My first time on the new TGV route – indicated 319 km/h towards Dijon – I would lose my car in France even for attempting that! And what a great way to arrive, on a summer-like autumn day of 25°C – definitely t-shirts by the triage table. Of-course the weather overnight (and tomorrow!) is forecast to be very wet, prompting (among others) Dominique Lafon to harvest his Montrachet this afternoon, likewise, Caroline l’Estimé was bringing in her Bâtard-Montrachet.

The home domaine has a few whites, and all were completed yesterday, save for a little hailed Corton-Charlemagne – it can wait – the weather from Saturday-onwards is again supposed to be benevolent. But today was the first day of reds at the domaine so time to get the sleeves rolled-up.

Before lunch came Volnay Santenots. This plot was barely touched by the hail, and the grape size was very small – the main factor in the low yields. Some beautiful bunches indeed, with no rot to triage, but lots of second-set and otherwise under-ripe bunches to look out for. Very happy with the quality of this – if not the quantity. Then lunch, a modest affair of Chassagne Tête du Clos (2011) and Grands-Echézeaux (2008) – there was food too…

Post-lunch we needed full concentration on our Santenay 1er La Comme. Year-in, year-out these grapes need the most triage – and so it was again today – rot, under-ripe grapes, you name it. The grapes actually tasted quite good, so let’s see how good the result will be. Third and last parcel of the day was Beaune Les Avaux – old vines but with a clone that usually delivers cherry-sized grapes. This year, surprisingly we had very modest sized grapes, indeed nice clean grapes too – there was a relatively rare spot of rot to triage, and the usual under-ripe / second-set bunches, but very happy with this, and it’s an early finish too – the last grapes triaged by 18:30 – still there’s 2 hours of clean-up ahead of us…

I’m sure we’ll get around to these…

Volnay Santenots

Beaune Les Avaux

Whose feet?

Lunch (a part…)