The small town of Maury is caught somewhere between its ancient past and a windfall of wine money that is sweeping it optimistically into the 21st century. The town consists of one main street (the D 117) that runs through the town and doubles as the largest, no toll thoroughfare between Perpignan and the coast……..In other words, it is active. The one and only café is located there, and it is exactly that spot where I found Richard last Saturday.
I am two minutes á pied from the center of town. It really is a sad one. There is an epicerie, boulangerie, and the mairie is pretty new, but that is about it. The charcuterie has closed, there is no bank, but there is either a vision of tomorrow or a kitschy, but cute trompe d’oeil nod to a mini renaissance. I have been told that the mairie of this town is very progressive and really wants to acknowledge the natural gifts of the area AND trade them cautiously for increased affluence and an improved standard of living. It appears to be going reasonably well.
Boulangerie
Centre Ville
Saturday Market
"The Flower Shop"
"Bienvenue"
The winery here in Maury, Department 66 (both the name of the French Department and the winery….very clever!), is absolutely state-of-the-art. It is designed for only one thing, making the best possible wine. Efficiency and ease of cleanliness are stressed in every aspect of design. Grape reception is handled slowly and with the most gentle handling available. Grapes are hand dumped onto a conveyer, then through a destemmer, no crushing. Then they move through a machine that I have seen before in Europe, but not in the states. Each berry is dropped onto a tray that further sorts for berries that are not “perfect” and also helps remove “jacks” (the little pieces of stems that can add to a green and/or stringent flavor…named for the game that we played as kids as the pieces of stem look like “jacks”). I have been told by the most up to date wine guy I know David, that there is an addition to this unit that actually can determine grapes with botrytis by “seeing” the color variation. Soon, we can make wine from our living room couch by remote control!
Harvested Grapes Wait In The Cold Room
Gentle Drop to Conveyor
Drop to Second Conveyor After Destemming
Through the Teeth
The Remaining "Perfect" Berries
Leftover "Jacks" and Other Garbage
Final Blow Though by "The Mistral"
Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness
Department 66
My actual life is getting a bit ahead of my posts which naturally has both good and not so good aspects to telling a story. Because of this I am often talking about what went on a day or so ago. My greatest regret/irritation in the retelling is what I have missed to capture in a meaningful way. I am speaking here about photos and the use of the camera. As I have protested more than once in this still short-lived, burgeoning continued search for absolute fullness and completion (ooppps, is that something like death?), I have never used a camera to document my existence so it is not a natural. I am even less inclined to take photographs of people living their lives. It seems intrusive. I have always felt that way and suppose organically I always will. But, what the hey? The whole world is on someone’s iphone, so why can’t I enjoy the same exposition of such?
AH, but I am. I am just starting to have some fun with the camera. People may come next, who knows? And just as I have had a good round with myself about not being comfortable with the camera and its use, I wonder if not using the written word to convey the story does not have more meaning. If a story must be told quickly then a photo seems like the correct medium (video works here as well, any visual media), but if one wants to enjoy the luxury of dramatic story telling using words to create for the reader a ‘scene’ that then becomes ones’ own…..?????
So, is one art, the other pop?
One literature, the other gossip?
None of this matters to six year old Amy and four year old Sasha who love the camera:
Toes and Toys
Mom and Sasha
Carrie Hams for the Camera (cellar rat by day/gourmet cook at night)
Et Moi
A dark and ominous storm gathered as I headed south. I thought that finding Maury would be simple as there HAD to be a sign for the town along the autoroute. But no, so I pulled off the road around some town names that I did know. Of all people I should NEVER travel without a map as I have no sense of direction. The sun helps of course….but first she must be out. (Another friend who suffers from this problem calls it “directionally dyslexic”. Since I am dyslexic in writing and speaking it all adds up.) I did indeed have a map so finally pulled myself over and dug it out of my suitcase. Wow, it cleared things up right away, imagine that!
My contacts here are Richard and Sarah Case. Both are English but as winemaking was the chosen field for Richard, France was a natural. Richard was making small lots of Old Vine Grenache and Old Vine Carignan in his basement…a humble facility at best. The Vallé d’Agly was soon discovered for its plentiful hillsides of OVG and OVC. These grapes had been going into Vin Doux Natural but it did not take long for winemakers from other areas/countries to see the gold hanging on these slopes. Richard is now making his wine and wine for several others in an absolutely perfect winemaking facility designed and built by Dave Finney of Orin Swift/Prisoner fame (who has made a sizable investment in vineyards and the winemaking facility).
Richard and I had agreed by email that I would either come by the winery or call him on his cell, depending on the time of arrival. I like to hone in a bit on my destination first….get the lay of the land. I arrived in Maury around 6:30 and as I drove through its main street I passed the local pub. I was immediately at home as I saw Richard (he is very tall) and a group relaxing over a beer. I considered this a very good sign of days to come.
Turns out he was hanging with his associate Bob (also English), and Brian (and his cousin Pete) from Napa Valley. Brian works with Dave (and Pete was just on vacation) and was here for the launch of the harvest. A few beers later we were off to a party in Tautavel. I completely blew it here as I did not have my camera. I am not used to documenting my life and have never used a camera so it is not second nature. I tried to get a few pictures of the party with Richard’s iphone, but…..
In any case please picture an old cellar but thoroughly renewed, with a long table with over 200 wines and a food table at one end where shortly two lambs were being sliced for our dining pleasure. Dozens of winemakers from the area were here to kick off harvest with what is apparently an annual get together. I was surprised to run into a few people I knew and of course there were many winemaking connections from both France and the rest of the grape community. This was grand start to the week!
Although I missed a handful of party shots, I can share some of the beauty and charm of Maury.
The Local Hollywood Sign
The Local Cemetery
The Hills Slowly Close In
Magestic Risings
To the North
