Harvest at the Arnasseaux estate in Gard: “We took advantage of the rain but not the mildew”

Guilhem Peladan and Gérard, his father, two of the five generations of winegrowers at the Domaine des Arnasseaux. – Jenny Bernard

After the harvest, the grapes are transferred into a bin to be taken to the cellar. – Jenny Bernard

Le gewurztraminer sur le domaine des Arnasseaux dans le Gard, un cépage traditionnellement cultivé en Alsace. – Jenny Bernard

Depuis le 19 août, la famille Peladan du domaine des Arnasseaux, à Cardet, a lancé les vendanges.

"À maturité, le raisin est rose“, shows Guilhem Peladan, owner and winemaker, a bunch in hand. It is that of the Gewurztraminer grape variety, currently being harvested this Tuesday, August 27, on his Arnasseaux estate in Cardet. Since 4:30 in the morning, the harvesting machine has been sliding over the rows of vines to collect these precious pearls as well as those of chardonnay. Twelve thousand square meters in just three and a half hours.

Still in the field, the grapes fall into the bin, then in the cellar, the grapes fall into a vat and burst under the pressure of the crusher, the first step in the winemaking process. Then it's off to the press, which works to extract the precious juice from the golden grapes. After decanting for 24 hours, the clear liquid will be put into a vat for fermentation. The first bottles will be released in a few months. Five thousand bottles per year for Gewurztraminer. Fifty thousand per year for all grape varieties and 20,000 bag in box for 25 hectares in total.

“The harvest began on Monday, August 19, he adds. It will last four or five weeks, but in reality, with the machine, about fifteen mornings are enough to harvest everything." The white grapes are the first. And for him, despite the rainy episodes this year, there was no mildew attack so no loss. "We took advantage of the rain but not the mildew but we had to be reactive."