Domaine Michel Gros Vendange Sept 2024 Preamble

Bonjour Tout les Monde ! MdMdlV reporting in ahead of this latest Burgundy grape harvest (vendange); my 15th in total, ‘across’ 5 domaines, and my 2nd at the understated, modest, yet most excellent Domaine Michel Gros.

In the last couple of months, there’s been a welcome, and in part very interesting, regular number of personal emails from Pierre Gros (son of Michel who’s still ‘around’). Readers who followed my experience last year will recall we saw and heard not a lot from Pierre as his wife gave birth to their 2nd (I think – had thought 3rd but believe that’s incorrect) child not long after the harvest commenced, hence, he understandably disappeared with Father Michel, supposed to be stepping back, actually stepping in to ‘run the show’ which was brilliant for me as Michel is a lovely character, in a quiet way, with excellent English (though he denies this), appreciated my interest in all things terroir related, and seemed to either warm to me, or take pity on me, insisting on my taking favoured passenger seat status daily in his ageing Toyota Land Cruiser rather than slumming it in one of the minibuses or vans, and regularly talking me through various terroir, vinous, and domaine history aspects whilst we motored about.

Pierre’s emails commenced with seeking:- a) confirmation from regulars and previous attendees that we would be coming this year; and b) whether that would be for the full harvest including the Hautes-Cotes (me – of course, the whole thing), or just the first part encompassing the Cote d’Or vineyards. I’d been quite surprised at the extent of personnel changes after week 1 last year. He later moved on to ask us all to request/order the Domaine’s 2022 wines we wanted to buy with the benefit of 20% vendangeur discount – a handy ‘perk’ ! as these would need to be bottled, labelled, foiled and packed pre-harvest. With each of his emails, he included quite detailed commentary on the likes of what had happened/was happening in the vinous year and with such as flowering, veraison, weather influences/impact etc etc. I’ve never seen/had this sort of hugely interesting information flow before but very much appreciated it although from minute 1 there was a good deal of bad news around weather impacts as Bill has similarly, and from a wider perspective, covered off e.g the very wet weather thro the year (as featured in the UK, or parts of it), resultant mildew, odium, rot etc and consequently how the vignerons had been restricted in getting into the vines to address/treat the above.

I was eventually a little surprised at how early he did so when Pierre called the vendange start for Saturday 21st Sept, requesting the ‘lodgers’ arrive/convene for the evening of the 20th – can’t recall exactly when now but was a few weeks ahead but seemed to me this was a late starting year, which personally had not seen for quite a few years, and which might consequently go into early October – the potential for similarities to the into October 2013 shocker at Arlaud made me shudder cum wince recalling that annus horribilis!

So, after researching and mulling travel options, and equipping myself with the necessary tackle (new gloves) the afternoon of the 19th saw my departure from my NW England home with my BMW newly featuring Crit Air Sticker, Fulli peage badge, and UK Sticker to rear left of the licence (number) plate, the latter as an understated alternative to a large UK sticker elsewhere on the rear of the car. Last year I had such a larger UK Sticker on the rear window which prompted my wife at the time to pithily observe “could you not get a larger one” ! No m’dear, or smaller, as that was all that was then available in my local motor factors. The destination was again, as last year, Newhaven, Sussex for the DFDS Transmanche Ferries overnight crossing to Dieppe from whence to Vosne via Rouen, skirting Paris, then the A6 past Chablis, to Beaune, NSG, then arrive. My ferry departure timetable was 23.00 hrs, docking Dieppe 5.00 a.m French time which would allow pacing myself to Burgundy for anticipated arrival circa lunchtime/early afternoon. I had planned to leave home circa 14.00 hours, with DFDS requiring vehicles & passengers to ‘book in‘ 90 minutes pre sailing time i.e 21.30, for the circa 320 UK miles (c 510 km), which should allow no rush and some contingency. As it was I was ready to go by c13.30 so with little point waiting, off I went. Trouble free run to Newhaven with modest diversion into Lewes for a fuel top up at a favoured filling station. Was in plenty of time at the ferry terminal, joining 8/9 other cars and a couple of caravans in a queue to await passport checking etc. On the ferry, without a cabin for economy purposes, and not having ‘enjoyed’ the ‘airline’ seats last year, I joined several other folk on a padded circular bench seat in the forward viewing lounge to stretch out and seek some kip – which I actually got for a change !

On time into Dieppe with smart offloading & I was on my way in the darkness. Trouble free run to Rouen. Here, some apparent major route works had diversions and for a while I was nervous, despite my satnav, I might be heading for the likes of Le Havre or Brittany but with mentally fingers crossed I soon saw signs including Paris and the autoroute thereto.

It was somewhere after here my peage badge came into play for the first time with a serious degree of nervous anticipation on my part that it would work as the instructions and videos (latter watched several times up to home departure) suggested. Worry thee not, oh yee of little faith !!! Approaching the first peage, much more cautiously than confident others, as I got very close a ‘beep’ sound emanated within the car – presumably from the windscreen affixed badge, followed almost immediately it seemed by the approaching barrier ‘magically’ lifting, and green light on the peage kerb indicating ‘go’. Wow, serious result !!!! No more right-hand drive car solo occupant issues. Marvellous – this and the following same peage experiences being the highlight of my journey. Technology in action!

Trouble free run down to outskirts of Paris. Hereabouts I came majorly ‘unstuck’ last year having not at that point programmed the satnav instead seeking to rely on a printed route finder which actually turned out to be difficult to read & follow given the route and changes whilst keeping eyes on the roads. I actually found myself lost in Paris last year which included at one point unintentionally going round in a ‘circle’. Only parking up and belatedly setting the satnav to Nuits St Georges did I extract the car and myself, getting back on track after losing a shedload of time. This year the satnav did the business for me but, on very busy, slow moving, roads (this was c8.00 a.m. hence presumably Paris commuter traffic), with various direction changes I could very well see how I’d come unstuck last year.

Anyway, eventually leaving Paris behind, the A6 took me past Chablis and other notable places, with just a couple of Aire stops to clear the windscreen insects, to the outskirts of Beaune then a quick other autoroute ‘hop’ to come off at Nuits then following the route via Boncourt le Bois to arrive in Vosne at a, to me, impressive c11.30.

Quite sleepy hollow at Gros but I soon met Pierre who confirmed I had the same room as last year & would be sharing with a Guy (as in gee not guy). Was able to leisurely unload my luggage/gear, seemingly maybe first to arrive, have some of my journey (home prepared) sandwiches, then contemplate my next move. Gros wise the next key event was the evening social gathering, circa 19.30, ahead of our first communal dinner otherwise the afternoon was mine. Some little time ahead of the vendange I’d been in online touch with a gentleman on a UK wine forum – we’d corresponded for some time as amused like minds on aspects of the forum and individuals but had never, until now, met in person. My correspondent had told me he and his wife, on holiday in the south of France, would be calling at Domaine Ravaut, Buisson on their journey north thro France at c14.00hrs to collect ordered wines before continuing to the UK and their Scottish home. We’d loosely ‘talked’ of meeting at Ravaut (a domaine I have really appreciated for some years and visited myself 2/3 times but not for a few years).

Clearly my early arrival on the Cote now made this easily feasible when I’d anticipated the opposite. So, a leisurely temporary leaving of Vosne down to Buisson. Didn’t seem much activity at all as I might have expected in the vines (ok, lunchtime) but the same had applied late morning from NSG to Vosne. I mused was this a matter of domaines/maisons having started harvesting earlier and finished, or was it alternatively, the opposite ? We’d see. I’d no sooner got to Buisson and was manoeuvring my car outside Ravaut when my contact phoned me to see if I’d made it, told me he and his wife were leaving Pernand and would be with me shortly. By this time the Ravaut team had finished their lunch break and departed for the vines. Success, my man and wife, with newer BMW than mine, soon appeared and after warm greetings etc we made our way into Ravaut. A smiling M. Ravaut met us in the yard (name escapes me hear – Philippe ?), with smiley (sister ?) Celine also in attendance. I was humbly taken that I was recognised and warmly greeted not having called for a while. My friend acquired his wines then we were offered a viewing of the Ravaut cuverie set up in action – neat, busy, and impressive. Also with us was a very cute & friendly Cairn terrier, by the name of Larry – sweet little dog which the breed aren’t always ! I hadn’t thought of acquiring any Ravaut wines previously but the opportunity seemed to good to miss so I asked an agreeable Celine if I could order some wine for my collection at the conclusion of the Gros vendange. Ready agreement thus 6 bottles of Aligote and 6 of the Ladoix Village blanc reserved.

Guess the domaine…….

Ravaut Triage Setup2

Domaine Gaston & Pierre Ravaut Triage Table

Ravaut Triage Setup3

Ravaut Triage Setup4

Larry (the Cairn) Ravaut (1)

Visit concluded, we exchanged parting pleasantries and went our separate ways. For the rest of my afternoon I toured slowly parts of the Cote de Nuits, mainly close to Vosne. I noted a team in a part of Richebourg very close to the Michel Gros vines so this must have been one of the other family Gros domaine teams. The latter part of my tour took me up to the Concouer-Corboin plateau were I was intrigued to note a different type of (machine) harvesting – of sunflower seeds by an impressively large combine harvester which chomped its way through the sunflowers with some ease !

Hautes-Cotes de Nuit Sunflower Seed Harvesting2

Domaine Michel Gros Daily Timetable Notice

Domaine Michel Gros Dining Cave at breakfast

Domaine Michel Gros Dining Cave

Gros Dining Cave 1st evening

Drifting back to Vosne I was gratified to find the Douche (shower) near my room actually had warm/hot water – had not been the case on arrival last year as I’d found to my chilly, bracing, teeth chattering cost ! Good to shower away the 24 hours plus travelling, change, meet the now arrived room sharer Guy, a nice man, change, and saunter to the courtyard (shared with Mugneret-Gibourg) for the evening social gathering then dinner (plenty of familiar from last year and new faces). And so to bed !

First day proper Saturday to come with, not too shabbily, a start of two Grand Crus !
MdMdlV

It’s true – I’ve bored you enough about a year that has experienced wave after wave of rain – but with some nice sunny days too. Unfortunately, for many producers, the balance has seemed to be more in favour of the rain this year, evidenced by even more thunder-storms in the Côte d’Or over the weekend – and so my message is unchanged.

If you haven’t been hailed, it’s predominantly been a year of fighting the mildew.

The best exposed and drained soils — unsurprisingly, mainly in the grand cru locations — have suffered less, but it’s not all roses here either. A simple walk around Montrachet will reveal beautiful bunches but also bunches with dried-out grapes (due to mildew) or grapes pitted by hail impacts — as good as the location is, it’s no protection from the hail.

I was in Beaujolais and the Mâconnais last Thursday and saw the first truck-loads of white grapes heading to wineries – but in this early case, the grapes were for crémant – these are always picked earlier, at closer to 11% potential alcohol than the 12-13% of the still wines. But I did also see a single team harvesting reds too. A few more were in the vines over the weekend – notably Lafarge-Vial.

I chatted with Richard Rottiers who can easily position the vintage at the top and the tail of greater Burgundy:

“2022 and 2023 were two good years for volume so I have managed to keep some stock here in Beaujolais – fortunately! – because 2024 is a year with lot of mildew – it was very hard to fight against the ‘fungals’ with this year’s rain. It all depends on where the storms went; I lost a lot due to hail in some parts of Moulin à Vent and none at all in other vineyards. I will start my harvesting on Monday (9th September) as I already have sectors with 13-14°. I think I will have half a harvest but I have some friends here who may not harvest at all…
“Likewise, the volume in Chablis was very good last year – fortunately – this year I think 5-10 hl/ha is realistic !!”

“5-10 hl/ha” – that would be pretty shocking – 10-20% of a normal harvest volume – and Richard (Domaine des Malandes) has about 5 hectares that are protected by hail nets…

Anecdotal, but the vines around Solutre looked nice last week – still some sub-optimal bunches – but easy to triage, indeed avoid cutting completely…

My own ‘home’ domaine in Beaune will be starting their harvest next Monday (16th September) – Dujac, maybe, on the 17th, though many more in the Côte de Nuits will be waiting almost another week. There are, of course, many outliners too in the Côte d’Or – Thibaut Clerget is starting in a couple of days and the team of de Montille was already picking some pinot grapes yesterday in Pezerolles and today in Taillepieds – but I’m assuming that they were picking some young vines – these are usually the most precocious.

But never forget that since the late 1990s burgundy became a wine of triage. It’s not how the bunches of grapes look at the start – it’s what you choose to throw away and therefore how best grapes will express themselves as wine. That’s the fun – though clearly we will have many fewer bottles to have fun with in this vintage !!

Here are a few images that date from mid-August up until last Thursday:

Montrachet 20 August

Montrachet 20 August

Richebourg 25 August

Pommard 1er 26 August

Pouilly-Fuissé 5 September

Not so Serene…

It’s the start of August so, as the domaines start to think of their pre-harvest holidays, it’s a worthy time to take stock of the vintage so far.

Complicated !!

Not surprisingly, due to the many complications, it’s going to be a later harvest, and potentially quite a prolonged harvest too.

A microcosm of the vintage is Chablis – to a greater or lesser extent, everywhere is like Chablis – it’s the peaks and troughs of Chablis’ weather patterns that have expressed themselves more in earnest, more brashly, though:

Parts of Chablis were affected by frost – they have seen a lot worse but the effect was there

Parts of Chablis were under water already for the second time in April – La Chapelle-de-Vaupelteigne

Parts of Chablis were hailed already for the 4th time in June – Chichée

Parts of Chablis were decimated by hail – Fourchaume & Fontenay

Most of Chablis has been fighting the mildew – the grapes and the leaves

Most of Chablis has been deluged by stormwater in the last 2 weeks

By a degree – plus or minus but mainly minus – it has been much the same in the rest of Burgundy and Beaujolais. In the last week, there have been heavy storms in the Côte d’Or too – heavy enough rain to start moving some of the topsoil down the hills (Meursault) or to have had some hail mixed in with the water (Saint Aubin).

Everywhere, the vine-treatments have been unending; unless you have been using contact sprays (ie not organic) with your treatments quickly washed away by the rain that punctuates all this year. On average versus the more recent dryer years – the number of treatments have been double.

Until mid-July, and ignoring the much stronger frost of that year, 2024 has reminded me of 2016; an early growing season with so much rain and not that much sunshine – that all changed when the sun came out in mid-July in 2016. This year the sun and warmer weather arrived just a few days later – but the extra warmth and sunlight were still punctuated with much more rainy weather than July/August of 2016.

We will have to wait many months before discussing the wines of 2024 but in terms of the conditions in the vineyards, and the apparent yields of grapes, at this stage we seem to have quite the hierarchical vintage, i.e. the better-placed vineyard sites (1ers and grand crus) seem to have decent yields and (probably due to better drainage) seem to have been much less affected by the mildew. The more ‘humid’ locations having little to no yields and prime mid-slope locations are looking beautiful.

This is going to make life complicated for the harvest !!

2-3 weeks ago, many domaines in the Côte d’Or were thinking about starting their harvest 15-16 September but those dates are already starting to come under a little pressure as domaines think to start 7-10 days earlier. The yields are a complicating factor; the smaller the yields, the faster the grapes will ripen. The higher the yield, the longer a domaine will wait for maturity.

So the harvest timings are currently in-line with 2019 – but with a lower crop this year – and also very close to the 2021 vintage timing.