Wednesday, September 10, 2008

The Grapes Are Ready

The Grapes Are Ready

Mike Tolochko

The great wine industry of France is ready to move into high gear. The sugar level in the grapes is at the most important point. This is measured in a scientific manner through a refraction method. Starting at the very end of August and into September; the mechanization of the grape picking is starting.

Soon the beaujolais wines from North; North West Lyon; France; will be harvested and shipped around the world. This table wine is the first pick and drink. It is very popular in the US, but, as most French people would say, it is merely a table wine. As they say, there is a wide variation of the quality of this wine.

Other grapes from the fields across France are being picked.

Mostly gone are immigrant farm workers, grape pickers from Spain, Roumania, Russia and other close by countries where unemployment is very high. Modern machines do the work.

Most of the vineyards are owned by French concerns; but; some are financed by Japanese and some English.