Dispatch from Burgundy: The Real Challenges of 2013

2013 has been a challenging year for the growers of Burgundy. Despite the gloomy predictions expressed by many commentators – not all of whom have actually talked with winegrowers, incidentally – our conversations can best be summed up as yields down again, but quality good.

Overall, the weather has had a major impact. The cold, wet spring resulted in not all the berries “setting” on the vines, thereby reducing the number of grapes on the bunch. The hail was devastating, but in a localised area. The storm in late July covered a wider area, around 25 kilometres, and at 17 minutes lasted longer than normal. It was horrendous for the appellations of Monthélie, Volnay, Pommard, Beaune, Savigny-les-Beaune, Chorey-les-Beaune and parts of Pernand Vergelesses. But neighbouring appellations, for example, Meursault in the south and Ladoix in the north, escaped the hail.

The cold, wet start to summer meant that the harvest, starting in the first week of October, was the latest since the 1980s. This brought its own challenges of low sugar levels but good acidity. Colour for the reds is good.

In Chablis, Daniel-Etienne Defaix describes the vintage as one to forget quickly. Not from a quality point of view but his old vines produced just 25% of average yields. He felt growers, such as himself, whose vineyards comprise mainly old vines suffered more with low yields – older vines tend to produce less anyway, and this year’s weather reduced yields significantly.

In the Côte-de-Nuits, Alain Noëllat of Domaine Michel Noëllat is “satisfied” with the 2013s. We saw the grapes at harvest and they were of excellent quality. Yields, again, are low but the colour extraction is excellent and the wines appear to be well balanced. Fabienne Bony, Domaine Jean-Pierre Bony, in Nuits-Saint-Georges was more concerned with the lateness of the harvest but considered the quality of her grapes to be very good.

Conversely, small Domaines such as Chantal and Michel Martin in Chorey – who as a organic producer have very low yields anyway– were hit with the worst of all worlds and lost around 80% of their crop as their appellations are mainly Chorey-les-Beaune, Savigny-les-Beaune and Beaune Premier Cru.

In the Côte-de-Beaune it can be described as a tale of two villages. Domaine Dujardin, who for the third year running lost most of his Monthélie Premier Cru red was utterly devastated – but he will still make wonderful Monthélie and Auxey Duresses whites, for example. Literally across the road Alain Coche at Domaine Coche-Bizouard is very pleased with their Meursault and Puligny Montrachet Appellations.

Further south, in Côte Chalonnaise, Rully, Domaine Michel Briday has mixed views on his Rully whites but considers his Bouzeron Aligoté to be exceptional. Rully reds escaped the hail and with good weather for July, August and September will be very pleasant wines.

Lastly in the Maconnais, Domaine de La Feuillarde is telling the same story of poor spring weather, low yields, but good quality.

It is interesting to reflect on a comment too, from Nadine Marcillet in the Hautes-Côtes, that every day she receives numerous phone calls from bulk-wine négociants asking to buy wine! “We’ll take whatever you’ve got,” they say!

So, what does all this mean to the Burgundy-lover? Three consecutive years of low yields will impact on the range of wines available to the general buyer. Wines will be released for sale sooner than growers would like. For example, 2012 reds will be available in many Domaines before Christmas and other recent vintages such as 2010 and 2011 are often virtually sold out. We have not yet seen evidence of significant price rises in the Domaines although we can’t speak of what might happen in the retail market.

2013 is a year to sort the men (and women) from the boys! Good, consistent work in the vineyard resulted in good quality grapes at harvest. Good grapes, well-sorted in the vineyard or winery with good winegrowers mean good wines. So, 2013 is a year to rely on winemakers you know or come recommended from sources you respect.

What is sure is that there will be less wine available for general tastings in Burgundy, and for some of the smaller Domaines life will be tough. But good Burgundy growers are resilient. For our clients at Bringing Burgundy To You we will, through living in Burgundy and our first-class relationships with excellent independent, family producers, continue to bring you wines at competitive prices that may prove very difficult to find in the next year or two in the general market place.

Established in 2003 by David and Lynne Hammond, Bringing Burgundy to You specialises in tailor-made wine events for both businesses and individuals. They also host gastronomy weekends in Burgundy, and have an online wine shop. Web: www.bringingburgundytoyou.com. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 33 (0) 6 30 42 02 98