WineTime France News

Well, to be honest, I’ve never seen so many winemakers with smiles on their faces! After a hot and promising spring, July was a watershed, with rain and cool temperatures. Just when we were thinking that our good luck was over, the sun burst through (around the 10th August) and never went away…

What are the requirements for a perfect Pinot harvest? Sun, rain and wind. Sun to ripen the grapes, rain to swell them and produce juice and wind to stop the mould. Well we had all three, not necessarily in the right order, but it produced the right result. The harvest took place from the 15th September and their was just sun, sun and sun again. As usual, the Cote Chalonnaise and in particular the Chardonnay grapes were harvested first, followed by the Pinot grapes. Some winemakers held off to the last moment, harvesting from the 22nd September. Rain was due, but only lasted one day.

As I am writing this article, the wine is being pumped into the barrels for its 18 month siesta and at last the winemakers can relax and maybe take a well-earned break…at least until the wine auctions at the Hospices de Beaune in late November.