We kicked off the 2014 harvest at Bauduc last week by picking some white grapes by hand. These were from young Sémillon vines that we planted exactly ten years ago.

The most effective way to harvest white bunches by hand is to cut and sort them into small, stackable crates called cagettes. I say ’sort’ although what we really mean by this is to cut out any ugly, mouldy bits. This process is used by many of the leading Bordeaux chateaux nowadays for their reds, with many having switched to using cagettes in the last few years.

The advantage with stackable crates is that the bunches don’t get crushed, so the grapes stay intact and the juice doesn’t oxidise. You don’t want a soupy trailer full of grapes and juice warming up under a midday sun. And since the beginning of September it has been sunny and, mostly, pretty hot.

With the brilliant Nelly and Daniel ‘Ramone’. 2014 is our 16th harvest together.

We have a small team of around 16 pickers and four porters, in addition to Daniel, Nelly and me. For the mornings only mind, as the afternoons are too hot to harvest – not for the team, but for the grapes. Freshness is the key.

Setting out the cagettes at the start

Young Sémillon

You have to watch out where your colleague’s snipping

Long rows

Removing any nasty bits

A second check by the trailer

It’s hard work being a porter

Sémillon

‘Pappy’

Our old friend and neighbour is one of the quickest

The team appreciate the water

Clear blue skies – and hot work

A long way up

You can’t leave them out for lomg in this weather

The last 15 days have proved crucial to ripening the grapes

Nelly double checking bunches on the trailer

They’re easy to stack, once you get the hang of it

The rows are 1.80 metres wide, with 5500 vines per hectare

Hugo and Nelly do a last check of bunches

Snipping out the less than perfect bits

Fresh grapes, neatly stacked

Straight from the vines

Slow drive, making sure we don’t drop any baskets

Porters can lug 2 or 3 crates, if stacked well

Smarter nails than required for this

Dominique

The secateurs are sharp. 3 pickers had cuts

Checking the bunches

Dominique

Dropping the bunch into the cagette

You need a lot of spare crates

Three tractors are required for the trips to the winery

Somewhat artisanal

Lovely Sémillon, straight from the vine

Hugo makes sure nothing drops off

Backing into the winery

Hugo and the grapes

Nelly loads up the press

Whole bunch pressing

The press held over 250 crates of grapes

Waiting to go in the press

Excess crates left in the cool cellar, awaiting the press