The 2016 Vintage
The climatic conditions
Winter was even more clement than 2015 with average temperatures higher than seasonal average and some fruit trees were flowered end of February which is exceptional.
Spring has been long to settle, cold and humid. About 75% of the annual pluviometry has been recorded during the first six months of the year, with high sunlight shortage.
Green Tips (stage C) has been observed in Vosne Romanée on the 19th of April and leaves appeared (stage D) on the 23rd of April.
A late spring frost during the night between the 26th and 27th will stay long in Burgundian’s people mind. At the end of the night, lowest temperature measured was -2 Celsius degree.
The frost has been short but damage were enhanced by the warm sun the next morning, burning the leaves.
Nothing logic about it. Damage were completely unpredictable and incomparable to the last well known frost (Spring 1945 and 1981).
Some well exposed parcels stayed intact compare to other well protected who were heavily touched. Each frosted parcels has variable damage but the average is set at 58% of the buds destroyed.
This disaster has stopped the growing vines who only reached stage E (leaves unfold) the 3rd of May. Heavy rains fell down during May, making vineyards works very tough for the men.
Mildew pressure never been so high but luckily it will damage mostly the leaves than the young grapes. Most of the vines were flowered for summer solstice who reverse tendency; temperature average will be higher than the seasonal average for the rest of the year.
The vines has shown again their incredible resistance and will catch up the lost time because of this beautiful warm and dry summer.
The vineyards finally reach perfect conditions for growing. The 19th of July, closing stage is reached and the grapes are away from sensible zones, still with a dry weather.
Vineyards will feel the effect of hydric stress end of July until late August with onset of ripening the 20th.
Little rains during September will be advantageous and permit the vineyard to finish its ripening in excellent conditions.
After a chaotic spring and a salutary summer, first grapes harvested are perfectly mature, healthy and tasty.
The harvests
First grapes are harvested on Saturday 24th of September at Savigny-Lès-Beaune and 1er Cru, then Beaune “Les Avaux”, finishing by Pernand Vergelesses on Sunday 25.
The next day is dedicate to our Grands Crus Echezeaux, Grands Echezeaux and Clos de Vougeot.
On Tuesday, it is Chambolle-Musigny turn with Vougeot 1er Cru “Les Cras”, Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne Romanée 1er Cru “en Orveaux” successively harvested.
The end of the week, pickers will collect Villages of Nuits Saint Georges, Vosne Romanée and Fixin accompany by Vosne Romanée 1er Cru “Les Suchots” and “Petits Monts”, Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru “Aux Boudots” and the famous Grand Cru Richebourg on the 29th.
The last parcel harvested before the first week-end of October is our Regional Appellation Bourgogne Pinot Noir “Sapidus”.
We stop picking during the week-end and restart on Monday 3rd of October by our white Marsannay “Clos du Roy” and our Bourgogne Chardonnay.
The 4th, 5th and 6th indicate the end of the harvest with Regionals Appellations Passetoutgrain, Aligoté, Hautes Côtes de Nuits Red “La Croix” and “Les Dames Huguettes”.
The wines
The Vintage 2016 is generous, silky and delicate like 2010. Reds colour are deep and intense with violet and garnet shades.
Tannins are very fine and elegant. The mouth is particularly long and balanced, full of freshness and softness.
The sweep of the aromas reveals lots of fresh red fruits offering a rich and smooth mouth. White wines are pure and supple.
Particularly tasty and well balanced, they release many aromas of white fruits with acacia and white flowers notes offering a rich range of aromas.