Castle Attractions In Coulanges-la-Vineuse

Wine producing vineyard in heart of Paris

1. Pan of Montmartre area from carousel to Sacre Coeur cathedral
2. Sacre Coeur cathedral
3. Pan from street to Montmartre vineyard
4. Close up of street name plate 'Rue Des Saules'
5. Various of grape pickers in the vineyard
6. Entrance to vineyard
7. Various of vineyard
8. Door to vine leaves
9. Set up of oenologist (expert wine maker) Francis Gourdin
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Francis Gourdin, oenologist :
We are now at the Clos-Montmartre vineyard, that is on the slope of the Montmartre hill. And this vineyard is a part of the history of the town of Paris. There's a long tradition of wine growing in Paris. For centuries, almost a millennium, wine has been grown in Paris, particularly in Montmartre.
11. Grapevines with building in background
12. Various of grapes and vines
13. SOUNDBITE (French) Francis Gourdin, oenologist :
I would say it is a wine of the low mountains. It is similar to some wines from the Auvergne region or to some north Burgundy ones like Coulanges-la-Vineuse or Irancy. It is a quite rustic wine, with a lot of colour. It is sharp as well, quite sour. But it's still a pleasant wine. When the weather is good like it was this year, we obtain really good wine grapes.
14. Gourdin picking and holding grapes, UPSOUND (French) Francis Gourdin, oenologist :
You can see the quality of those grapes, they are unhurt, there are no rotten grapes, they are all of the same size, quite big which will produce a good juice and a very good wine.
15. Gourdin checking the future alcohol degree of wine from select grapes
16. Grape picker at work
17. Various of grape picker Patrick Senson
18. SOUNDBITE (French) Patrick Senson, grape picker :
There are some rules to respect if you want to pick up the grapes; you have to check the grapes closely, there shouldn't be any rotten grapes and each grape-picker has his own line.
19. Butterfly on a vine leaf

LEAD IN:

When you think of French vineyards it is often the vineyards in the regions of Champagne, Cote du Rhone or Burgundy that spring to mind.

But there are in fact vineyards all over France - even in the heart of the capital city Paris.

STORYLINE:

Montmartre in Paris is famous for many things; it's steep streets, colourful rides and of course the magnificent Sacre Coeur cathedral.

But just streets away from the cathedral is a wine producing vineyard - and it is harvest time.

The Montmartre vineyard is the largest of four vineyards in the city of Paris.

Oenologist (expert wine maker) Francis Gourdin says the vineyard has been around for a while.

It was first mentioned in documents back in the year 944.

Gourdin says the wine produced from grapes grown at the vineyard bears similarities to wines from several other French regions.

He adds that this years crop looks like a good one.

A select group of grape pickers take care of the harvesting of the grapes.

One of the pickers is Patrick Senson.

He says a good grape picker knows the rules of the harvest.

The vineyard gives around 500 litres (13 gallons) of wine, which makes some one thousand 50 cl (0.8 pint) bottles.

The wine from the vineyard is cellared in caves then when it ready to drink, the wine is sold and the money raised given to charity.


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