The vendange or grape harvest The latest news from the Languedoc

The latest news from the Languedoc – September ‘08
The average high temperature during
June, July and August in Montpellier was
29°C
Bienvenue !
The summer is coming to its end, the
evenings are a little cooler (obviously not
the same climate as the UK!) and thoughts
turn to Autumn.
This month we have included some topical
articles on the grape harvest and the start
of the hunting season as well as some
informative and practical ones. I hope you
enjoy it.
The vendange or grape harvest
If you asked a viticulteur in May/June if
they thought this year was going to be a
good harvest or not, without tempting fate,
they would have said yes as there was
plenty of rain in the Spring and a hot, dry
summer. However, the recent rains have
thwarted progress of the vendange that is
already a week later than last year.
The grapes are ripe and ready for picking,
but the vendange is not possible in these
adverse conditions. If the grapes are
picked while they are wet, they will start to
rot before they can be processed and this
will affect the quality of the wine. However,
while they remain on the vines, they
become gorged by the rain and there is a
danger they will burst before they can be
picked which will also have an adverse
effect on the taste and quality of the wine.
Around Neffies, North of Pezenas, on the evening of 4th September, a hail stone storm
virtually demolished the whole crop in the area, leaving the vines without a single grape or
leaf, looking for all the world as if it were the middle of winter.
The white grapes were all harvested by the
end of August but there was 30% less yield
than last year. Their alcohol content was
measured at 12.5-13% for the Chardonnay
and Sauvignon Blanc.
The red grapes Syrah, Merlot and
Grenache, have an alcohol content of 13.514% which is very good but it all depends
on whether they can be harvested before
they are ruined by the rain.
For the last 15 years or so, the vendange
is mainly done by machinery now. Some
viticulteurs still pick by hand which is more
expensive but better quality wine is
produced. 30 years ago, the Spanish
would come across the border to do the
vendange, and would stay in the local
villages for the two months at the end of
which there was a huge fête. The little
stone houses in the vineyards, called
mazet, are their only legacy as they were
used to shelter the horses during the
noonday heat.
Around St Chinean and Berlou the vendange is one week later because of the cooler
climate, whereas around Perpignan it is earlier as it is warmer. Grapes are then either sold
to a Cave Coopérative or used by the private domaine. Vinification (the conversion of
grapes, or grape juice, into wine) will be covered next month!
The hunting season is upon us
There is a popular myth that the French
just grab their gun (carelessly propped up
against the back door), head out and shoot
anything that moves.
Absolutely, 110% not true. As with most
things in France, there is an inordinate
amount of bureaucracy involved before you
can venture out with a view to acquiring
something for dinner. However, it is all and
very honourably about security, safety and
the conservation and protection of wildlife.
According to the National Hunting
Federation, hunting is the second most
widely practised sport in France after
football.
The laws and regulations for having a gun
are considerably more relaxed than they
are in the UK and it seems here everybody
has a gun and walks around with a
Laguiole knife in their pocket and nobody
thinks
you’re
weird,
eccentric
or
dangerous.
Long before you are allowed anywhere
near a gun and something fluffy with
twinkly eyes, you must pass a theory and
practical exam.
There are eliminatory
questions which, if you get them wrong,
mean you must retake the exam another
time, even if you get all the other questions
right.
Having got through this very arduous
process and now the proud owner of a
hunting permit, you need pay between
115€ to 400€ a year depending on if you
are hunting small or big game and if you
are hunting in just your Département
(County) or in the whole of France. Then
you need to pay about 50€ a year for a
local permit or timbre.
Insurance is absolutely obligatory and if a
guard de chasse stops you and you don’t
have your papers on you, you will incur a
fine and possibly have your permit taken
away. There are also numerous rules and
if you are caught contravening any of
these, depending on the severity,
punishment could range from a fine, to
having your licence taken away for a
period of 1-3 years after which you need to
re-sit the exams again, or in extreme
cases, to having your permit taken away
from you for life.
The hunting season officially starts on 15th August when keen hunters go up into the
mountains in search of Sangliers or Wild Boar. The Mairie of each village decides when
the rest of the hunting season starts, after the vendanges, normally the first week of
October and which days of the week when there is no hunting allowed. For four weeks the
vineyards are full of hunters searching for Partridge, or Perdrix Rouge. This is a muchloved sport and a delicious bird to eat, so due to its very short season this is why the area
suddenly feels like a war zone. Each animal has its own hunting season which is
regulated to ensure numbers are controlled and that the animal is not disturbed during
breeding. For big game each village is allocated a certain number of coded bracelets. If
anyone is caught with a dead animal without a bracelet there are serious consequences.
In general big game tends to be hunted up in the mountains and
small game down on the plane. For big game a rifle, or carabine, is
used with a bullet that can still kill at a range of 5 km. This style of
hunting tends to be very well organised in order to minimise risk,
and wherever possible, hunters are positioned on a hill and shoot
down into a valley so that if they miss, the bullet (or ball) will bury
itself into the ground.
Small game is hunted with a shotgun, or fusil, and cartridges
(cartouches) filled with numerous lead pellets (plomb) which are only
effective up to a range of around 30-40 m after which they feel like
hail stones if they hit you.
So, a brief summary of a great passion of
this area that is very much a part of the
French local culture. Most hunters are
lovers of nature and the countryside,
treating it with great respect, and are out
there to enjoy the fresh air and to work with
their dogs. Like most sports, it is a very
social affair too, and often a day’s hunting
will finish with a meal, probably eating the
game they have killed with their comrades,
and washed down with wine in a convivial
atmosphere.
It is important to remember that thanks to
an active hunting programme that is
closely monitored and regulated, there is
much more wildlife to be seen in its natural
environment
than
would
otherwise
disappear through predators, disease and
the intrusion of man. Many hunting groups
and societies breed and release numerous
birds each year, protect the young birds
and baby animals, often treating maladies,
and ensuring the continuation of healthy
populations of wild animals in the
countryside. Without their help and funds
ploughed back into projects, the wildlife of
this region would undoubtedly suffer.
How to register a UK car in France
How is Sarkozy doing ?
Nicholas Sarkozy has been in office now
for over a year as President of France,
and in July of this year he took up the
position of head of the EU Council as
France started its six month presidency.
He has set out his goals concerning
climate change, greater use of nuclear
power, to strengthen the EU’s defence
capabilities, control illegal immigration
and to reform the agricultural subsidy
system.
A recent poll showed that less than a
third of French people had any
confidence that he will make any
significant progress during France’s term.
We will have to wait until next January
when the Czech Republic takes over to
see
what
exactly
Sarkozy
has
accomplished.
First the car needs to go through an MOT in
France, or Controlle Technique. You will be
asked to present the DVLA Vehicle
Registration Document and you will be given a
certificate following the test.
Then you need to apply for the French
equivalent of the Vehicle Registration
Document (Certificate d'Immatriculation or
Carte Grise). To get it you need to fill in a form
called
the
Demande
de
Certificate
d'Immatriculation which you can get from your
local tax office.
You will need to get a Quitus Fiscale from the
Hotel des Impots which is a document that
states there is no money owed on the car.
They will ask you for the UK vehicule
registration
document,
Certificate
of
Permanent Export from the DVLA, certificate of
conformity (states that the vehicle passes EU
safety standards), receipt of purchase,
passport and a domestic bill (gas, electricty,
phone) as proof of address.
Then go to the Prefecture with all your
documents duly completed and your cheque
book (they won't accept credit cards or cash)
and Bob’s your Uncle !
France/UK Tax Treaty
A new comprehensive Double Taxation
Treaty between the United Kingdom and
France was signed in London on 19 June
2008.
It is hoped the treaty will ‘avoid double
taxation and prevent fiscal evasion with
respect to taxes on income and capital
gains’.
It should close previous loopholes
(such as capital gains on a property
sold in the UK by a French resident)
and widen the scope for governments
to investigate tax evasion.
It will
replace the 1968 version and come into
force in 2010.
The wording is somewhat ambigous
and unclear as to what is exactly
included by the treaty, but in general it
appears the UK taxes which are
covered are limited to income,
corporation and capital gains tax. The
French side covers all taxes including
local authority ones and social
contributions.
There is to be a wealth tax exemption
for the first five years that a UK national
becomes a French resident on their
assets located outside of France, but
not obviously on their assets in Fance.
There are those that are sceptical
owing to the fact that a treaty was
signed back in 2004 but never became
law so nothing is guaranteed, however
most feel that this one will go through
with perhaps only minor changes to the
original draft.
As always, every case is different and it
is best to seek professional advice on
your personal circumstances in order to
optimise your investments and make
any changes necessary before 2010.
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Wine tasting and a lovely meal
Vinipolis - Florensac
This month our restaurant review is going
to be a little different, as we have
discovered a wonderful place at the Cave
Co-Opérative called Vinipolis, that offers a
very informative dégustation (tasting) of
their wines and then a meal in their lovely
restaurant afterwards – Bistro d’Alex. It
makes for a lovely day out.
In the heart of the biggest wine growing region in the world, Vinipolis has great vision for
the future, hoping to open a window on the region and the quality of its products and aims
to work closely with its consumers and commercial partners. It has invested an impressive
1.7 million euros on the restaurant, the wine production and direct sales operation and not
forgetting the upkeep of the vines themselves.
Always listening to what their clients want, Vinipolis produces 50% white, 25% rosé and
25% red wines. Using the grape varieties cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay,
sauvignon, syrah and viognier (which is apparently a very difficult grape to grow and work
with). There are 260 people in the co-opérative working 1100 ha of vines.
For the dégustation there is high
technology in the form of interactive
screens at each tasting station offering
information on the grape, flavours, style,
etc or you could opt for the charming
young man to do a personal tasting with
you – his passion is infectious. After the
tasting you are not obliged to, but will no
doubt, buy some wine to take home with
you which is offered at a surprisingly good
price.
A meal in the restaurant is offered on a
blackboard of daily specials, so everything
is seasonal and fresh. With wine from the
Co-op of course, a meal will cost you
around 20-25 euros per person.
Open Monday – Saturday
9am – 6pm non-stop
Tel : 04 67 77 00 20
Email : cave.florensac@wanadoo.fr
Vinipolis
5 Avenue des Vendanges
34510
Florensac
À Bientôt
Thanks once again for taking the time to read
our newsletter and as always I hope you found
it interesting. Please feel free to contact us at
any time with your queries or comments, or
even just to say hello as we love to hear from
you.
Call us on
Fancy a walk ?
As the heat comes out of the sun and Autumn
is around the corner, now is the time to put on
your walking boots and do one of the
wonderful walks around the region in the many
national natural parks, forests and lakes.
There are several guide books that can be
bought in sports stores or large supermarkets
that cover the Languedoc-Rousillon area in
general or more specifically each deparment.
The guides mark out walks that take you in a
wide circle, bringing you back to your starting
poing and tell you the distance, difficulty and
estimated time to walk it. They also point out
sites of interest, where you can get water and
how to get there.
Some useful information can be found here
www.bestwalksfrance.co.uk
+33 (0) 4 67 36 36 80
in France
or
0871 990 2000
from UK
or by email on
ab@ab-real-estate.com
With best wishes
Annelise Bosshard
Managing Director
AB Real Estate
www.ab-real-estate.com
www.south-france-property.net