Budburst was slowed down by cool weather in early spring.
The 2023 vintage, which could have been an early one in the absence of a proper winter, has in fact started off very gently, thanks to temperatures at the beginning of spring which were generally cooler than seasonal norms.
After a milder than normal February (+0.8°C on average), March continued to be mild, with an average temperature difference of +0.6°C. The temperature continues to fluctuate around the average, resulting in alternating cool and milder periods.
On 29 March, temperatures rose to well above normal and stayed there for a few days, helping the growth cycle to pick up once more and the vines began to “weep” their sap.
The very first green shoots were seen on Chardonnay vines across the network of Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) reference plots in late March, followed by the Pinot Noir during the first few days of April.
April was similar to March, with temperatures fluctuating. Overall temperatures were 1.4°C cooler than the norm until 23 April.
The mid-budburst stage was close to that observed in 2009 and 2016, and was a few days later than average:
* From 2 April for the Chardonnays in the Mâconnais, then between 9-15 April for the rest of Bourgogne.
* Between 12-17 April for the Pinot Noirs
* Mid-April for Gamays in the Mâconnais
During the last few days of March and into early April, cold nights with sub-zero temperatures led to fears of frost damage. Fortunately, the risk was relatively low and the damage very minor. As for the much-feared Ice Saints days in mid-May, they are forecast to be mild and without risk.
The Cité des Climats adventure
An invitation to industry players to celebrate the opening of the Cité network
June 15 and 16 will see the Cité inaugurated in the presence of industry professionals and some world-renowned winemakers.
This unique moment is a chance for the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) and the Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne to celebrate the legendary Bourgogne model of terroir winemaking.
Key wine industry players, including those from other winegrowing regions in France and abroad, are invited to attend this ceremony and to discuss how the Bourgogne model has inspired their approach to the terroir.
Guests will be able to explore all three Cités during the event and will participate in a round-table discussion on the theme of “Bourgogne: A world model of terroir viticulture”. There will also be a dinner hosted in an emblematic location in Beaune and an immersion into the vines of the Côte Chalonnaise.
Winemakers from the Alsace, Côtes du Rhône, and Champagne regions along with producers hailing from Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and New Zealand have already confirmed their presence.
Keep up to speed with all the news from the Cité network on their website (available soon in English) and across social media.
A unique program to celebrate the opening of the Cité to the general public
17 and 18 June will see two days of festivities dedicated to the general public.
Following these inaugurations, two action-packed days for the general public are being organized to allow visitors to finally discover these three sites dedicated to the culture and history of Bourgogne wine.
The event will include an exceptional program for each Cité, featuring:
- Discovery of the immersive and sensorial visitor trails
- Family entertainment
- Guided tours
- Exhibitions
- Tasting workshops and food and wine pairings
- Meet-and-greets with winemakers
Practical information
* 17-18 June from 10am to 6pm
* Admission is €14 for adults and €7 for 6-18-year-olds, with a family pass available for two adults plus two children for €32
* Book online at www.citeclimatsvins-bourgogne.com
But hurry, as places are limited!
Keep up to speed with all the news from the Cité network on their website (available soon in English) and across social media.
At your service
Chablis wines at the service of Canadian sommeliers
After a first session in Montreal at the end of 2022, Chablis Take Over events continue to roll out across Canada.
The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) is continuing its mission to initiate Canadian sommeliers in the art of Chablis wines.
In June, lunchtime training sessions will be organized by the BIVB and hosted by Véronique Rivest in Ontario and Kler-Yann Bouteiller in Quebec. Kler-Yann is an Official Bourgogne Wines Trainer.
The events will run on:
* 13 June at the Cluny restaurant in Toronto from 11:30am to 2pm
* 20 June at the Blanche de Rioux & Pettigrew restaurant in Quebec City from 11:30am to 2pm
The program will involve a 30-minute presentation followed by a food and wine pairing lunch with blind tastings to encourage exchanges between participants and trainers.
Launched in April 2020, Bourgogne Maps is a unique, powerful, and free-to-use digital atlas.
This user-friendly tool allows you to understand and locate the various Bourgogne appellations, their Climats, and even lieux-dits. You can also use it to find domaines and négoces in different areas along with wine-themed events and festivities.
To deepen your research, there are plenty of documents available for download from our online media library, including maps of the vineyards and wine routes, recipes, tourist guides, educational infographics, videos, and tips for serving wines.
Our media library offers a great way to learn even more about the Bourgogne region, its appellations, winegrowing, wine making, and even food and wine pairings.
The École des Vins de Bourgogne: A key player in the Cité des Climats network
An educational establishment that specializes in training in the art of wine tasting, the École des Vins de Bourgogne is boosting its profile through a broader territorial ambition.
A desire for growth
The École des Vins de Bourgogne is focusing on two key areas in order to grow its activity across the Bourgogne winegrowing region:
* Opening satellite sites across the region
* Offering new, shorter formats at attractive prices to attract newcomers to the art of winetasting
A key player for the Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne
To achieve these aims, it was natural that the Bourgogne Wine School should become a central player in the Cité des Climats et vins de Bourgogne. And it has now become a brand within the network, involved with all educational and tasting aspects of the Cités.
* Geological information such as landscapes and soil types specific to the Marsannay appellation
* The history of the appellation through the people who strived to obtain AOC status
* Technical information on all the locations producing red, white, and rosé Marsannay
* A photo library covering the seasons, the growth cycle of the vine, the grape varieties, plowing with horses, and so on
* And above all, a section on the appellation’s future Premier Crus, the villages where they are located, and history of each plot
The Marsannay appellation is endowed with a dynamism and creativity that reflect its youth. These qualities draw on a thousand years of history that ensure its wines fully express their maturity. The hard work accomplished over 25 years by the current generation approaching retirement and the new generation taking over the reins has resulted in an international reputation that is reflected in exports to all continents, and a position of choice on some of the very best tables around the world.
The new generation of winegrowers is demanding, curious and open-minded, and has inherited a spirit of solidarity and a strong attachment to the terroir from those who came before. Driven by the aim to do better with each vintage, this great family is determined to progress while respecting local traditions and expertise. It is thanks to this ambition and perseverance that the Marsannay Premier Crus of the future will soon be made official!
Hospices de Beaune: Non-profits supporting elderly to benefit from the Charity Barrel
The 163rd Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction will be held, with profits from the Charity Barrel going to causes supporting a happy old age.
The notion of growing old in a happy way is a public health priority, and the Hospices de Beaune wine auction (November 19) will be supporting one or more non-profits involved in helping older people be more independent through the sale of this unique barrel of wine.
The Hospices will select projects helping prevent a loss of autonomy and actions aimed at strengthening the skills of the elderly to prolong their independence and ensure good healthcare and quality of life at home.
The Charity Barrel
Since 1945, supporting non-profits has been a key part of the Hospices de Beaune Wine Auction. And the 163rd edition of this world-renowned event will not depart from this tradition. The proceeds from an exceptional barrel of wine, known as “La Pièce de Charité”, are donated to one or more non-profits. The Charity Barrel usually contains a Grand Cru from the year's harvest from one of the most exceptional terroirs of the Hospices estate.
How to apply
If you are involved in improving the lives of the elderly, you can apply to become a beneficiary of the proceeds from the sale of the charity barrel.
This now-annual event, runs on the last Sunday in May on the quaysides of the Yonne river in Auxerre.
Each year, thousands of visitors gather on the quaysides in Auxerre to sample the wines of Chablis and the Grand Auxerrois along with plenty of local gastronomy. The 2023 edition of Fleurs de Vigne will run on Sunday 28 May, with local producers in attendance offering their wines for tasting.
The name refers to the flowering of the vines which takes place in June in Bourgogne. The vineyards are dusted with white blossom that will give way to the future grapes. Flowering is a key stage in the growth cycle of the vine and winegrowers hope for fine weather during this period to ensure the future harvest, which typically takes place 100 days later.
After spending more than a decade working on Céline’s family estate, in 2013, she and her husband Frédéric decided to take the plunge and open their own. One year later, Céline inherited her grandmother’s vines in the Auxerrois, producing a wide variety of wines including Saint-Bris, Bourgogne Chardonnay, Bourgogne Aligoté, and Bourgogne Pinot Noir.
Join them on Saturday 10 June, from 11am to 6pm, for free tastings throughout the day, guided tours of the vines by electric scooter, vertical tastings, and a picnic lunch on site.
Chanson, which was founded in 1750 in Beaune and is a subsidiary of the Bollinger family group, has finalized its acquisition of the Château d'Etroyes.
The Château d'Etroyes is located in the heart of the Côte Chalonnaise and comprises just over 50 hectares, mainly in Mercurey and Rully.
This acquisition is in line with Chanson's strategy to round out its offer of estate-produced wines, and more generally with the Bollinger Group's aim to offer consumers a selection of fine wines and spirits of the highest quality, produced from exceptional terroirs by expert teams.
“The Bollinger group has been present in Bourgogne for nearly 25 years since the acquisition of Chanson in 1999,” said Etienne Bizot, Chairman and CEO of the Bollinger Group. “It is one of the most recognized wine regions in the world, if not the most recognized, and its wines are appreciated by wine lovers and connoisseurs alike. Through this acquisition, Chanson, which is renowned for its rigor and the very high quality of its wines, continues its value strategy by expanding its range of estate wines,” he concluded.
Vincent Avenel, General Manager of Chanson agrees: “The acquisition of the Château d'Etroyes represents a unique opportunity for us to expand our estate by adding 50 hectares of wonderful terroir on the Côte Chalonnaise. Our vines on the Côte de Beaune will obtain organic certification in 2024 and it is only natural that we set ourselves the goal of converting the Château d'Etroyes vines to the same certification within the next five years.”
Bourgogne vs. Burgundy: to re-affirm their identity, the region and the producers are reverting back to the original French iteration of the name, Bourgogne.
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