FRANCE: EARLY GRAPE HARVEST IN BORDEAUX

(28 Aug 1997) Eng/French/Nat

France's largest and best known vineyards, the Bordeaux, have just
started their earliest harvest in over a century.

The early harvest has been made possible by nine months of dry conditions in the region.

And expectations are high for a 1997 vintage which is already being likened to the famous one of 1989.

The picturesque Chateau Pape Clement near Bordeaux provides the perfect setting for what looks like being a famous vintage.

Here, the earliest harvest in more than 100 years has just begun.

You have to go back to the 1893 vintage to find such an early harvest.

The climate over the past 9 months was the main factor, first the flowering in early spring, then a hot and rather dry summer - and those in the know agree that this is the sign of a good vintage.

The Chateau Pape Clement was one of the first to benefit, they produce a dry white wine known as "Graves".

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"Its obvious that early harvesting is a good indication of
good quality and ripeness of the grape and promises a good or
excellent vintage."
SUPER CAPTION: Bernard Pujol, Director of Chateau Pape Clement

To remain a Bordeaux wine the harvesting and sorting must be done
by hand.

The decision to harvest is taken by the federation of wine growers
of the Bordeaux region.

They met on August 27th to decide the fate of the red wine.

The meeting lasted two hours and the decision was taken that the Merlot red wines would be harvested on the September 3rd.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"This year we are ahead by a few days, in that we find similarities with the 1989, and everyone knows what a good vintage it was. So we feel that we have all the elements to do something superb this year. "
SUPER CAPTION: Xavier Carreau, wine grower and President of the
federation of Bordeaux wines

The sales of Bordeaux wine reach around 14-point-5 (b) billion French francs (2-point-4 (b) billion U-S dollars), three times the total amount of sales in the High Fashion industry.

Exports represent 60 per cent of their sales, with an important increase in demand from the Asian markets.

As demand for the rare vintages increased, speculation over these vintage bottles has developed.

Traditionally wine brokers acted as go-betweens for the producers and wine merchants - aware of the different factors which could affect a vintage's value.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"The rates for the most sought after wines of Bordeaux can vary
quite a lot every date depending on availability and demand on
certain vintages "
SUPER CAPTION: Max de Lestapis, Wine Broker

Overseas buyers are also keeping a close eye on weather conditions in France at the moment, hoping for a bumper crop this year.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Most of the eyes right now are on the temperatures and the weather conditions hoping they'll stay relatively dry. Once that's confirmed, the frenzy of buying is going to follow after that."
SUPER CAPTION: Michael Affatato, American buyer

Expectations are understandably high for the 1997 Bordeaux - it could be vintage of the century.

KEYWORDS: LOCATIONS

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