Francine Forgeron’s memories
Spring frost in Cognac: Francine Forgeron’s account
Francine Forgeron recalls a year marked by frost in the Cognac vineyards. An account of the buds, the hillsides and the consequences of spring frosts.
Transcript
Opening title of the video: “Back to 1991 in the vineyards of France”.
Francine Forgeron: “It was a historic year. It was the year of the frost. The vines were well ahead. By April 21st, we already had buds… 4 to 5 cm long. Usually, after a frost, within two weeks, the secondary buds come out. This time, it took a month for the vines to grow back. The merchants even raised their prices, and the frost had reached high up the slopes. Only the very tops of the hillsides remained frost-free.”
Original French: « C’était une année historique. C’est l’année de la gelée. Les vignes étaient très en avance. Au 21 avril, on avait déjà des bourgeons… de 4-5 cm. D’habitude, après une gelée, dans les 15 jours, on voit ressortir les contre-bourgeons. Là, il a fallu un mois pour que la vigne repousse. Les négociants ont même monté les prix, et ça avait gelé très haut. Il n’y avait vraiment que les hauts de coteaux qui n’avaient pas gelé. »
A vertical video of about 22 seconds, in French with French and English subtitles.
Related article Maison Michel Forgeron: a family and terroir story since 1909
Sources
Filmed testimony from Maison Michel Forgeron. Speaker: Francine Forgeron.
