After meeting for a book, several winemakers and musicians from the French vineyards pushed the connection to the production of an album available since April 15 on vinyl and on streaming platforms.
Has major winegrowers. The adventure began in 2019. Frédéric Durand-Bazin, journalist and wine columnist for Le Figaro, goes to meet winemakers and musicians across France to come up with the book 'Accords majeurs', which brings together their testimonies. But through their encounters, the winegrowers got caught up in the game and decided to extend the adventure.
This is how Paul Amsellem, Frédéric Chauffray, Gavin Crisfield and Jean-Charles Fagot, occasionally joined by other winegrowers, made the story last and, in the summer of 2022, took the next step by extending the adventure on stage and in the studio. "Like a good wine that has slowly matured," says a press release, this wine-growing musical union will lead to the release, on April 15, of a 12-track vinyl also available for streaming on music platforms. ACCORDS MAJEURS - Voyages - 01 - Prove It 16b - 44k - FR9W12455559 in Voyages : Accords Majeurs
'Major Chords: Travels' is not just a musical album.
Through this work, the winegrowers* bear witness to the evolution of their profession, and in particular the climate change of which they are the first witnesses. Earlier harvest dates, frost, drought or other repeated climatic hazards, the winegrowers carry through this album the message of their environment which is not changing favourably. "Over the years, I have seen animal diversity collapse and, at the same time, we are experiencing more intense attacks from unwanted bacteria and fungi. Between the disturbed vegetative phase, the halted photosynthesis, the unregulated phenolic maturity, the fermentations that are more difficult to initiate and finish, it is increasingly difficult to vinify wines with the desired balance," says Gavin Crisfield.
Abandoning their vines and vats for a while for their instruments, the team set themselves from the outset an artisanal musical work, to remain in line with their usual way of doing things in the plots sous en cellar. "Everything was done at home, both the recording sessions and the mixing sessions. And in the middle of the vineyards, of course, in the small Burgundy village of Viré and according to the seasons," confirms the heterogeneous winegrower group.
* Paul Amsellem - Domaine Georges Vernay in Condrieu (Rhône Valley) : vocals & backing vocals
Frédéric Chauffray - Domaine de la Réserve d'O en Terrasses du Larzac (Languedoc) : acoustic and electric guitars, vocals
Gavin Crisfield - Domaine de la traversée (Terrasses du Larzac) (Languedoc) : acoustic and electric guitars, vocals
Jean-Charles Fagot - Domaine Fagot Corpeau (Burgundy) and restaurateur at the Auberge du vieux vigneron: vocals and drums
With the occasional contributions of:
Stéphane Derenoncourt - Domaine de l'A en Côtes de Castillon (Bordeaux): Electric guitar.
Pascal Doquet - Domaine Doquet in Blanc-Coteaux (Champagne): acoustic guitar.
Pierre-Jean Villa - Domaine Pierre-Jean Villa (Rhône Valley): electric guitar.
Notice:
Jean-Charles Fagot, from the Fagot Corpeau estate in Burgundy, provides percussion on this winegrower's album - photo credit: DR
Source: @Vitisphee by Olivier Bazalge
