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Alsace and Provence, grape harvest
We are planning a trip to the Alsace Eastern France and Provence tour. What are the best dates for a tour during the harvest time?
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Given that the wines of Provence and the wines of Alsace are very different you will find the harvest times are at least a couple of weeks apart. Without doing research I'm going to guess the lenght of the Alsace harvest is actually slightly longer as they harvest from the simple Pinot Blanc all the way through to late harvest so basically September through to November. Provence is going to be earlier.
Checking google, these dates are more sensible for Alsace 23, from the start of Sept to mid October (though I know specialists will be harvesting up to 25 November as I can name the companies. There is mechanisation but also manual work especially on the hills and in small parcels. Alsace does have a formal decleration of when the harvest may start, but of course some people will just start anyway. Google shows Provence starting in mid August and much of the harvest has to be done at night and is mechanised mainly as the grapes will spoil if harvested during the summer heat. There will be some day harvesting of course for those who cannot afford the night work or where mechanisation is impossible. What exactly interests you in this procedure? If you are looking for work, start south and travel north, I know Alsace is always short of pickers. What you will find is that wine sales and cellar tours become shorter and staff are more rushed during harvest. I've toured Alsace during the harvest and visited my favorite cellars having made special arrangements and while we were "welcome" we were not asked to linger. |
If you are looking for work you must be an EU/EEA citizen.
Apart from roads full of little tractors loaded with grapes as I recall there was little to see of the harvest along the Mosel. |
Originally Posted by bilboburgler
(Post 17557112)
Given that the wines of Provence and the wines of Alsace are very different you will find the harvest times are at least a couple of weeks apart. Without doing research I'm going to guess the lenght of the Alsace harvest is actually slightly longer as they harvest from the simple Pinot Blanc all the way through to late harvest so basically September through to November. Provence is going to be earlier.
Checking google, these dates are more sensible for Alsace 23, from the start of Sept to mid October (though I know specialists will be harvesting up to 25 November as I can name the companies. There is mechanisation but also manual work especially on the hills and in small parcels. Alsace does have a formal decleration of when the harvest may start, but of course some people will just start anyway. Google shows Provence starting in mid August and much of the harvest has to be done at night and is mechanised mainly as the grapes will spoil if harvested during the summer heat. There will be some day harvesting of course for those who cannot afford the night work or where mechanisation is impossible. What exactly interests you in this procedure? If you are looking for work, start south and travel north, I know Alsace is always short of pickers. What you will find is that wine sales and cellar tours become shorter and staff are more rushed during harvest. I've toured Alsace during the harvest and visited my favorite cellars having made special arrangements and while we were "welcome" we were not asked to linger. |
The grape harvest is earlier every year at the moment so whenever you find out when last year's harvest took place, count a week or two earlier.
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