Naked wines: nude grape pickers brave harvest in the buff

A group of naturists braved the inclement French weather to pick grapes completely nude, with only a plastic poncho to protect themselves from the elements.

Credit: Twitter @GavinQuinney

Seven men and one woman took to a small parcel of vineyard in the commune of Crest in Puy-de-Dôme, in central France, earlier this month to pick grapes as nature intended, completely naked, as reported by connexionfrance.com.

A local by-law allows the naturists to harvest for a set amount of time, and in a clearly-defined area of the vineyard, with the remote location meaning they were unlikely to be seen by a member of the public.

Wearing only a plastic poncho and shoes to protect against the muddied ground, the group told France 3 that the practice of picking grape in the nude allowed them to feel closer to nature, adding that they intended to return next year.

“We have wanted to harvest this way for a long time,” said one member of the group, Thierry Guillot. “We chose a vineyard that we know and like. Naturism is a mindset. We are very close to nature, and being able to move without fabric; without a polluting barrier, is such a pleasure” adding: “Naturism is about tolerance. We never judge each other; it’s one big family. When you have tasted [what naturism is like], you cannot go back to fabric.”

Vendanges naturistes; not to be confused with natural wine. https://t.co/Qnhq958aAG pic.twitter.com/x4fNZqlnLn

— Gavin Quinney (@GavinQuinney) October 7, 2017