Harvest Citizen, a game of traditions in Ventenac-en-Minervois

On Thursday around 10 a.m., in the sky of the shrubs a cloud of joyful crystal laughter rises: 97 students from the Vintenac nursery and Saint-Vallier primary schools, armed with buckets and scissors, determined to do battle with the grapes, are welcomed by the president of Nouvellesroots, Christian Lapalou, mayor of Vintenac. They come to join glue The citizen harvests Despite the lack of time to prepare for this day decided by the restrictions of the “winemaker”, the school directors Benedicte and Cindy do their best to respond to the invitation. They are there with the children, from the little ones (2 and a half years old) to the older ones (11 years old). Some Ventenacois and organizers of this event, some arriving from Belgium or … from Carcassonne, have already left their pruning shears to help the budding flower pickers and transmit to them the gestures of last year. The harvest will then become a real playground for learning these gestures and these traditions. In one hour, four beautiful manners are completed. But it is already time for the canteen and everyone leaves … The youngest will crush the grapes in the afternoon and extract +/- 12 liters of juice “to drink” and to turn into jelly. Meanwhile, on the vineyard side, the faithful Godillots finished their morning buggies and, after a rustic lunch under the oak tree, a “team of twelve” bravely attacked and “finished” the Syrah on the vineyards above the canal bridge. Sure enough, a 40% “scissors cut” was achieved compared to 2023, but 1.5 tonnes were returned to the castle’s cooperative cellar for a vintage of organic rosé. We can’t wait for the winemaking process to be completed and for the harvesters to taste it.