2024
2023
The autumn of 2022 was gentle, with good weather from September through October, followed by a rainy November.
December was cold, while dry conditions followed in January and February, with the occasional spot of snow.
Winter’s end brought warmer weather, allowing the replanting of young vines (repiquage) and a first plowing pass in early March. Overall, the spring was relatively dry though most days saw at least a small sprinkle of rain.
The first days of April were chilly, meaning our anti-frost measures had to be ready (thankfully we ended up not needing to put them to use). The rest of the month was rainy, continuing through to the first days of May.
It was then that the skies cleared and the good weather came to stay, leading to impressive vegetative growth. The few spots of mildew from early May dried up quickly and completely, with none to be seen throughout the rest of the season. All the shoots were lifted in the trellising wires by month’s end.
Flowering happened quickly in the first week of June under excellent conditions. The rest of the month was warm without being overly hot. The few storms that did come through caused no damage and brought the water necessary for continued vigorous growth. The clusters closed in the last days of June, meaning our trellising work needed to be completed by then (which, thankfully, was the case).
The hailstorm on the 11th of July caused only minimal grape damage, however it did increase stress in the vines. This was further exacerbated by a heat wave later in the same month, causing a short blockage of maturation and a delayed véraision. August saw the return of good weather, allowing the vines to get back on track and reach maturity.
We once again had an early harvest, taking place from September 2nd through the 11th.
The white wines were of excellent quality from the very beginning, thanks to the healthy and balanced grapes. Ageing only confirmed this fact.
For the red wines, sorting was of the utmost importance as the maturities were sometimes heterogeneous. Nevertheless, we are very satisfied with the balance in the wines – especially the beautiful acidities for such a warm vintage. The long ageing also helped to concentrate wines that could otherwise have been at risk of dilution due to the generous crop, which does not always suit Pinot Noir. The wines are now very fresh, floral, with subtle hints of spice. All in all, a wonderfully classic Burgundian vintage!
2022
Autumn 2021 was rather mild and wet, except November which was drier and cool.
January 2022 was cold, while February was quite mild. As a whole, winter rainfall levels were much lower than average.
After a relatively warm second half of March, the first week of April brought a few scary nights when temperatures dropped slightly below 0°C. This halted the nascent vegetative growth. From mid-April onwards the temperatures climbed steeply, and as of early May the vegetation took off. This heat continued through the end of May, greatly accelerating the vegetative cycle. Flowering got underway in mid-May and completed quickly and consistently – setting the stage for an early harvest.
June brought storms and rain, but thankfully these did not increase the fungal pressure. July, however, was especially dry, with sporadic but particularly intense heat spikes. Veraison was mostly complete by the end of July, even though the overall dryness had slowed it down.
After a slightly chaotic week in mid-August, the grapes reached maturity in excellent conditions, maintaining their acidity while sugar levels rose.
Harvest took place from August 25th through September 3rd.
The ripeness is excellent, the grapes beautiful, and yields are healthy. What a joy to have such a wonderful vintage in our cellar!
2021
The 2020-2021 season began gently, the final months of 2020 being quite dry, though happily the month of October had been sufficiently humid to refill the soil’s water reserves.
January, though not excessively cold, passed with below freezing temperatures each morning, allowing the soils to naturally prepare themselves under ideal conditions.
February and March were both rather dry.
The final days of March and the beginning of April were particularly warm for the season, with afternoon temperatures rising above 20°C/68°F, causing an early and rapid budbreak, especially for the Chardonnay vines. Sadly, the following week, April 5th through the 8th, we had four consecutive nights of freezing temperatures. Despite doing everything humanly possible to prepare for this threat, the losses were considerable: frost and snow on the young buds and leaves inevitably caused irreversible damage.
The vines needed time to restart their vegetative growth, having suffered such a shock and seeming reluctant to begin again.
The season was only just getting underway…May was very rainy (110mm in 18 days), and temperatures refused to rise, resembling those we had seen in April.
These conditions caused flowering to occur later than in previous years, with the process halfway to completion by the 18th-20th of June, just as a new week-long rain spell hit (June: the month with 15 days of rain out of 30…). July followed suit with 13 days of rain, though thankfully they were interspersed with a few days of clear skies. Things finally began looking up as August arrived, with four full weeks of sun, ideal conditions for bringing the surviving grapes to maturity.
Harvest took place from the 16th to the 24th of September, finishing just before the rains of the equinox.
Volumes are very low, particularly for the Chardonnay but also the Pinot Noir. Nevertheless, we have the great satisfaction of finding beautiful balance in the wines that would have been difficult to achieve with a full crop given the meteorological conditions of this difficult season.
2020
The 2019-2020 winter was particularly mild with only three small incidences of frost (once in December, twice in January) and no snow. The rain levels were good from winter’s third trimester through March, replenishing the soil’s water reserves before the dry months of April, June and August to come (it rained less than 50 mm from June 16th through August 31st).
While us humans were confined indoors, the vegetation heartily expressed its right to flourish: The hillsides were bathed in sunlight beginning on March 12th, pushing the vines to grow rapidly – it was undoubtedly one of the earliest growing seasons we have ever seen. We had several frost scares when chilly nights did return (March 25th, April 1st and 2nd) requiring constant vigilance as the chardonnay’s advanced burgeoning and leaf growth made it particularly susceptible to damage. Come May the beautiful weather returned, allowing us to work the soils in perfect conditions, with no disease pressure whatsoever.
The early budburst meant and early start to flowering, with the first instances beginning on May 12th in the most sheltered chardonnay sites. Flowering was in full swing come May 20th, with the process completed only a week later (and still in May!). An August harvest looked to be on the horizon.
The advanced vegetative schedule held constant through the dry, warm summer, with only a few potential spots of odium to monitor as we prepared for harvest. From the 24th to the 31st of August we brought in the entire production, marking the first time ever that we finish the harvest before the beginning of September.
With ideal ripening, excellent acidity and a dominance of tartaric acid, the magnificent grapes entered in perfect sanitary condition under the shinning sun – everything was lined up to produce a grand vintage! And with an excellent team of harvesters to boot! Even the most demanding of winemakers couldn’t ask for more…
2020 is certainly a year unlike any other, but happily it has produced a beautiful vintage in the classic Burgundian style.
2019
Winter was dry and mild, registering only -4°C at its coldest and without snow until December. January was slightly more humid, though not enough to fully restock soil’s water reserves, with February once again dry. Rain was limited until June and once again from July to September. This allowed us to work the soils in excellent conditions.
Vegetative growth started quite early but slowed around mid-April, with two dangerous spells of frost in the meantime (April 14-15, May 4-5) that provoked sporadic losses to the burgeoning chardonnay vines. The cold and cloudy weather gave way to more favorable conditions come mid-May, though growth remained less advanced than in previous years. As of the end of spring 2019 was among the most latent years of the 21st century, with no disease pressure to mention.
Flowering first began on June 3rd and reached its midway point around June 15th. With the second half of June came dryness and heat, accelerating the pinot noir’s development and allowing it to catch up to the chardonnay (as is often the case at this stage). Flowering was completely finished on June 25th, allowing us to anticipate the beginning of harvest around the 10th of September. The drawn-out flowering period meant that we suffered some losses from shot berries (coulure), particularly among the chardonnays. We had to remain vigilant as several cool, humid nights lead to the initial development of powdery mildew in sensitive vineyards.
The grapes developed quickly, reaching their full size around the 10th of July. The rest of the summer was dry, sunny, and hot (with heat waves above 35°C from June 26-30 and July 23-27).
The sun and heat continued through harvest which ran from the 12th to the 20th of September. The grapes arrived with excellent ripeness, in great sanitary condition, and with very good acidity. Yet another vintage showing exquisite aromatics since the start of fermentation, some patience will surely be required to allow the pronounced character of the growing season to settle and allow the full expression of terroir.
2018
The vintage began with a temperate, dry month of October. November brought moderate humidity that became more pronounced from December through the end of March, with just one patch of cold, dry weather in February.
These conditions delayed the beginning of the growing season, leading to an early spring with high humidity and unfavorable conditions for the health of the vines.
Bud break began on the 10th of April, and as temperatures rose towards the end of the month, so too did the vigor with which the vines grew. Conditions for working the vineyards were ideal during this critical period of development.
Despite having gotten off to a late start, the vines caught up by the end of May as flowering took place. The fruit set was excellent for all varietals, and we began to foresee an early harvest…and a generous one!
Summer was hot and quite dry, limiting disease pressure as the grapes flourished, well protected by their thick skins.
Harvest took place from the 1st to the 10th of September.
There is magnificent balance with relatively low acidity but highly satisfying levels of tartaric acid, proof of excellent maturity and a sign of great concentration and ageing potential in the wines to come.
With great phenolic maturity across the board the 2018 vintage in Burgundy will certainly be a fantastic vintage for both reds and whites, happily refilling our cellars for the first time since…forever!
2017
Fall was mild, with average rainfall. December and January were both cold and dry.
Spring 2017 started early, with the buds beginning to emerge from their cotton on March 20th, full bud break in early April, the appearance of three leaves by April 11th, and already six or seven leaves spreading by the end of April, when the frost occurred. Very fortunately, there was less damage than for the prior vintage.
Mild and wet conditions set in by the end of April, mitigating the incredible head start that the vines had achieved up until then. Warmer temperatures reappeared as of May 23rd, and flowering occurred in just a few days, between May 25th and 31st. Flowering was stable for the Pinot Noir, but less so for the Chardonnay.
With conditions alternating between heat and rain, the vine advanced at record speed and the grapes grew very quickly. With only three weeks separating flowering and bunch closure and véraison starting as early as mid-July, an early harvest was shaping up.
August remained mostly dry, which helped keep the vines disease-free and achieve optimal maturity. We waited out a heat wave and a beneficial rain in the last days of August before starting harvest on September 2nd. The grapes were wonderful and balanced, and the yields were finally something we would consider “normal”. The initial tastings are very promising!
2016
Fall, winter and spring were mostly mild and rainy, without very marked seasons…though, luckily, this did not prevent a stable bud break, giving us hope of a bountiful harvest to come.
Unfortunately, after a short downpour on the evening of April 26th, and an unseasonably cold night, a few hours of sunshine in the morning burned over 2/3 of the buds (with the wet drops producing a ‘magnifying glass effect’). The Burgundy vineyards were severely damaged by this unprecedented spring frost.
The vines, thanks to their vitality and incredible energy, reaffirmed themselves in the following weeks, resulting in a rather spectacular vegetative growth. The second shoots rarely produce grapes and the 2016 harvest remained compromised, but the vine’s life force remains, allowing us to remain optimistic for next year.
The season continued and various other complications came into play: lack of sunshine, and an almost uninterrupted period of rain culminating in 370mm of rain in 3 months. A particularly virulent and aggressive mildew settled in. Plowing, spraying and all other vineyard work was carried out with increased difficulty and decreased efficiency. Due to the heterogenous vine growth after the frost, flowering lasted from June 10th to 27th, with variable climatic conditions. However, despite the drastic loss of crop, it remained out of the question to abandon the viticultural practices implemented by the domaine for over 20 years now.
Finally, the weather improved at the end of June, and the sun remained throughout July, August and early September. A short, beneficial rain on September 14th hydrated the leaves and, thus, enhanced sugar production in the grapes.
Harvest began on September 22nd under beautiful, sunny skies. The yields are among the lowest ever encountered in the history of the domaine’s existence. But luckily, the balance in the young wines is splendid. All the of strenuous, exacting work throughout the growing season, further complicated by extremely difficult conditions at times, allowed, in spite of the terrible loss in quantity, to preserve the excellent quality of the grapes.
2015
There was a lot of rain during October and November 2014. December was drier, with one cold week, but otherwise relatively mild. Only one snowfall (3 cm) coincided with lower temperatures around Christmas.
January though August saw very little rain, and both March and July were very dry.
2015 is another precocious year, even if bud break was not as accelerated as in 2014, thanks to cool nights the two first weeks of March.
Summer-like temperatures started on April 5th, with plentiful sunshine. The vegetative cycle developed quickly, and winegrowers were very busy trying to keep up…The vines continued to grow quickly in May, and the younger vines especially benefitted from three days of much needed rain. Another rainfall in mid-June really helped the vines to grow in good conditions during this otherwise hot and dry summer.
Flowering between June 1st and 6th happened very quickly and was homogenous. All signs indicated another early harvest.
2015 was not a good year for vineyard disease development (and so was finally a very good year for the vines and growers!). Dry conditions slowed down véraison, but the grapes were very healthy.
2015 was another vintage where it was not necessary to wait 100 days between flowering and harvest. The dry conditions also explain the low levels of malic-acid, but the grapes were well balanced thanks to excellent levels of tartaric-acid. Harvest time : 3-9 September 2015
Yields were much better than for the three prior vintages, but were still not very high for the Pinot Noir, nor for the Chardonnay wines that were most damaged by hail in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The quality appears to be exceptional – vinifications were very straight-forward and easy to manage.
2014
The soils replenished their water reserves thanks to heavy and consistent rainfall from autumn 2013 to winter 2014. Dry weather in March allowed the vines to begin growing in excellent conditions, with almost summer-like warmth.
Flowering started very early, on May 22 for the chardonnay in Terres Blanches and Perrières, and May 26 for the pinot noir vineyards. By June 6, the lilies were also flowering. These signs indicated another early harvest because, according to Burgundian tradition, ideal ripeness tends to occur 100 days after flowering. Indeed, the tiny berries were developing at a rapid rate.
Then came the drama…at 5:02 pm on Saturday, June 28, a disastrous hailstorm ravaged the vineyards. Though it only lasted a brief three and a half minutes, most of the domaine’s vineyards were left devastated. The immediate effects were highly discouraging: tattered leaves on the ground, grapes ripped from the vines and highly damaged branches. Early the next morning, we sprayed a biodynamic plant preparation in order to reduce the stress on the vines, encourage healing, and help the vegetative cycle get back on course. Re-trellising the vines was difficult and time-consuming because the vine shoots were extremely fragile.
Thus, a grisly summer followed a beautiful spring, with multiple rainstorms and cooler temperatures until the last 15 days of August. Thankfully, the sun and warmth came back after August 15, providing ideal ripening conditions. Harvest began September 13, with dry and sunny weather. Only the final hour of picking on the 19th required rain boots and jackets.
It was necessary, of course, to sort meticulously, especially the grapes coming from the most hailed areas. But we were relieved that the vines persevered and the grapes ripened evenly.
Yields were understandably highly variable: they were average in two of the appellations that were not hailed (Bourgogne Aligoté and Bâtard-Montrachet), yet particularly low in sectors that were devastated by violent hail (Pommard Grands Epenots, Volnay Santenots and Meursault Les Durots were at 10-13 hl/ha; and Meursault Les Terres Blanches and Meursault Les Tessons were at 11 and 18 hl/ha, respectively).
The primary analyses and tastings were very satisfying. Following stable and relatively rapid fermentations, the wines are quite aromatically expressive, round and pleasant. This will be a vintage of balance and charm, and the wines will perhaps prove to be very pleasurable in their youth…we shall see!
2013
After a difficult 2012, the growers hoped for a more relaxed growing season in 2013…though it was anything but!
The months of February and March remained relatively dry, but April began a long, uninterrupted series of rainy months with elevated water tables.
The vine is not an ideal plant for enduring such difficult conditions, and the growers constantly feared the risks of vineyard disease. On top of it all, the work was rendered more challenging:
– Soils were too wet for plowing and spraying
– Manual labor proved particularly tiring
A late and dismal spring resulted in an irregular flowering, millerandage, and even shatter. Already by June, we could foresee a rather small harvest, and one which would be much later than in recent years.
The month of July was very sunny (finally!) but very wet nonetheless (about 150 mm) due to violent storms, especially that of July 23 which ravaged a large portion of the Côte de Beaune (from Pernand-Vergelesses to Northern Meursault).
August offered a stable period of sunshine, even if it was a bit short for our taste.
September was marked by an alternation between beautiful sunny days and wet days. Our harvest began October 1st with the chardonnay.
The wines are medium-bodied with very good balance. The wines should be fine and elegant rather than powerful, with pure satisfaction despite a delicate year…
2012
2012 began with three dry months (after a rainy December 2011). The two first weeks of February were really cold.
March, on the other hand, was almost summer-like: exceptionally sunny and hot. Bud break was very early, and we thought we might have an even earlier vintage than 2011!
However, the beginning of April brought back very cool temperatures and lots of rain, which endured through the beginning of August, resulting in a number of problems in the vineyards…Vine growth quickly slowed down, and the young shoots became very fragile and sensitive to Mildew.
Flowering dragged on for two or three weeks, with disappointing results: a lot of shot berries and “millerandage”. We knew at this point in time that yields would be low, but unfortunately, this was not the end of our worries:
At the end of July, a few very hot days burned many of the grapes.
The biggest losses in the vineyards were the result of two severe hailstorms (June 30th and August 1st). Every single one of our parcels suffered damages.
Vine diseases and bad weather conditions kept us very busy in the vineyards. Rarely have we faced such difficulties as in 2012 in order to preserve the best fruit possible. Luckily, the skies cleared a few days after the second hailstorm and, thanks to beautiful August weather, grape ripening began with favorable conditions.
In the end, the harvest date was rather typical, and we started picking on September 20th (the early spring lead was completely lost with the chaotic summer weather).
We harvested, thus, very small quantities (the smallest in over 50 years!), but we were rewarded for our hard work in the vineyards by very high quality in order to celebrate the 40th vintage of Domaine Pierre Morey and the 20th vintage of Maison Morey-Blanc !
2011
We consider 2011 as a year of records :
– Early budbreak in the first days of April,
– Early of flowering (May 9)
– No symptoms of mildew or oidium until July
– Early harvest, beginning on August 27th (first August harvest in Morey’s family history) During June, there was a warm stormy period, and some burned grapes around June 25-26 because of a heatwave.
July was cooler and rainier.
During August, there was correct, if not perfect, ripening.
Finally, this year was an alternance of cold and warm, dry and wet weather, but the vines supported these conditions very well thanks to biodynamics. Choosing the harvest date was difficult : we were torn between the excellent maturity level excepted with an early year, and the anticipation of bad weather to come…
So 2011 is really an early vintage with not too high alcoholic levels, but is very elegant.
We started harvest on August 27th with a beautiful sunshine.
The sanitary state of the crop was quite perfect for white grapes, but the Pinot Noir needed a bit more sorting.
Must tastings are really encouraging, with beautiful aromas, and good sugar/acidity balance.
2010
Autumn 2009 was mild : average temperatures and dry weather in October ; rain was average in November.
Very cold temperatures arrived mid-December (-20°C on the nights of December 20 and 21).
These frosts wreaked havoc on the vineyards.
The beginning of the year was very cold, quite dry in January, more water in February and March when it snowed five times.
As a result, budbreak was late (third week of April). Thanks to warmer weather at the end of the month, the vines got back on schedule.
We had many storms in May, but luckily, with no damage.
Flowering occurred from June 5th to 22th, quite prolonged because of changeable weather.
There is a proverb : “Junes makes quantities, September quality…”. This year, June didn’t make any quantities ! (with the biggest losses in the early ripening areas, meaning the best appellations).
Even if the beginning of July was warm and sunny, the losses were significant and we won’t fill up our new cellar.
The end of the month was stormy with a lot of rain.
The beginning of September was perfectly sunny, but two storms threatened the harvest and we needed to push forward the harvesting period to keep some juice in the grapes. Harvesting took place from September 18 to 26 with beautiful weather, and musts displayed a good maturity and balance.
We inaugurated our new winery with better installations and sorting processes, which allow for very good Pinot Noir vinifications.
2009
The first frosts arrived in early autumn (November 20th).
December was cool and dry, and January much cooler (-10°C between the 10th and 12th of January).
Freezing mornings persisted until the beginning of March, when days became sunnier and afternoon temperatures warmer.
In any case, cool weather lasted all winter ( a real good cool winter, at last !) and there was not too much dampness.
Spring was dry and temperatures were high enough to prevent from frost risks.
Budbreak occured early in April.
During March, vine growth increased quickly, with dry and warm weather.
Flowering began May 22, announcing an early harvest.
2009 was the return of the grape-worm we hadn’t seen since 2003, but damages were not significant.
Many stormy rains arrived in June and July, maintaining mildew and oidium pressure at an undesirable level.
August was very hot and sunny, so ripening was regular.
Since spring, some vines began to be ploughed by Luciole, Amelie’s horse.
Harvest took place between September 7-13.
Thanks to reasonable yields, the grapes were beautiful, bathed in sunlight, and well balanced because of excellent phenolic maturity.
The new wines are pleasantly aromatic, in both white and red.
2008
After a calm winter, the first two weeks of March were cool but dry, and we ended pruning at this time.
From April 8th to 30th it rained often, and ploughing was not easy.
The first three weeks of May were magnificent and the vines grew quickly. From May 20th to June 17th, many stormy showers interfered with the treatments against vine diseases during the more sensitive period (fast growth, and risky weather for mildew).
Luckily, dry weather returned from June 18th to July 2nd to restore a well balanced growth, and finish flowering in good conditions.
Nevertheless, one month of flowering often signifies a big percentage of ‘millerandage’ (partial crop failure resulting in mixed size berries), more on Chardonnay than Pinot Noir which began flowering later but ended earlier.
With a stormy summer (July 2-12, July26-August 2)July 26, a big hailstorm in Meursault and Volnay damaged much of our regional and village appellation parcels.
During August, ‘veraison’ (color-changing of the berries) was slow because it was a cool summer.
After a rainy early September, wind turned at last to the north, blowing the clouds.
Dry weather and brightness lasted three weeks : exactly what the grapes needed to mature in good conditions. Good weather arrived just in time !!!
We decided to wait a few more days before harvesting to achieve better sugar/acidity balance. (September 25)
After a quite difficult year in the vineyard, a careful sorting was necessary but the important elements were there : harvest took place under a beautiful sunny, fresh weather.
What a good surprise after pressing : the natural degrees of alcohol (that we worried would be low) were actually very good, even if acidity was very high.
This is probably thanks to low yields : the wind helped grape-ripening, concentrating the berries due to the loss in juice.
One thing is sure : the proverb “September makes quality of grapes” is really true in 2008 !
2007
Precocious and surprising year…
In 2007 budding begins in a rather precocious manner and is extremely fast.
The month of April is dry, very warm and sunny and the vineyards begin pushing at record speed (up to three weeks ahead if compared to other years known to be early). There was a short period of time during which it took the vineyard workers long days of intensive hard work to keep up with the explosion of the vegetation.
Flowering also begins early and proceeds particularly well. The grapes are beautiful and develop well, promising a harvest around the end of August.
Beginning June 8, and for the rest of that month, a stormy period brings anxiety to the vignerons. Then in July an August the weather remains rather humid and sometimes unseasonably cold. With the prevailing weather conditions, the harvest, which we initially thought it was going to be at the end of August, slowly moves towards September.
Harvest took place from September 1 to September 7 under magnificently sunny skies. The mebers of the picking team were particularly pleasant and efficient.
The general health of the white grapes was very good and the levels of maturity very satisfactory.
For the reds, it was necessary to sort the grapes both at the vineyards and at the cellars to get rid of the fruit hat had been damaged by the inclement autumnal weather. At the end, the fruit that went into the vats was good looking and from the beginning of the fermentation began releasing fruity aromas thanks to the fully matured berries.
First tastings after fermentation finished are rather promising…
The 2007 vintage wines will need a long period of maturation. In fact, malo-lactic fermentations are giving the wines, which until now are quite lively thanks to their acidity, considerable roundness and that is good for the wine. Maturation on fine lees should therefore proceed calmly in order to allow the wines to mellow and quietly approach the balance and harmony we so look forward to.
2006
The winter of 2005-2006 arrived early, was very cold ans lasted a long time.
The first frosts of the year arrived mid-November, and with the exception of a few days in the beginnings of December and the middle of February, lasted until the middle of March.
It was so cold, the thermometer on December 30th dipped below minus 15 degrees Celsius (5°F). There were frequent, although not very abundant, snowfalls that barely covered the ground.
It was also quite a dry winter. In March there was some rainfall, followed by a mild April. May brought storms, which increased the threat of mildew.
After such a cool and dismal spring, the vines began to flower on June 8th. From then on, a lovely period of summery weather stayed until July 31th. Thankfully, these conditions allowed flowering to finish at record speed and the fruit to set early. The grapes also grew fast, with the clusters developing nicely by July 12th in all of the vineyards parcels.
In August, the weather again turned wet and cold.
September was wonderful, with enough sunlight and luminosity to justify its reputation as a quality-maker month. The weather remained dry, with beautiful days and good temperatures that allowed an excellent period for the grapes to mature.
The ideal weather stabilized the botrytis that had begun to develop in August. Harvest was carried out from the 20th to the 27th.
The Chardonnay grapes ripened beautiffuly and to ensure they did not become overripe they were carefully monitored to ensure an ideal harvest.The Pinot Noir grapes, which are always sensitive to botrytis, required a severe sorting, which preserved the quality of the yield, especially the finesse of the aromas and the balance of the taste.
2005
Equilibre…
Following a very rainy April, the month of May begins with very hot weather, and the vines grow very quickly.
From the middle of May to the end of September, the weather is always dry but we have spells of cold to warm temperatures.
Flowering starts early but a period of cool weather causes coulure (flower loss), and millerandage (decreased yields, and sugar concentration in berries).
Pinot Noir, usually a late variety, has the advantage of a good flowering period and produces vigorous grapes. We had to be careful with de-budding and green-harvest to limit yields.
Outside a little oïdium (powdery mildew) attack, everything is well in the vineyards.
A hailstorm on July 17th devastated the Santenay vineyards, and caused damage in only a few Bâtard-Montrachet vines. Fortunately, the good weather that followed allowed the vines to heal, and the grapes remain in excellent condition until harvest.
Grapes are nearly perfect : good quality, excellent ripeness, perfect sugar-acidity balance, and favourable weather during harvest.
Very pleasant aromas of fruit appear with the alcoholic fermentation.
Promising tasting in the horizon…
2004
After the unseasonable heat of the 2003 summer, the months of November and December were mild ; January was very humid and February the opposite in temperature (the vineyards “weeps” from the beginnings of the month). But the month of February was dry and very sunny (a record since 1945).
High spring temperatures towards mid March (22° to 24°) made us fear a second consecutive year of extremly warm temperatures but they returned to normal by the end of the month.
The vineyard activity started at the very beginning of April, but a period of fresh and humid days slowed the growth and we noticed a delay of several days from the normal rate of growth. Temperatures remained cool, especially at night, although without frost, until the beginning of May. Then, we had a period of warm weather that allowed growth to explode and made up for the slow growth at the beginning of the month.
First flowering was observed from June 8, full flowering was observed by June 13. Setting was very good and was the harbinger of a plentiful and precocious harvest.
July was cool, especially during the night, which promotes oïdium (vine-mildew), so Chardonnay producers began to worry as this varietal is especially susceptible to this disease.
Véraison began as normal by the end of July. The month of August had mainy rainy days, fortunately often light in quantity, and remained cool which allowed the vines to preserve their healthy condition.
September arrived with plenty of good weather that was sunny and fair and allowed the grapes to mature normally.
We waited until September 25 to begin harvesting the Pinot Noir, leaving some additional time for the Chardonnays to complete maturation.
The sugar levels were very good, the acidity finds more classic levels, nevertheless with a rather high level of malic acid.
A very strict sorting was carried out to make sure all fruit was removed that might have been damaged by the hail storm of August 23 on certain parcels of Pinot Noir or by oïdium in certain susceptible zones of Chardonnay.
This vintage will need a very long time to mature : malolactic fermentations are particulary late and taking a long time. The aromas of the 2004 wines need a great deal of patience to open up, these are “vins de garde”. Thoses who know how to wait will be rewarded.
2003
Never seen in all the 20th Century…
There is no comparison in the memory of winegrowers of a similar year !
Many factors in the vineyards contributed to a small harvest :
– Ice in the lower slopes on April 11,
– Hail with the storms of June 12 and July 20,
– The grapes with South exposure were burnt by intense sunlight between July 7 and August 28.
The harvest begins on September 1, 2003 after the heat wave for two reasons :
– Quality of the physiological maturity of the grapes,
– Quality of manpower, which was done under convenient temperatures, with the beginning of fermentation occuring under optimal conditions.
The harvest lasts only 6 days, in spite of the very rigorous sorting as soon as the fruit arrived to the winery in order to allow a very carefully vinification process : The fears that we had regarding the fragility of the fruit quickly dissipate during maturation, as the musts were already acquiring a natural solid character thanks to their exceptional concentration.
We did less stirring than usual with white wines but did the bottling after 18 months. Wines are strong, rich, unctuous and soft in the mouth.
Red wines, made from very ripe and colored grapes, are rich and powerful with very solky tannins.
It is interesting to find that these wines are already tasting well although because of their good structure and mineral qualities will allow a beautiful opening during in a couple of years.
2002
Fall and Winter presented themselves with early cold temperatures, sap levels went down early and pruning could be initiated under very good conditions.
Cold and dry weather allowed us to hill up the vines in November.
Bud break started very early in March.
The totality of the countryside is dry (less than 500mm of rain in 12 months), and all field work can be done under very good conditions. All cold-temperature-related diseases are pratically absent from the vineyard, which is extremely nice after three years dealing with mold and powdery mildew. Blooming is over early in the warm temperatures of the end of June and the grapes begin to develop very rapidly.
In the vineyard, everything goes well during the entire growing season, except a period between August 20th and September 10th with almost constant high humidity. In our region, however, the water levels that accumulated remained low and without consequences.
The northely winds arrive at just the right moment under a clear and luminous sky, allowing the grapes to reach maturity with a truly satisfactory level of health and a dream-like balance in the musts.
Harvest was from September 21 to 27, when the nights were cool, allowing us to harvest in the mornings at very agreeable temperatures. Thanks to the perfect natural balance of the grapes, the wine production and maturation goes on remarkably well both for reds and whites.
Bottling is scheduled between February and April 2004.
The 2002 is a vintage with excellent cellaring potential.
2001
Leaving a side the small frosts at the end of December 2000 and cold spell at the end of February 2001, the Fall and Winter are very mild.
March is rainy and with little sunlight. The field work is delayed until April.
The year was marked by strong shifts in temperature, rainfall and amounts of sunlight : all levels are very much above or below the normal numbers, even though the average for each month and every quarter show some sort of balance.
Within this difficult context, the vines manage to prepare for the harvest with serenity.
2000
Winter is mild except for some heavy frosts at the end of January.
Budburst occurs at the beginning of the spring, with usual temperatures for the season.
May is very hot (+6°C higher than normal season values), and vegetation growth is particularly quick, making vines sensitive to mildew.
Thanks to hot and dry weather, flowering takes place early in June under good conditions.
July is stormy and rainy (20 days of rain during the month), but fortunately, vines don’t suffer too much from this bad weather. A heat wave during the second week of August allows the fruit to ripen well.
During September, there are alternative periods of cold and warm temperatures, with several storms.
We harvest from 16 to 22 September.