FRANCE: IT'S A TRADITION OF THE HARVESTERS IN THE TOWN OF VIELLA TO START PICKING GRAPES AT MIDNIGHT OF NEW YEARS EVE

Record ID: 862389

  • Title: FRANCE: IT'S A TRADITION OF THE HARVESTERS IN THE TOWN OF VIELLA TO START PICKING GRAPES AT MIDNIGHT OF NEW YEARS EVE
  • Date: 31st December 2000
  • Summary: VIELLA, FRANCE ( JANUARY 1, 2001) (REUTERS) CU GRAPES MCU (French) ANDRE DUBOSC OF PLAIMONT WINE PRODUCERS SAYING: In 1991 it froze and our grapes were two months late, so on November 15 we wanted to harvest but it was not ripe so we said why wouldn't we pick our grapes on January 1st? So seven or eight of us picked our grapes on New Years eve telling ourselves it would be an incentive for history and for our vine growers to be patient and take the risk to wait until after November 15 if necessary for the grapes to be very ripe and have late harvests
  • Embargoed: 15th January 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: VIELLA, FRANCE
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Business,Industry,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA9TSSJG2TJ1R0K12VE522AZZ23
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: It's a tradition of the harvesters in the south
    western French town of Viella to start picking their sweet
    grapes at midnight, but this year the event has a special
    significance as they gathered in the last wine harvest of the
    millennium.



    The Pacherenc wines have always been harvested very
    late in the year. As far back as 1745 a law enforced November
    4 as the earliest date to start picking.

    But ten years ago heavy frost prevented the harvest
    until January and the grapes picked which were eventually
    picked were found to been mature and sweet, and produced some
    of the regions best ever wine.

    So the wine growers in the Gers region, south west of
    France have since decided to harvest every year on New Years
    eve, and organise festivities for this very special wine.

    Due to over-ripening the quantities of grapes and wine
    are diminished, but the longer period on the vine allows the
    grapes to concentrate the sugars and as a result the quality
    greatly improved.

    Pacherenc is a white wine with honey, spices and
    exotic fruit aromas which marry well with Foie Gras.

    This late harvest has now become traditional and
    makes the event doubly festive for the locals and tourists
    from everywhere who come to pick and enjoy themselves. It is
    the latest harvest in France where the job normally begins
    from September onwards.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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