Hobby or Habit?

For the last week, I have been playing catch-up. I was gone for 2 weeks and suddenly it's mid spring and there is a vegetable garden to plant! Two weeks of heat and rain inspired grass and weeds to deal with. Then there are various and sundry home repair and improvement projects I want to finish before summer and we have guests.
I have been meaning to write this post...
For two weeks at the end of April and the first week of May, I was working near Libourne, near the village of Neac at the Chateau Vieux Chevrol. This is my 6th year as a worker in the vineyards. Last year I posted a piece about the grape harvest, the vendange. This year was the first time I worked on the spring care of the vines. There are almost 20 hectares of Merlot and Cabernet grapes which are mixed for the final product each year. The Chateau is located in the Lalande Pomerol Region which has been an official Bordeaux appelation since the late 1800's. Vieux Chevrols produces a classic oak aged Lalande Pomerol. It is deep and the flavor is highlighted by notes of framboise and cassis. There is some inported to the United States. The wine is best aged for around 6 years, after which it may get better or it may not. Usually, to my taste, it becomes better!
I worked with a small group of Dutch, French and Morrocans. The group size was 4 to 7 people but usually 5. Each day I got up at 6:30, and was readyy to start working at 8 am. Unfortunately, this year it rained almost every day, but we had a few nice days.
The work consisted of 2 procedures. The Embourgeonage, which refers to removing unwanted buds and Empampranage which refers to the cleaning up of the pied, the foot, of the vine. We used a neat little tool called an Empamprette which has a distinctly

medieval look to my taste. Basically, we each would take a row and work on each plant, removing the unwanted vine branches, leaves and growth from the pied that would draw energy from the formation of healthy bunches of grapes. It is important to leave the plant able to have bunches of grapes that won't be smothered in leaves which promote rot. I really want to thank my professor of empampranage, Avida, who was extremly patient with me. Avida also made a grand cous cous dinner one night for

all the workers and the Champseix family!
Then, we would cut the growth from the base of the plant. All grape vines in commercial wine production in France have been grafted onto wild stock because it is resistant to the disease called phylloxera, caused by a small insect, which practically wiped out the industry in the late 1800's.
The wild grape is an American native and is called L'Americain. It tries to grow and sends out shoots from the base which have to be suppressed with the Empamprette!
That was it, trying to work at a steady pace, each plant was a separate problem. There were thousands of them and lots of unpleasant bending in the steady light rain.
We were compensated with very good food for lunch and dinner.. Jean Pierre Champseix, the owner of the chateau has made it his duty to educate us and make us experience the best wines in the world. He explains the process of making a great wine and we learn a little more each year! The compensation is also the good friends I see every time I go back, the good humor and good nature that make this hard work something I look forward to each time.
I think I may go back for the Vendange Vert, which is the removal of bunches of unripe grapes at the end of June, again to help promote the maximum growth and quality of a few bunches on each vine. I will definitely be back in the end of September for the Harvest!