Harvest 2017

THE 2017 HARVEST

Happy Burgundy, poor California! The weather this year had a significant impact on yields in the family’s various production regions, apart from Burgundy, which had a relatively good vintage. But it was an early year for vines across France, which shortened the growth cycle and accelerated the pace of work in the vines.


BURGUNDY
A happy combination of quality and quantity

This is the only region that enjoyed this rare combination. And yet the vegetative cycle was upset: The winter was very cold and there were early frosts in spring. Conditions were optimal for rapid flowering, but there was hail and the drought in the summer.

Harvesting was very early, starting in the August heat. After years of low yields, the grapes were abundant with thick skins that promised lovely color. There were significant disparities in terms of maturity between the whites and reds and between the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. But excellent health and easy vinification meant a great vintage for those who got their planning right. Chablis, however, was hit by frost, and this meant another year of low quantities but a classic vintage nonetheless, with rich and concentrated grapes making for lively, taut wines.

For the crémants, here, too, the grapes were healthy and concentrated, with sweet juice offering lovely vigor and good acidic balance, and some delightful aromas. The Chardonnays were rich, the Pinot Noir offering structure, Aligoté bringing ageing potential, and the Gamay providing that expressive, indulgent touch.


JURA
A small, but excellent harvest

This vintage was marked by very early budburst, which meant the spring frosts hit particularly hard this year, affecting half of the Henri Maire estate. The young shoots were very susceptible, but luckily, the growth cycle continued normally, and the resulting fruit was in excellent health.

The harvests began on 24 August with the crémants and ended on 13 September. The first tastings were very promising, with indulgent and fruity wines.


BEAUJOLAIS
Richness and rarity

Harvesting began during a heatwave, and then a few episodes of rain allowed the vines and remaining grapes to recover some vigor. Analysis showed almost perfect results and the grapes were in fabulous health. This year was similar to the 2015 vintage and promises great quality: A high degree of potential alcohol, perfect acidity, and rich, sweet grapes with lovely thick skins. The fruit was superb and very aromatic, indicating roundness and wonderful structure to this Gamay. The only negative was the low yield.


LANGUEDOC
An early vintage but a balanced one

This was an historically early vintage. The Muscat opened the way on 7 August, followed by the Pinot Noir on the 12^th, the Sauvignon Blanc on the 14^th, and the Chardonnay on the 18^th. The grapes were in perfect health, with low yields but lovely balance because the vines had plenty of water thanks to abundant springtime rain. The wines are forthright, vibrant, and balanced, which augurs well for ageing!


RHÔNE
Intensity and small yields

The growth cycle was exceptionally early, around two weeks ahead of usual. Drought during flowering impacted the whole region.

For the reds, there was more Syrah than Grenache because of shatter during flowering in mid-April. But the grapes were nonetheless in very satisfactory condition. Despite the summer heat, the wines showed good acidity that will provide their freshness. We are seeing a high phenolic concentration, which will give good density in the mouth. Intensity and color are the order of the day.


CALIFORNIA
A perilous year

The spring was very rainy and the summer capricious, first with a heatwave and then with terrible wildfires at the end of the harvest. This will make the 2017 vintage an historic one for the severity of the climate and very small yields.

Despite all of this, the vines between Napa and Sonoma largely managed to resist the inclement weather. New this year is the Sauvignon Blanc at Raymond Vineyards, fermented in the barrel. The Cabernet Sauvignon brought the harvest to a close, after the Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Petite Syrah, Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir. The grapes showed lower sugar and acidity levels than usual in Sonoma, which suggest the nature of this vintage will be more dynamic, similar to the 2011.