2018 harvest – 31 august

31.8.2018billn

Our harvest day 4…

We started the day with Bourgogne Blanc (right); the vines are in Chorey-lès-Beaune (0.30ha) planted at the same time as yesterday’s Beaune Belissand, so this is also their first harvest. Overall, starting a little nicer too – less oïdium, though in the end, perhaps about the same. The domaine is still trying to think of a cuvée name – I joked Gouttes d’Or (my blind wine of the day) with a big golden bunch in my hand – they were a little too enthusiastic with that joke suggestion – I had to council that it probably wasn’t allowed!

Our blanc was followed by three reds – 80% was Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Aux Vergelesses, the rest was two small parcels in Pernand – Caradeuses and Fichots. Great grapes – the word exceptional has become debased, devalued and practically meaningless – much like 93 and 94 points for wines – but harvesting since 2004, I have honestly never seen such (clean) quality of grapes – from a triage perspective, if there hadn’t been leaves to remove, there would have been no triage to be done – I noted only 5 clusters of grapes in the whole day with classic rot in the middle, much less than 2005 (for instance). The Caradeuses was a little less uniformly black but with redder, more lignified stems, the Fichots was roughly intermediate. Paint me impressed!

A lot of people will be starting their harvesting tomorrow – not because the grapes are better than today, but because of French administration. Pay for harvesters is calculated per month, so if harvesters work one day in August and six in September, that’s twice as much paperwork as just making 7 days in September – pff….!

1979 Philippe Thevenot, Meursault 1er Goutte d’Or
My last one of these, and perhaps the best of these. Modestly gold. A fine, clean nose of lanolin and truffle-steeped lemon. Intense, wide, concentrated, indeed layered delicious old wine. A hit! Bravo!
Rebuy – No Chance
 


Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There is one response to “2018 harvest – 31 august”

  1. Robert Tang31st August 2018 at 9:45 pmPermalinkReply

    How are the yields this year, Mr. Nanson.? Thank you for the updates , as it truly makes me feel like I am there!

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