Un vrai bonnard. Don't miss this inspiring story about a winemaker's comeback following a devastating storm. Pictured: Raimond de Villeneuve. Photo montage from Google images.
la grêle (grel)
: hail
Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc: Download MP3 or Wav file
Un orage de grêle détruit en deux minutes deux années de récolte de raisins. A hail storm destroys in two minutes two years worth of grapes.
A Day in a French Life… by Kristin Espinasse
I have an inspiring lemons to lemonade story for you now. It's about local winemaker Raimond de Villeneuve who came over for lunch yesterday.
"Il est bonnard!" Jean-Marc said of our guest, assuring me not to worry about what to cook. But depending on what bonnard meant, I would serve french fries or soufflé…. I was betting on the first hunch (bonnard = fun-loving?), and that this meant a comfort meal was in order. Nothing complicated.
Coincidentally, the night before, I'd made a dish by chef and winemaker Jamie Oliver. I couldn't remember the exact ingredients, but having made the braised cabbage last year, I winged it (je l'ai fait au pif)–sauteing red onion, one chou rouge, and 3 golden apples….
I had found some dried figs in the fridge and chopped those up, tossing them in, adding salt, pepper, and coriander seeds. The result was encouraging but something was missing. So before our guest arrived, I doctored up the dish with some soft chestnuts (hadn't Jamie added those?), chopped and mixed in for texture and even more comfort.
From the new living room window that looks onto the front yard, I spied our guest, who threw back his head as he laughed with Jean-Marc. Yes, bonnard had to mean fun-loving. Today's relaxed menu would work.
The two men bounded into the house, heading toward the kitchen. As I was on the other side of the door when they entered, our guest didn't see me. Amused, I followed quietly on the stranger's heels, curious to see how long it would take to be found out.
Only a step behind the rugged man with the curly black hair, I could have reached out and tapped him on the shoulder–but resisted. And when Raimond de Villeneuve finally turned around we both burst out laughing.
"So you are the genius winemaker!" I said. "Jean-Marc has told me so much about you."
Raimond's smile was a mixture of elegance and mischief. His blue eyes twinkled as he considered a response to my greeting, finally settling on more laughter. And then, elegance won over.
"Enchanté," Raimond said, kissing my cheek.
I was a little star-struck but any misplaced emotion was quickly replaced by steam. My cabbage was on fire! I dashed past our guest, and landed beside the kitchen range–in time to save the side dish.
Joining the two men at the table, I wanted to hear all about how this young winemaker managed to turn around a natural catastrophy. Raimond's latest vintage, called "Grêle," was thoughtfully named after the devastating hailstorm that stole his future harvest at his Chateau de Roquefort. If that isn't bad enough, it hijacked the next year's grapes as well–for when hail hits the vines its damage affects the vine's constitution.
As we sat down to eat, Raimond told us the story. "In seven minutes I had lost everything!"
Facing bankruptcy, Raimond was surprised by a miracle. It began when one winemaker offered him a couple cases of grapes….
Then another vigneron encouraged Raimond to harvest several rows of vines at his domaine, never mind it wasn't in the same appellation (Bandol). Similar offers began pouring in across southern France until Raimond realized what was happening: people were coming out of the woodwork to help. And not just people–extremely busy winemakers who should normally be working round the clock to meet their own harvest deadlines!
With this kind of encouragement and support, Raimond quickly learned not only to accept the handouts, but to encourage them. In order for the gifted grapes to amount to something, he would need enough fruit to fill his tanks so that he might have the chance to entirely replace the lost vintage.
To organize such a feat is one thing–getting it to clear nit-picky customs is quite another. The grapes were rolling in from all over the Mediterranean–and from Bandol all the way up to Chateauneuf-du-Pape! Normally this would be an evil customs' officers hayday (those notoriously strick bureaucrats, in charge of controlling wine production, seem to love to find the glitch. And here, there were enough broken rules to land all the renegade winemakers in the principal's office.)
But an astonishing thing happened. The customs officers closed their eyes on all the grape-schlepping! What's more, they seemed moved by the sweating effort and sacrifice of the winemakers. In what could be a competitive field, winemakers were now sharing more than their grapes, they were sharing their machinery, their cellars, their lunches, and their savoir-faire.
One of the unexpected rewards about this organized effort was the chance for Raimond to work in so many different wine cellars, while accepting all the handouts, and to see how everyone made wine. "It reminds me of how chefs work–each with his own method of cooking a great meal."
As Raimond recounted his story, he paused here and there to pick up the lambchops Jean-Marc had grilled. "You don't mind if I use my hands?" he asked.
"Bien sûr que non!" I insisted. Still, I couldn't determine whether or not the braised cabbage with chestnuts was a hit or a miss with our guest… And when, finally, he turned his attention to the side dish, shoveling it down with glee, I felt as relieved as the winemaker must have, the day every lost grape was retrieved.
***
Post note: Hopefully there will be another story about Raimond, who will use his grafting expertese to help us plant our new vineyard this spring! Stay tuned.
Another group of empathetic winemakers who contributed to Raimond's "Grêle" vintage. The sign they are holding offers this heartwarming message: "Du Mourvèdre de la Tour du Bon pour Raimond!" (Some mourvèdre from the Tour de Bon for Raimond!)
Comments
To comment on today's post, click here. If you enjoyed Raimond's story, send him a note here in the comments section.
You can visit Raimond's website, with information about his Chateau de Roquefort wines, here.
French Vocabulary
bonnard = fun, easy to get along with, cool
il est bonnard = he's a good guy
au pif = by guesswork
je l'ai fait au pif = I winged it
à la bise = in "bise" fashion (la bise, or faire la bise, is to kiss someone on both cheeks)
le vigneron = winemaker
Listen to A French Christmas and "Mon Beau Sapin", "Saint Nuit", "La Marche des Rois", "Petite Ville Bethléem", "Il est né Le Divin Enfant".
You were asking how the dogs were getting along with the cats…
So I leave you, now, with these photos….
Left to right: Mama Braise ("brez"), her son, Smokey, and that's Lily the calico.
You are wondering where Lily's brother, Pancho, is? No worries. He wasn't eaten.
Pancho was watching the scene from above. Happy holiday season to all!
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Our dear Kristi,
You could not have given us a more lovely gift than that of your post today..How beautifully written,what beautiful sentiments,sharing a wonderful meal with a friend,one you and others have helped to return to his livihood.
There could not be inspiration more than this kindness.Truly what life is about.
Your cabbage sounds like heaven!(my belle mere used to saute down the whole cored,chopped head in alittle water and oil/butter..till it got almost crunchy.Then top pasta or fried potatoes with it.)
WONDERFUL Pictures!
THANK YOU!
Bless you and your dear family always.
Love
Natalia. xo
Our dear Kristi,
You could not have given us a more lovely gift than that of your post today..How beautifully written,what beautiful sentiments,sharing a wonderful meal with a friend,one you and others have helped to return to his livihood.
There could not be inspiration more than this kindness.Truly what life is about.
Your cabbage sounds like heaven!(my belle mere used to saute down the whole cored,chopped head in alittle water and oil/butter..till it got almost crunchy.Then top pasta or fried potatoes with it.)
WONDERFUL Pictures!
THANK YOU!
Bless you and your dear family always.
Love
Natalia. xo
Beautiful pics and wonderful story. Thank you, Kristi!
Beautiful pics and wonderful story. Thank you, Kristi!
I winged it (je l’ai fait au pif)–sauteing red onion, one choux rouge, and 3 golden apples…. // and a partridge in a pear tree//! my musical brain could not help adding at this time of year.
A nother great tale of life among the grapes and a nother great bit of French (faire au pif!) we would never learn at the Alliance. Merci mille fois all over again, Kristi.
I winged it (je l’ai fait au pif)–sauteing red onion, one choux rouge, and 3 golden apples…. // and a partridge in a pear tree//! my musical brain could not help adding at this time of year.
A nother great tale of life among the grapes and a nother great bit of French (faire au pif!) we would never learn at the Alliance. Merci mille fois all over again, Kristi.
My comments are often little but I adore reading Kristi, her stories are wonderful with a little french to help all who are new to this lovely language. I want to tell you all a little story of my own. Begging! Yes, I’m one who often stumbles “should I, should I not, with a coin out of my purse. I have come across three persons that stick in my mind. The first was a young man who just wanted to play music at the Cognac jazz Festival, he begged for a little money to feed his loyal companion, ‘ a dog ‘. My second in our local market, a very young man, well spoken & begging with his hat on the ground. I watched this young man going around the local supermarket, with a small cardboard box he placed inside it one packet of biscuits, pain; cheap table wine, sandwich, dried food for his dog. All in all the selected items were around €6. He was just so humble in every aspect. My third man is elderly, he just sits outside the post office with his cap on the ground, he really ask’s for nothing just the odd coin if you can spare it ‘please’. On first seeing this elderly man well, yes I passed him by! Thinking ‘oh yes,’ money for ‘beer, wine & cigars!! Oh how very wrong I was/ These people are really homeless, I mean homeless. NO, fuel: No electric; Toilet, Shower, Freezing cold, nothing.Please next time you pass someone in the street, think again it could be like the story above, how wonderful people rallied around with the offerings of grapes to help Raimond
My comments are often little but I adore reading Kristi, her stories are wonderful with a little french to help all who are new to this lovely language. I want to tell you all a little story of my own. Begging! Yes, I’m one who often stumbles “should I, should I not, with a coin out of my purse. I have come across three persons that stick in my mind. The first was a young man who just wanted to play music at the Cognac jazz Festival, he begged for a little money to feed his loyal companion, ‘ a dog ‘. My second in our local market, a very young man, well spoken & begging with his hat on the ground. I watched this young man going around the local supermarket, with a small cardboard box he placed inside it one packet of biscuits, pain; cheap table wine, sandwich, dried food for his dog. All in all the selected items were around €6. He was just so humble in every aspect. My third man is elderly, he just sits outside the post office with his cap on the ground, he really ask’s for nothing just the odd coin if you can spare it ‘please’. On first seeing this elderly man well, yes I passed him by! Thinking ‘oh yes,’ money for ‘beer, wine & cigars!! Oh how very wrong I was/ These people are really homeless, I mean homeless. NO, fuel: No electric; Toilet, Shower, Freezing cold, nothing.Please next time you pass someone in the street, think again it could be like the story above, how wonderful people rallied around with the offerings of grapes to help Raimond
What a wonderful story Kristin, so full of hope and encouragement. Your pets are beautiful and I love the look of “oh alright it can sit there” on Braise’s face and Smokey’s tongue is hilarious!
My son, thank God, safely returned from 6 months in Afghanistan this year and is taking 12 months off to study french this coming year. I too will take a course and expand on my ‘schoolgirl’ knowledge. Such a beautiful language. I keep your vocabularies they are excellent.
My best wishes to you and your family for a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful and healthy 2014. You keep so many people happy with your newsletters, thank you!
What a wonderful story Kristin, so full of hope and encouragement. Your pets are beautiful and I love the look of “oh alright it can sit there” on Braise’s face and Smokey’s tongue is hilarious!
My son, thank God, safely returned from 6 months in Afghanistan this year and is taking 12 months off to study french this coming year. I too will take a course and expand on my ‘schoolgirl’ knowledge. Such a beautiful language. I keep your vocabularies they are excellent.
My best wishes to you and your family for a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful and healthy 2014. You keep so many people happy with your newsletters, thank you!
So LOVE hearing stories about how KIND and WONDERFUL people can be to one another instead of the other way around! Think these are the stories we all need to hear more of instead of the other way around!! 🙂
So LOVE hearing stories about how KIND and WONDERFUL people can be to one another instead of the other way around! Think these are the stories we all need to hear more of instead of the other way around!! 🙂
It is so heartwarming to hear of such caring colleagues in the wine industry! A story of kindness and support at this time of the year was just what the Dr. ordered!
And those precious pics of the dogs allowing Lily to cuddle with them if with a wary eye! That was fast to find some kind of harmony in a relative short period of time. I have a hunch that it just may have something to do with a kind family!
Best wishes for a delightful holiday season!
It is so heartwarming to hear of such caring colleagues in the wine industry! A story of kindness and support at this time of the year was just what the Dr. ordered!
And those precious pics of the dogs allowing Lily to cuddle with them if with a wary eye! That was fast to find some kind of harmony in a relative short period of time. I have a hunch that it just may have something to do with a kind family!
Best wishes for a delightful holiday season!
A heartwarming wonderful Christmas story. Thank you, Kristi.
A heartwarming wonderful Christmas story. Thank you, Kristi.
Such a lovely and uplifting story for this Christmas season…bravo to your new friend and to all who rallied to support him.
The photos of the petite chats and dogs are adorable. Room for all at the inn? 🙂
Joyeux Noel to you Kristin and your family.
Such a lovely and uplifting story for this Christmas season…bravo to your new friend and to all who rallied to support him.
The photos of the petite chats and dogs are adorable. Room for all at the inn? 🙂
Joyeux Noel to you Kristin and your family.
“Good Christian Men, Rejoice!” came to mind on reading your lovely story about the kindness of strangers who rallied to help. The French folk that you tell us about so often seem to have that quality of helping their neighbors. I think it’s part of the genetic makeup of certain regions, similar to the farmers who rally around to help someone raise a barn or round up lost livestock. When you live in a certain situation, you can relate to others in a similar one and reach out to help without thinking twice. It’s a wonderful quality to have and you are blessed to live in that world. It’s a great way to begin Advent in preparation for the birth of the Christ Child, isn’t it?
“Good Christian Men, Rejoice!” came to mind on reading your lovely story about the kindness of strangers who rallied to help. The French folk that you tell us about so often seem to have that quality of helping their neighbors. I think it’s part of the genetic makeup of certain regions, similar to the farmers who rally around to help someone raise a barn or round up lost livestock. When you live in a certain situation, you can relate to others in a similar one and reach out to help without thinking twice. It’s a wonderful quality to have and you are blessed to live in that world. It’s a great way to begin Advent in preparation for the birth of the Christ Child, isn’t it?
When your little calico kitty,Lily, has kittens, she may have a little male orange tabby like my beloved Dante. Who,for eight years, has patrolled the neighborhood and kept the field mice and salamanders at bay and providing us with many stories and lots of laughs. Enjoy! They look as if they really love each other. We should learn from them.
When your little calico kitty,Lily, has kittens, she may have a little male orange tabby like my beloved Dante. Who,for eight years, has patrolled the neighborhood and kept the field mice and salamanders at bay and providing us with many stories and lots of laughs. Enjoy! They look as if they really love each other. We should learn from them.
I had surgery on my right foot in October. I am still in a cast. I get around precariously on a scooter. Wherever I go, people are kind and accommodating because of the foot. Especially they open doors for me at restaurants or wherever I go. But I wonder. How many people walk around with wounds of the heart that we can’t see? How nice it would be to accommodate one another at all times.
I had surgery on my right foot in October. I am still in a cast. I get around precariously on a scooter. Wherever I go, people are kind and accommodating because of the foot. Especially they open doors for me at restaurants or wherever I go. But I wonder. How many people walk around with wounds of the heart that we can’t see? How nice it would be to accommodate one another at all times.
That sauté sounds wonderful- will try this week. As always, thank you for a delightful peek into life in France. Hope you are having a wonderful day!!
That sauté sounds wonderful- will try this week. As always, thank you for a delightful peek into life in France. Hope you are having a wonderful day!!
Hi,
What a great story ! And lovely pics (dogs & cats “in perfect harmony” !
Regarding what you said : “à la bise”… I never heard such an expression in France (and as you know I’m french !). Maybe it’s… local ?! But not from the South.
As for “choux”, in your text it’s not plural, so no “x” !
Next and last stuff (actually it should have been the first !) : “bonnard” can easily be translated into…”cool”, very often used in french as you surely know !!
Sorry for all that, but I’m very pleased to read your stories and… I love languages, especially your native tongue.
Have a very nice Sunday with that wonderful – but rather cold – weather !
PS : sorry for the mistakes I could have made…
Hi,
What a great story ! And lovely pics (dogs & cats “in perfect harmony” !
Regarding what you said : “à la bise”… I never heard such an expression in France (and as you know I’m french !). Maybe it’s… local ?! But not from the South.
As for “choux”, in your text it’s not plural, so no “x” !
Next and last stuff (actually it should have been the first !) : “bonnard” can easily be translated into…”cool”, very often used in french as you surely know !!
Sorry for all that, but I’m very pleased to read your stories and… I love languages, especially your native tongue.
Have a very nice Sunday with that wonderful – but rather cold – weather !
PS : sorry for the mistakes I could have made…
M. Raimond’s story is heartwarming. How extraordinary to see so many potential rivals and functionaries “step up to the plate” and help one in a crisis like this. Even at 86, most of us have not accumulated many stories like this, of true compassion and generosity.
M. Raimond’s story is heartwarming. How extraordinary to see so many potential rivals and functionaries “step up to the plate” and help one in a crisis like this. Even at 86, most of us have not accumulated many stories like this, of true compassion and generosity.
Le “bonnard” is VERY dishy…….
I’m sure you’ll have more requests for cabbage with apples and chestnuts!!
If you wish to zap any dish, practically any dish at all, add a dash of lemon juice.
You’ll never taste it, but the dish will.
Love,
Suzanne
Le “bonnard” is VERY dishy…….
I’m sure you’ll have more requests for cabbage with apples and chestnuts!!
If you wish to zap any dish, practically any dish at all, add a dash of lemon juice.
You’ll never taste it, but the dish will.
Love,
Suzanne
Il le dit à qui veut bien l’entendre. (He tells it to anyone who (to whoever) is willing to hear it.
Il le dit à qui veut bien l’entendre. (He tells it to anyone who (to whoever) is willing to hear it.
Kristi thank you for your up lifting story about Raymonde, as always you never fail to uplift me with your beautiful stories, its not just the content but the natural way you are able to write. I am so grateful to have your emails coming to me each week, may the festive season be full of joy and happiness for you and your family merci
June artiste ami, Qld
Kristi thank you for your up lifting story about Raymonde, as always you never fail to uplift me with your beautiful stories, its not just the content but the natural way you are able to write. I am so grateful to have your emails coming to me each week, may the festive season be full of joy and happiness for you and your family merci
June artiste ami, Qld
Is Raimond de Villeneuve connected to the Villeneuve family of Les Arcs and Sainte Roseline….truly he has a great protecter. I would love to purchase Grele….do you think it is still available?
Is Raimond de Villeneuve connected to the Villeneuve family of Les Arcs and Sainte Roseline….truly he has a great protecter. I would love to purchase Grele….do you think it is still available?
Raimond sounds like a really nice, genuine fellow. I’m sure you will all become fast friends! My husband always says that I look for the best in people, sometimes naively so, but your story today supports my beliefs. I love stories that confirm the goodness of people! Thanks for sharing that and for the pictures of the fur babies! Looks like Lily & Pancho are ruling the roost now. Sweet!
Raimond sounds like a really nice, genuine fellow. I’m sure you will all become fast friends! My husband always says that I look for the best in people, sometimes naively so, but your story today supports my beliefs. I love stories that confirm the goodness of people! Thanks for sharing that and for the pictures of the fur babies! Looks like Lily & Pancho are ruling the roost now. Sweet!
What an inspiring story of good people helping others! Thank you!
What an inspiring story of good people helping others! Thank you!