Harvest 2025 at Château Canon Chaigneau: the first 3 Days behind the scenes
Harvest is always one of the most exciting times in a wine estate’s calendar. At Château Canon Chaigneau, in the heart of Lalande-de-Pomerol, it means long days, early mornings, unexpected challenges, and plenty of camaraderie around the table. This year, 2025, has already given us a taste of everything in just three days.
Day 1, not the start you would expect!
Instead of beginning directly in the vineyard, our harvest adventure kicked off with a long journey. From Singapore’s Changi Airport to Paris, then a connection to Bordeaux, a shuttle, a TER train to Libourne, and finally a car to the estate... it was truly a marathon to reach Canon Chaigneau.
Once at the château, the mood was light despite the travel fatigue. The weather was mild, with just a touch of drizzle, and the first grapes arriving on the sorting table showed wonderful sugar levels and concentration. Of course, there were the inevitable last-minute hiccups—small equipment troubles and scheduling snags—but that’s all part of harvest life.
Day 2, from Sunrise to Rosé
The second day started early, at 6 a.m., with serious discussions about the order of the parcels to be harvested. A tractor roared into life as the sun rose over the vineyard. After a quick coffee in the fresh morning air, the focus shifted to the kitchen: a hearty poulet basquaise was prepared for the team, paired with a chilled bottle of our Famille Canon Chaigneau Rosé.
The long lunch table became the heart of the day, filled with laughter, toasts, and shared energy before heading back to work. As evening fell, the sunset over the vines brought the perfect close to a demanding but convivial day.
Day 3, rain, breakdowns, and paperwork
Day three reminded us that harvests rarely run smoothly. Everything began well, with another beautiful sunrise and an early start at the winery. But after just three loads, the harvesting machine broke down, and was still awaiting repair by the end of the day. A little rain didn’t help either.
Still, spirits stayed high, thanks in part to another generous harvest lunch. And since we couldn’t harvest after 1 p.m., the unexpected downtime became an opportunity to tackle other urgent tasks… including finishing the official stock declaration exactly on the deadline day. Procrastination at its finest!
A taste of what’s to come
These first three days of Harvest 2025 at Château Canon Chaigneau have already shown the full range of what makes this period unforgettable: early mornings, setbacks, shared meals, and above all, the resilience of a great team.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed for smoother days ahead, and we’ll continue sharing each step of the journey as the grapes make their way from vine to wine.