The thereafter...



"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" John 15:2
Early morning run
Machum-Ahn 


At Allthestuffwelovelove, we study and learn about our trade daily. We love to run. Surrounded by vineyards and wine producing houses and factories, the Moselle region of Luxembourg is the ideal place to do just that. 

In our last blog, we wrote about the back-breaking work of a Vandangeur (a grape-picker); today we continue to explore on what happens on the vineyards after the grapes are picked, after they are transported off, when they grapes are used for the production of wines and when the wines' been sold and drank!

Splendid autumn colors
Every season, the vineyard evolves accordingly. At the end of summer, early autumn, grapes fruits are ripe and ready to be picked on lush green vine branches. Autumn brings an array of blazing orange, yellow, red and wine colours on the grape leaves. At this time the leaves and branches are often devoid of fruits and if any are left, they are dried out and close to rotten. These grapes can and are used for production of Ice wine (Eiswein). That will be a topic for our Christmas blog; watch this space. 

Once autumn leaves start falling off, the soil composition starts to change, often freezing away as winter approaches. The once lush row of green leaves with juicy fruits begin to look desolate, wet and unkempt.



Workers tending to the vineyards
Along comes the workers who tenderly cut drying leaves off the branches, tend to wobbly branch stocks, mow hundreds of acres of grass between the yard, throw dead branches into the fire to burn away and generally make the vineyard ready, fruitful and attractive again. This process we believe is even more laborious than grape-picking.

Pruned and ready to reproduce
On the day we made this run through the vineyards of Machum and Ahn, we discovered two yards owned by the prestigious wine houses, Domaine Viticole Schumacher-Lethal and another of Domaine VinsMoselle (Propriétare-récoltant Josy Modert-Kerschen Machum Grand Premier Cru). The yard which is marked for “Grand Premier Cru” further reiterates the importance of the « Appellation d‘Origine Protégée (AOP) – Moselle Luxembourgeoise » for Luxembourgish wines and Crémant. AOP is the certification by narrowing down the geographical location where grapes are grown. This ties into taste and quality of a product. 

A Grand Premier Cru wine is the highest of five classifications within the “Grand cru” designation for red wine. “Cru” simply refers to a vineyards or group of these of high quality. It implies that the soil or “terroir” in which grapes are grown for a particular wine has a certain physical homogeneity that gives the product exceptional and noble standing.




To order or learn more about Luxembourgish wines and Crémant, visit our website, www.allthestuffwelove, our Instagram and Facebook pages, Allthestuffwelove or simply call or email us on +352621506324, hello@allthestuffwelove.com


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