The best thing I’ve read for a long time – it’s definitely worth broaching the second paragraph and more! Thank-you Andrew Jefford. Also a big thumbs up from me for the book he mentions; ‘Climats et Lieu-Dits des Grands Vignobles de Bourgogne‘ – it is my most-used reference – the book resides on my writing table…
[Edit:] Whilst the following ‘headline‘ is nothing more than clickbait hyperbole, it is related to the article of Jefford, and does at the very least beg the question as what types of wines will be being produced in Burgundy in another 20 years, climate change as we currently experience it, is probably more problematic for the chardonnay than the pinot…
There are 4 responses to “tinkering with the hierarchy of the climats?”
Totally agree on the usefulness of the Climats et Lieux-Dits book Bill. Its also my well used go too reference currently. Didn’t know there was an English version (mine’s en francais) but looking at the current price on a certain on line retailer reckon I can ‘live’ with my copy !
Yes, there’s not actually that much text in the book that’s not vineyard name related – apart from, seemingly, Andrew Jefford’s introduction – so I have never felt the need to double-up and have both versions. Whilst it’s good to know that a Côte Chalonnaise version is on its way (no surprise given the launch of the maps last year), I think I’d put Chablis and Beaujolais ahead of that in my own personal wish-list…
Oh well that’s ruined the majority of any book i had thought of doing
But the geology remains the geology – right Phil? With climate change as it is currently, consistently expressed, we are mainly discussing additional degrees of ripeness – unless it’s so hot that grapes become sugar-ripe but not phenolically ripe – à la Chester Osborne – so it’s likely that the relative difference between plots remains. Clearly the wines (musically) will have a change of key though – 2015 and 2016 were special in that they had a sucrosity that I’ve hardly experienced before – though the sweetness of the wines reminded me of 1985, there is so much more density than that vintage…
Thought you were the inspiration for the book Phil and might have had a consulting role 😉
Could’nt agree more Bill, historically the produce of these famous plots has changed many times and I see no reason that this will not continue into the future. The differentiation between climat a lieu dit however is very close to my heart and in my personal experience began with the Atlas de Vinicole (Bourgogne) by Larmat from 1953 which back then was conflicted between the two.The later Atlas
works by Pitiot and Poupon addressed the issue in clear words and have been continued into the book you and Goughie were discussing, which to my mind is in direct conflict with the UNESCO positioning of Climat? But I am not a native and can only comment from my anglo-saxon view.
Goughie you are to kind I only wish I had been the first to put this into a clear explanation all I have done is to turn it into a tabulation for my own benefit, although it may still make the press.
best
Phil