AIthough the role that women play in agriculture (and in the world as a whole) remains entirely underestimated, the Champagne and Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) industry might not be the global powerhouse it is today without Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin. Born in Reims, France, in 1977, Ponsardin become known as the Widow Clicquot at 27 when she continued her late husband's business.
Not only is she credited with changing the industry by solving one of its greatest problems - how to successfully remove the yeasty sedimentation from the bottle after fermentation - but also for the remuage or riddling system that began in her kitchen when she made a series of riddled holes in her timber kitchen table. She placed wine bottles neck-down in the holes and periodically turned them until the sediment collected in the neck.
"After chilling and removing the cap, the pressure in the bottle, greater than in the tyres of your car, pops out the dead yeast cells called lees in the disgorging process, leaving only a clear liquid in the bottle," says Melissa Genevieve Nelsen, founder of Genevieve MCC (Méthode Cap Classique), produced on Klein Botrivier Farm, while speaking to Farmer's Weekly about inspirational women in her life. She talks about her mother's response when young Nelsen was asked what she wanted to do with her life and proffered "being an air hostess" as a possibility. Her mother said: "If you want to fly, why not be the pilot?"
Nelsen, who later qualified as a pilot, says: "I learnt the importance of precision from being a pilot and how to calculate the fine line between stupidity and bravery.I'm also not apprehensive about what is unknown, which has been beneficial."
FAMILY INSPIRATION
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Denne historien er fra August 09, 2024-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
