The Harvest Has Begun - ‘On attaque les vendanges’
If you've visited us at Maison Le Mas during late summer, you'll know there's a certain feeling in the air that signals the changing of the seasons. The mornings become a little cooler, the light turns softer across the vines, and before long the quiet roads are filled with tractors pulling trailers overflowing with freshly picked grapes.
The vendanges – the grape harvest – have begun.
This Year's Harvest - From the Cellar Master
This year's harvest has started earlier than many growers would normally expect. A long spell of hot, dry weather has accelerated the ripening of the grapes, meaning vineyards across the Charente have been watching sugar levels and acidity particularly closely before deciding the perfect moment to begin picking.
Local producer Pierre Vaudon, owner and Cellar Master at François Voyer/Vaudon, has been making these decisions for over a quarter of a century.
As this year's harvest begins, we asked him to share his thoughts:
"Je débute mes 26e vendanges à la maison depuis la fin de mes études d'œnologue et je ne sais toujours pas si le moment est un début ou la fin d'une aventure.
Chaque millésime est différent et chaque fois le plaisir de le sculpter est renouvelé.
Le millésime 2026 sera précoce et exigera une distillation précoce aussi en raison de sa faible acidité. Nous attendons des fruits bien mûrs et du soleil pour ce millésime".
A Harvest Unlike Most Wine Regions
One thing that often surprises our guests is that the grapes grown here are not destined to become the rich red or white wines many associate with French vineyards.
Around Maison Le Mas, almost every vine is planted with Ugni Blanc, the traditional grape variety used to produce Cognac. Unlike table wine, the grapes are harvested with a very different goal in mind. The resulting wine is intentionally light, fresh and high in acidity – perfect for the double distillation that will later transform it into Cognac.
"It's a process that has remained remarkably unchanged for generations".
From Vine to Press
Once the decision has been made, everything happens quickly.
Large mechanical harvesters move steadily through the rows, gently shaking the vines so the grapes fall into trailers being skilfully manoeuvred alongside . While hand-picking is common in many famous wine regions, mechanical harvesting is the norm in the Cognac appellation, allowing growers to gather the crop quickly while the fruit is at its optimum ripeness.
Within hours of being picked, the grapes are pressed and the juice begins fermenting naturally. After just a few weeks it becomes a light, dry white wine with high acidity and relatively low alcohol. It isn't made to be enjoyed at the table—instead, it is created specifically to be distilled into Cognac during the winter months using the region's traditional copper ‘alambic’.
Not every grape harvested in the Charente will become Cognac. Some of the freshly pressed grape juice is set aside to produce Pineau des Charentes, the region's much-loved apéritif. Instead of being fully fermented, the fresh grape must is blended with Cognac eau-de-vie a process known as 'mutage', before being aged in oak barrels.
It's another local speciality with a fascinating story of its own...
one we'll be exploring in a future Journal article.
Life at Le Mas During Harvest
For us, harvest is one of our favourite times of year.
Our home sits among vineyards, so the rhythm of the vendanges becomes part of everyday life. Breakfast on the terrace is often accompanied by the distant hum of harvesters. Walks through the surrounding lanes reveal trailers piled high with grapes heading towards the local distilleries, while the unmistakable aroma of freshly pressed juice drifts through the villages.
In the evenings, as the sun begins to set over the limestone soils of Grande Champagne, there's a wonderful sense that everyone is working together towards the same goal. Families, neighbours and vineyard workers all play their part in one of the most important moments of the year.
It's busy, but never hurried.
A Wonderful Time to Visit
Many visitors think autumn arrives only after the harvest has finished, but in reality this is one of the most fascinating times to discover the region.
The vineyards are alive with activity, the weather is often beautifully warm, local markets are full of seasonal produce, and before long the sweet smell of fermenting grapes gives way to another unmistakable aroma—the first Cognac distillations of the season.
It's a side of the Charente that many tourists never experience. And if you're staying with us at Maison Le Mas, you don't need to go searching for it.
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