December 22nd, 2023:
Another hot year! Another dry year! Another precocious year! That's five of the last six. But if you take a closer look, these hot and dry years all have their own particularities. The periods of heat are not the same, nor do they have the same intensity. And the rains land in different periods. So of course the vines react and act differently, which affects their ripening. In the end, it also impacts the final wines. Let's break down each stage of the vintage:
1- A Cold and Humid Winter that Ended Early
Between the end of the 2022 harvest into February 2023, winter was, generally speaking, both humid and glacial. But as early as February, temperatures became more clement, announcing an early spring. From then on, the temperatures remained appropriate and balanced for their season, provoking budding in mid-April, which tracks as normal timing in the last decade.
2- A Rapid and Complicated Start to the Vegetive Cycle
At the the end of April, the weather became more capricious; temperatures began to rise and rain started to fall persistently, creating a rise in mildew pressure. Our margin of error was slim to none, as this pressure coincided with the time we usually work the soils, making for complex work.
The beginnings of euphoria began at flowering, which went off without a hitch. The foliage, robust and having survived the trying 2022 season, clearly had strong reserves, and the bunches proved to be abundant. The end of May and beginning of June were rather mild, providing a much needed reprise from the pressures of fungal illness.
3- A Rainy End of the Cycle
Around the 10th of June, the rain and mildew pressure was back right as we were observing the impressive growth of our grapes. Still, the state of the vineyards remained more than satisfactory, with solid potential yields, particularly remarkable on the Pinot Noir. Despite the work done with pruning of the branches in the spring, it was necessary to green harvest. The veraison took place in mid-July.
4-Slow but Perfect Maturation
Despite the continued rain and the added complexity this incurred to our work, the vines remained impeccable during the phase of maturation and throughout the harvest; in fact we were able to pick everything at optimal maturation. A heatwave in mid-September forced us to start harvesting earlier than expected, notably on the Pinot Noir, but also helped boost concentration in the grapes. We began harvesting on September 15th. In the end, our tireless efforts were rewarded! The bunches were plentiful and full of juice, both for the Pinots and Sauvignons.
5- The First Impressions of the Vintage
The quality of the grapes harvested have given wines with exquisitely pure aromas. For the vinification of the whites, the sugar levels are less elevated than in past years, creating better better fermentation conditions. The quality of the wines is incontestably manifested as they begin their elevage; they are showing balance and harmony.
For the reds, thanks to a meticulous sorting of the grapes, we were able to find a very delicate extraction with fairly quick macerations. The wines are fruit forward but with a remarkable tannic structure.
