Burgundy weather may affect September harvest
| As we hit harvest times in Europe, one region doesn't seem to be fairing too well thanks to difficult weather. Apparently, grapes in Burgundy were affected by a cold and wet spring and may not ripen appropriately. Two hailstorms in July and early August only made matters worse. Pictured to the left is the label of Romanée-Conti, one of the most exclusive wines in the world. |
Chablis was the least affected and fortunately the prestigious Vosne-Romanee appellation was not hit by hail. The harvest is due to begin between 15-24th September.
The Vosne-Romanée commune in Burgundy along with Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin produces some of the red wines in the region. These wines are mostly made from the Pinot Noir grape. The village has six grand cru vineyards namely Romanée-Conti, La Romanée, La Tâche, Richebourg,Romanée-Saint-Vivant and La Grande Rue.
It is worth noting that Burgundy produces both red and white wine even though "Burgundy" means red. To be a true Burgundy wine, the wine must be made only from the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay or Aligote grapes. These wines are considered complex, human and earthy. Because of the small numbers of production of the top wines, many Burgundy wines are hard to find and expensive.
Decanter has the full weather story. It is worth noting that the Bordeaux Pessac region seems to be in for some trouble as well with upto half of their crop lost due to frost in April. At first growth Chateau Latour, harvesting maybe upto 10 days late depending upon the weather in September.
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