wine-growing areas are predicting high-quality wines this year due to good weather conditions which have led to early harvests around France.
Tips on grape-picking work from one who has done it With some areas of France starting to pick grapes early this year, along with annual stories of a shortage of seasonal workers, the idea of picking grapes is interesting. Brian McCulloch has picked grapes for a couple of vendange seasons. If the idea interests you, (and you do not want to go on one of those holidays where you pay to pick grapes) here is what you should know…
First bottles of 2017 New Beaujolais wine uncorked The first bottles of the 2017 vintage of new Beaujolais - Beaujolais Nouveau - have been uncorked and tasted.
Naturists harvest French vineyard grapes entirely nude A group of naturist friends from Puy-de-Dôme has harvested wine grapes entirely in the nude.
Too many grapes spoil the crop Viticulture is a weird form of farming. It is perhaps the only one where the grower tries to restrict the amount of fruit that his crop produces.