The 2021 Vintage

October 1st 2021

The Burgundian Harvest

The harvest took place in the last two weeks of September. As I have pointed out already, the yield is small, as a result of bad weather in the spring. But the harvest weather was not too bad, with nothing that a table de trie could not sort out. The ripeness and alcoholic levels were adequate. And quality is at least satisfactory.

August 1st 2021

The weather in July has been better than it was in May or June, but not by very much. It has been cool, with temperatures in the low 20s rather than the low 30s, which is what we would expect, and there has also been rain and wind. The vineyards are behind hand as well as there being a reduced crop owing to frost in the Spring. And by current standards it is going to be a late harvest.

July 1st 2021

After a miserable May, June has been no better. It has been cold, wet and windy and there have been a number of thunderstorms. Fuissé has been hit but the Cote d'Or, Chablis and the Cote Chalonnaise have been spared. The weather forecast for the beginning of July is a little more promising, but warm rather than hot. The development of the vines is behindhand. 

June 1st 2021

After a Winter which was neither very cold nor very wet, 2021 has seen the worst Spring frost for several years. This occured in  the first week of April and has affected the chardonnays all the way from Chablis to the Maconnais, though the pinots were less touched. Since then it has continued cold, and also quite wet, which is dispiriting. It also indicates a late harvest.