Grape Harvest in Quebec
Fall is here… and what better way to celebrate its arrival than to be a part of the seasonal grape harvest.
I had the pleasure of documenting the winemaking process and the grape harvesting / vendanges. As well as go on an exploration of the senses.
The first part of the day took place in the vineyards of Cépages résistants Nordiques, owned by Alain Breault. It is here, that I was able to follow Veronique Lemieux and her crew as they harvest this season’s grapes.
It was a feast for the eyes to observe all the earthly and vibrant colours & textures that this environment offers. As well as to enjoy the intoxicating smells and tastes.
As a photographer keen on documenting and observing life through the senses and seasons, I couldn’t have asked for a better day in the countryside of the Eastern townships, in Quebec. The color of the leaves was starting to shift, the grapes in the vineyards were plumb and ready to be harvested, the surrounding landscapes were lush and vibrant, and the air was fresh. It didn’t take much to unfold and be immersed in this moment.
The Cepages resistant Nordiques is a vineyard that focuses on the research and production of the multiplication of grape varieties adapted to the climate of Quebec soils. They work in collaboration with the best cold climate hybridizers in order to offer you an increasingly vast range of grape varieties that are increasingly appropriate to particular situations (climate, soils, length of seasons). It was a pleasure to document his vineyard during this harvest season.
The next part to my grape harvest journey was at the lush and fertile lands and vineyards of Vignoble of De la Bauge.
Vignoble de la Bauge is a winery, event place, and farm, owned by Simon Naud. It practices viticulture that aims at regenerating the soil. The presence of animals in the vineyard is part of this intention.
Here, we would observe, learn, and partake in the next stages of the wine-making process. This would begin with the meditative de-stemming of the grapes. As we mindfully continued with this step, Veronique offered a “step-by-step”, passionate approach that shared her knowledge and experience of the wine process.
We gathered over a lovely lunch to enjoy and taste some of the local wines that Vignoble de la Bauge had to offer. As both Veronique and Kenza informed us of the nuances of each Vintage.
I ended the day and this documentation with a nice mindful walk at golden hour with Vero, to feed the sheep on their farm.
The light, the moment, and of course my guide Veronique Lemienx made for a memorable occasion not to be forgotten. Thanks for following this journey of my documentation of the wine harvest of 2023.
Cepages Resistants Noriques- https://www.viticultuream.ca/
Vignoble de la bauge - https://labauge.com/
PHOTOGRAPHY / TEXT by ©Jennifer Cloutier photography - www.jennifer cloutier.com
