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Vintages

The 2020 Bourgogne harvest: Early and even

10/09/2020

2020 is a year that has been playing with the nerves of everyone on the planet. And winegrowers in Bourgogne are no exception. With an historically early harvest start date, good organization was key to ensuring the wineries were ready to receive the first grapes on 12 August for the most advanced plots.

Our patchwork of plots lived up to this description with plots ripening at different times, which were the result of the flowering date of course, but also dependent on where rain – if any – had fallen throughout the season. Picking begins between 90 and 100 days from flowering, and the first juices are delicious, with great vigor. 2020 promises quality, but this vintage will definitely not be remembered as an easy one!

Vines ahead of norms, right from budburst
A very mild winter with temperatures above seasonal averages led to early budburst. Fine weather conditions continued into April, with the mercury up an average of 3.6°C over the norm. The Ice Saints days in mid-May brought a few morning frosts but fortunately, their impact was negligible, thanks to low humidity.

From 14 May onwards, the temperatures began to climb, and the first flowers blossomed. The heat continued, well above seasonal norms, until 23 May, which encouraged.......(read the rest in the PR).........