2. Monty's biodynamic grapes caused a stir in winemaking circles
2. Monty's biodynamic grapes caused a stir in winemaking circles (Image 2 of 8)
From chapter 10 of Chateau Monty: A Corking Wine Adventure...
Bill Baker said he would come to taste my wine. He was due to
make a wine-tasting trip to south west France, but said he had
no problem driving further south to see me if I could organise a place to stay. This was the same Bill Baker who had said that trying to make organic wine was akin to throwing one’s money away.
When I drove Bill up to the vineyard it was cold, blustery
and drizzling with rain. As a wine writer I had been used to
being driven around by winegrowers keen to get me to taste
their wine. Now I was behind the steering wheel as Bill
squeezed into my van, with Harry on his lap.
I remembered how once I had trekked into the middle of Uruguay to find what
I supposed would be one of the world’s most out-of-the-way
organic vineyards. Its owner had proudly shown me his huge
flock of egg-laying chickens. ‘As organic growers we appreciate
the manure the birds give us, and the income we get from their
eggs is vital, too,’ he said. I realised just how vital when I tasted
the red wine. It came from some of the oldest vines in South
America, but had the colour of a pathetically pale rosé. It
turned out the guy was slinging the chicken droppings on to
the vineyard soil as fertiliser, but without composting them
first. Raw chicken shit is like nuclear fuel as far as vines are
concerned. No wonder his wines were producing such thin,
colourless grapes. They were burning up.
More From Chateau Monty
Back to the Chateau Monty Homepage
Chateau Monty Interview: What Happened Next
Win a copy of Chateau Monty: A Corking Wine Adventure
More On France
How To Start A Business In France
A Place In The Sun's France Country Guide
Grand Designs Abroad: Creuse: The French Manor House
From 4Food
What Is Biodynamic Wine?
4Food Wine Homepage
Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp give us their top ten tips on beating the house price slump
Restoring a property can be tricky so Kevin McCloud gives you his tips and advice
4Homes picks the top ten weirdest and most bizarre Grand Designs houses
Your Comments
Post your comment
Please note: In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in to Channel 4:
Sign In Here or Register Here
Comments closed
Comments are closed at the present time
Comments
Thank you for your comment!
Your message will be reviewed and the best ones will be published below.
If you intended to make an official comment to Channel 4 please contact us.