Extract from the vineyard
Follow the life of a vintage here
January
It's a rather calm and mild month, and we continue to have a bit of cold outside, which allows the vines to properly store their reserves for the new season, while avoiding a multitude of parasites that develop in milder temperatures.
In the cellar, the excitement is rising... The 2020 vintage has just been dressed. You can now discover this new vintage on our website or come and visit us in our store.
February
While winter sometimes seems to freeze time, life goes on in the Château Arbo.
On the vineyard side, our men are busy in the vineyard. After the pruning and the pulling of the wood, the secateurs are silent to give the vine a little more time before it wakes up.
It's like Tetris, or musical chairs between vats and barrels to find enough space to store each vintage properly. In the Chai, we have the 2022 and 2023 vintages alongside each other. And in bottles, 2020 and 2021.
March
This month of March, it is already the promise of renewal...
On the vine side, life is slowly resuming and the pruning cuts let appear some tears, symbol of rebirth and of a new cycle.
Spring is approaching fast. But not too fast, because we are always afraid that the nice days will come back too soon and the spring frosts will set in...
On the cellar side, the barrels see new visitors. The end of winter brings us some curious people... The cellar is also a lot of conviviality, the joy of receiving and sharing.
April
On the vineyard side, we are dreading the cool temperatures announced for the coming days! A story that seems to repeat itself year after year...
Last week, we were able to observe a big difference between our plots. Some of them are already well budded, others fortunately are still hidden in their stuffing, as if the terroir, the altitude and the late size of our plots help to play a little bit with this climate which is far too changeable.
On the cellar side, the season of visits is launched since April 1st. Come and enjoy a new visit focused on the awakening of the senses...
If the idea of waking up in the heart of our vineyards makes you dream then go ahead and book on ARBO House.
May
May is the promise of the return of beautiful days.
As for the vines, our liana blossoms with the first heat and the young shoots give their first leaves.
On the cellar side, spring is having its effect. We push the doors of the vat room to welcome you and make you discover our wine. The senses are on the lookout, it's good to be together!
June
On the vine side, nature does its work and the green of the leaves creates a pretty landscape. The vine pulls and stretches to reach the sun's rays and thrive. To give it the well-being it needs to flourish, we maintain the rows. At weekends, Louis accompanies his dad on the tractor.
On the winery side, we're making room for an event that's close to our hearts: the inauguration of Maison ARBO for our partners. We push the barrels to set up the banquet. We love to entertain.
July
On the vine, fruit set gives way to bunch closure.
It's the outline of a new bunch of grapes, already sketching out our future vintage.
On the winery side, there are many faces between the visitors for a day and the occupants of Maison Arbo.
At the Château, each day promises new adventures... with its share of difficulties to overcome, and trials which, we're sure, will make the victories sweeter.
August
On the vine, our bunches of grapes are still soaking up the sun to get their tan perfected before the harvest.
On the winery side, your many visits and smiles punctuate our days.
September
This month so much awaited... the one which is on the side of the vines announcing the grape harvest.
It's back to school, new teachers, brand new notebooks ready to be scribbled in, a cellar waiting to be renovated, a new vintage soon in bottle...
As you can see, it's back to work for all of us... we wish you a great start to the new year.
In the cellar, it is the swarming and the excitement with the preparation of our tanks to welcome this new harvest! As well as our new building which is being finished to finally bring us an optimized work tool.
October
It's the height of the harvest boom with the shuddering of the machines that we hear in the distance...
Here on the vineyard side, our 11 plots are harvested, so they will finally be able to rest, little by little like many others in autumn lose their leaves. 🍂
In the cellar, it's euphoria, there are grapes, fingers sticking, grape juice being tasted, movement, smells, noises of pumps and fermenting vats.
November
On the vine side, it is the beauty of the autumn landscapes that we love so much. The change of colour and the gentle season, Sundays by the fire, family walks in the forest to pick mushrooms, aperitifs accompanied by our new vintage - finally!
And then, slowly getting closer to the magic of Christmas...
Soil work will precede the January pruning in our vineyards. This will aerate and decompact the soil.
Coté Chai, these lovely projects, preparing bottlings for a new partner on the other side of the world... Which we can't wait to tell you about ✨.
The vats of the 2020 vintage will be decanted so that we can press our marc and launch our malolactic fermentation. You know, the ones that naturally de-acidify the wine thanks to the action of small bacteria.
And also a nice collaboration that we have been working on in secret for a few weeks.
December
🌲 ✨ Let the festivities begin!
It's my favourite time of year, the time when we get together as a family for Christmas, when the eyes of young and old sparkle.
Thank you for always trusting us and for being able to accompany you during your beautiful and good meals.
From Saturday onwards, you will find on our E-shop our beautiful Christmas boxes to offer yourself some Château ARBO under the tree.
On the vine, the last leaves fall and make way for the branches. Our vine starts its dormancy until spring. Pruning can therefore begin in February and continue in March. "Pruning early, pruning late, there's nothing like pruning in March" said the old-timers.
On the cellar side, a bottling is planned for the beginning of December for our collaborator in ASIA, enough to turn the cellar upside down for the duration of a bottling! But what wonderful news to be able to be present at the other end of the world! In Vietnam for this first container!
We wish you a lot of sweetness and Magic... ✨