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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

ciseaux type sauternais

English translation:

Sauternes-type scissors; finely-pointed secateurs...

Added to glossary by Carol Gullidge
Oct 26, 2010 15:50
13 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

ciseaux type sauternais

French to English Other Wine / Oenology / Viticulture grape harvesting
Pour la cinquième année consécutive, les coupeurs ont choisi des ******ciseaux type sauternais****** avec une lame très pointue pour faciliter le tri
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Finding it hard to find any documentation at all for this, I've so far come up with nothing better than the somewhat clumsy "Sauternes-type grape scissors".
The grapes in question are Sauvignon, Sémillon and Muscadelle, in the Bordeaux area, for what it's worth.

Does anyone know if there is an official term for these long, pointed scissors?

Any help would be much appreciated - many thanks!
Proposed translations (English)
3 +4 finely pointed secateurs...
4 Sauternais secateurs
3 +1 small / narrow (nosed) secateurs
4 custom-made secateurs for Sauterne wine
Change log

Nov 9, 2010 09:26: Helen Shiner Created KOG entry

Nov 12, 2010 12:59: Carol Gullidge changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/882779">Helen Shiner's</a> old entry - "ciseaux type sauternais"" to ""finely pointed secateurs...""

Discussion

Carol Gullidge (asker) Nov 12, 2010:
Thanks everyone! This seems to have been closed automatically, even though I specified not to close it yet! In fact, the client accepted "Sauternes-type scissors", and hasn't yet come back to to confirm whether this is correct. If/When they do, I'll amend the glossary accordingly, if need be.
Carol Gullidge (asker) Oct 26, 2010:
oh my gosh! thanks so much everybody for all the info - which I'll have to try to digest as I prepare dinner.
kashew Oct 26, 2010:
Long- or needle-nosed? There are also needle-nosed secateurs and picking and trimming snips (could be the nearest):
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:bde3y-a...
Helen Shiner Oct 26, 2010:
@ Travelin Ann Apologies absolutely not needed - except for me to say "sorry" for not spelling your name right first time around!!
Travelin Ann Oct 26, 2010:
@ Helen Sorry! Trying to do several things at once, and did not read your complete post.
I saw another one which mentions just "secateurs" in regard to the Sauterne harvest. http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=148172878554980
Helen Shiner Oct 26, 2010:
@ Travelling Ann Same link as me!!
Travelin Ann Oct 26, 2010:
http://nicollecroft.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/2007-sauternes-... mentions "finely pointed secateurs"
Helen Shiner Oct 26, 2010:
Pic http://www.stockfood.co.th/image-picture-Semillon-grapes-wit...
Helen Shiner Oct 26, 2010:
continued Noble rot grows on the thick skins of the Semillon (85% of the vineyard) and the thinner Sauvignon grapes (15%). Sauvignon is always a little more difficult as the bunches are much tighter and so there is less chance for air to circulate and the ‘wrong’ type of rot can develop. This fungus punctures the skins of the grapes and feeds off the water concentrating the sugar and causing the grapes to shrivel. Not only is it a super-concentrator of sugar but it also imparts a honeyed twist to the citric and exotic fruit flavours in the grapes.The grapes are harvested grape by grape according to the development of the noble rot. The selection by the pickers in the vineyard is paramount in producing quality sweet wine. Only grapes that are shrivelled, and with white hair from the fungus (‘Ratatine, poilu blanc’) is what the pickers are told to look for and select even if it means cutting the grape in half using finely pointed secateurs! Each year the noble rot develops in different areas of the vineyard first. http://nicollecroft.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/2007-sauternes-...
Helen Shiner Oct 26, 2010:
Carol It seems that this might be something to do with dealing with noble rot which I have found in association with Sauternes grapes. Here is a passage mentioning such secateurs in relation to other varieties of grape, though unfortunately not offering a translation:
Carol Gullidge (asker) Oct 26, 2010:
@ Colin No, I'm sorry, but I have no pix. There is a commercial website with loads of images of various types of scissors/secateurs/shears, etc, but they are not named, nor is "Sauternes" mentioned once!
Colin Rowe Oct 26, 2010:
Sauternes-type grape shears/scissors? Both shears and scissors appear to be used with similar frequency.
Do you have a picture of what they look like?
If so, you could try googling "grape shears" and "grape scissors" and compare the pictures.
I don't really see a way of avoiding "Sauternes-type".

Proposed translations

+4
1 hr
Selected

finely pointed secateurs...

...as used for Sauternes harvest, or some such.

See links already provided in discussion box.
Peer comment(s):
agree Bourth (X) : Fin(e)ally arrived at the same point (ha!) myself.
10 mins
Finely chiselled minds think alike - thanks Bourth
agree Alison Sabedoria (X) : Seems like the best of the bunch!
2 hrs
Thanks for the grape support!
agree Evans (X)
15 hrs
Thanks, Gilla
agree Colin Rowe : A fery vine suggestion! - or should that be "furry vine" given the nature of the Botrytis cinerea fungus :-)
17 hrs
Spot on; thanks, Colin
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
33 mins

Sauternais secateurs

*

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Note added at 39 minutes (2010-10-26 16:29:56 GMT)
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followed by the blade details.

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Note added at 1 heure (2010-10-26 17:16:33 GMT)
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long-nosed

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Note added at 1 heure (2010-10-26 17:23:44 GMT)
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I'm beginning to think "needle-nosed snips" is a good try!
Note from asker:
many thanks for the help kashew, but I did already try this, and came up with nothing on Google. I have to add there's also nothing on the source term either! But I wonder if you're basing this on any experience/knowledge, or is it a guess, albeit a logical one?
Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

small / narrow (nosed) secateurs

En Bazadais, la vendange se fait ordinairement dans la première quinzaine d'octobre. Comme il existe très peu de grandes propriétés (sauf en Sauternais), la vendange est faite par la famille du viticulteur, aidée par quelques femmes de journée. Les raisins sont coupés à l'aide de CISEAUX SPÉCIAUX (PETITS SÉCATEURS) et posés dans un panier en bois "lou bastot", vidé quand il est plein dans la "baste" ou un homme, les manches retroussées, procède à un premier écrasement des grains. ... ]
Les vendangeurs procèdent à une première cueillette; munis de leur sécateur, ils s'arrêtent à chaque pied et NE COUPENT QUE LES GRAINS CONFITS, ayant atteint ce degré de maturité qui leur donne un goût exquis
http://www.vallee-du-ciron.com/Documents/Ouvrages/Bazadais/B...

Presumably these "small secateurs" have long thin blades that can be manoeuvred into the bunch of grapes to cut off only the right grapes. Not like the "ordinary garden" secateurs and serpette I have used.

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-10-26 17:23:46 GMT)
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In this region the harvesters cut the bunches with small knives and not with SMALL SECATEURS as elsewhere. The workers (usually men) then carry what they have picked in straw baskets on their heads to waiting donkeys, who then take the grapes to the almijar (yard), outside the main building. Here the bunches are laid out on esparto grass mats to dry for half a day. Rain at this point is a disaster, for it is essential that the grapes reach the lagares (the square wooden or stone troughs in which they are pressed) absolutely dry.
http://www.nicks.com.au/index.aspx?link_id=76.591

Manual harvesting requires little equipment. The stems are cut by SMALL SECATEURS or hooked-tip knives. The fruit is put into a small container holding perhaps 5 or 10 kg of fruit
http://www.winepros.com.au/jsp/cda/reference/oxford_entry.js...

However, quite what they mean here by "small" secateurs is a bit of a mystery.

There are large and small types, apparently:
As berry sugar levels rise grape bunches become increasingly .... LARGE AND SMALL SECATEURS. ■. Bypass and anvil loppers in 50, 65 and 80mm lengths ...
www.fruitfed.co.nz/.../Facts March 09 - 4.pdf

At Domaine Latour the vignerons will tend to the vines with SMALL SECATEURS in order to individually tailor each and every vine . (canopy management, in July)
http://www.louislatour.com/pages/index.php?lg=uk&id_page=19

The robust secateurs (length 38 cm) can cope with the tough jobs and the handy SMALL SECATEURS (LENGTH 21 CM) are suitable for more delicate tasks [not narrow (scissorlike), however]
www.spaldingbulb.co.uk/index.aspx?list=1&N...start=4
[the "robust" model is what I would call "loppers"]

This set consists of a pair of LARGE SECATEURS (LENGTH 22 CM) for thicker branches and a so-called 'LADIES' MODEL (LENGTH 16 CM) for the more delicate pruning tasks. Robust quality. [not narrow, however]
http://www.spaldingbulb.co.uk/r_91548-042/Garden-tools/Set-o...

I have a pair of POINTED SECATEURS, MORE LIKE HEAVY SCISSORS. Because these have the spring and are reasonably delicate I find I use them ...
www.ausbonsai.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t.

The selection by the pickers in the vineyard is paramount in producing quality sweet wine. Only grapes that are shrivelled, and with white hair from the fungus (‘Ratatine, poilu blanc’) is what the pickers are told to look for and select even if it means cutting the grape in half using FINELY POINTED SECATEURS!
http://nicollecroft.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/2007-sauternes-...

Any damaged or doubtful berries must be removed with SCISSORS OR SPECIAL POINTED SECATEURS — on no account pulled off. Do not press grapes against sides ...
www.archive.org/stream/.../journalofdepartm10vict_djvu.txt

There's a picture here of a "pointed fruit pruner", but there's no guarantee that this is the Sauternes type of tool.

http://www.easyvaninsurance.com/tools/product/Miscellaneous-...
Peer comment(s):
agree Helen Shiner : All roads lead to the same link, it seems.
22 mins
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

custom-made secateurs for Sauterne wine

Sauterne is a dessert wine from the Sauternais region and so I suggest that the type of scissors be named after the type of wine/grape rather than the region.
Reference:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-sauternes.htm

http://www.winemega.com/region_sauternes_barsac.htm

Peer comment(s):
neutral Colin Rowe : "sauterne" without the "s" at the end and uncapitalized is a US invention and is a semi-generic label for sweet white dessert wines. The French wine is "Sauternes".
15 hrs
Something went wrong...
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