Friday 17 October was harvest day at the Paris Wine Museum. The grapes were picked from the vine located at the entrance of the Museum and offered in 2003 by the city of Maribor (Slovenia) to Claude Josse, then President of the F.I.C.B. This vine originated from the oldest vineyard still in operation, aged more than 400 years.
The harvest was the occasion of a joyful ceremony, presided by Claude Josse himself as Great Chancellor of the Conseil des Echansons de France, in the presence of H.E. Ms Veronika STABEJ, Ambassador of Slovenia in France, Mr. Claude GOASGUEN, Member of the French Parliament and Mayor of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, Mr. Iztok JARC, Slovenian Ambassador to O.E.C.D., Alan BRYDEN, current President of F.I.C.B., Jean-Jacques HERVY, Vice-Chancellor of C.E.F. and curator of the Paris Wine Museum and a delegation of the Municipality, wine growers and vintners of Maribor.
Once collected, the grapes were pressed by members of the Confrérie des Clos de Suresnes et Rueil Malmaison in front of the many participants who then enjoyed a buffet of Slovenian specialties and wines.
