When I say 'share', I'm not referring to the backache, blisters and cut fingers that all do unfortunately come as part of the deal, but instead that wonderfully exhilarating feeling of being in the big outdoors, the initial thrill of harvesting the year's labour and of course taking in those breath-taking views.
I wanted to share that magical moment of picking the first rows of perfect grapes, feeling the sun on your back and then, just as you start to tire, being able to sit down and put your feet up with a large and well-earned glass of wine followed of course by a delicious picnic lunch.
So this year we did it! This year we organised our very first Harvest Day. We welcomed guests from Denmark, Canada, Holland and the UK. After a quick training session, we carefully picked the grapes from our top vineyard, placing them carefully with all the gentle respect they deserved in our baskets.
Frank from Denmark turned to me and said 'Katie, this is a real honour' - words that really stuck with me - as so often we just don't take the time during the harvest to really think about what we are doing and what we are actually creating.
Frank is a big fan of our top wine La Perle Rare, Syrah and so he was just over the moon to be harvesting the grapes for the follow on vintage. It meant a lot to him and that day in that vineyard we really were a bunch of happy pickers.
So just as the sun was getting a little too hot and the baskets a little too heavy, the bell rang and we wandered down to our picnic table by the river, in the shade of the fig trees. The most delicious spread, prepared by my 'as mad about the area as me' friend Gitte, awaited us.
In the words of Lou, it was 'Such a perfect day' and I can't wait to do it all again next year!'
If you would like to join us next September for the 2016 harvest please see the details here.
And if you wanted to make a weekend of it, then Wendy from Vin en Vacances is organising a special 'Harvest Weekend' trip, which will include the full harvest day at Domaine Jones.
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