One of the things which I have often done is to arrange for a client on a wine tour to do a days work in a vineyard. The winemaker is always mystified that someone actually wants to pay him for the privilege of ruining his back after eight hours under the heat lamp of the sun. In fact this is one example of the difference in perception between someone who can go back to his home in London, Dallas or wherever and, over dinner, can say to his appreciative guests, “yes, this is a great wine from a wonderful vineyard, I actually worked there you know”. Meanwhile the winemakers and his team will be in bed early, knowing that the next day they have another eight hour slog.

The fact of the matter, of course, is that working the vines is a hot, sweaty, grueling occupation and in the case of many appellations where grapes have to be picked by hand, (eg. Coteaux de Saumur, Cremant de Loire), most of the day is spent bent almost double. This does not change the fact that most producers love what they do and would not change for anything but they are very well aware of the downside. So here are four current problems with which they have to cope.

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