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…)

Ever get the feeling that you are 1 or 2 days late?

Despite a swathe of the Côte de Nuits being untouched, indeed needing at least another week in some areas, I see the pictures of Jadot’s Musigny rolling along the triage table (today…) and can’t help thinking – ‘oops!’

Yesterday some excellent producers in Meursault already finished their harvest – think Javillier and Fichet. Patrick Essa has some lovely millerandes in his Meursaults that have helped bring his sugar levels to something over 13° of potential alcohol. Coche-Dury started picking their Corton-Charlemagne this afternoon, and Dubreuil-Fontaine started picking yesterday. Still there is still plenty to cut in Chassagne and Puligny. A few domaines began harvesting their Beaunes and Pommards in the autumnal foggy mist yesterday, but today was a blue sky day. Reports on those grapes are that the fruit is relatively easy to triage, so what they will make wine with is good quality, but it is a rare plot that reaches 20 hl/ha where it was hailed…

Anyway, enough of these second-hand photos and experiences, with the weather set fair, tomorrow I will have grapes in my own hands – not to mention an occasional glass!!!

Photos from: Faiveley, Jadot, Caroline l’Estimé, Nicolas Rossignol

Nicolas Rossignol’s Clos des Angles

JN Gagnard’s Chassagne Caillerets

Faiveley Cazetiers

Jadot’s Musigny!

Whilst the overwhelming majority of red grapes wait on the vines, the chardonnay cutting is now in full flow; many were the domaines that started at the end of last week, more-so at the weekend, and now practically everyone has started.

There is a little to triage in some vineyards, almost nothing in others, interestingly the grapes are far from uniform in size – whilst the average size is relatively small, each bunch seems to have its fair share of canon-balls! The quantity of ‘millerandes’ is helping the potential alcohol levels, if not the potential yields – I’ve seen plenty of musts already with 13°+…

Reds will slowly but surely come into focus now – I’m there from Thursday, can’t wait! So-far, at least, the weather remains benevolent…

The Facebook images of various producers:

A warm week – it’s started with 22-23° but could be over 30°C by the weekend – but there’s a tricky storm forecast to get through on Thursday…

William Fevre will start picking on Thursday, same as many in Cote de Beaune. Other Chablis growers more likely next week

— Jasper Morris (@justjasper) September 24, 2013

Although they are in a minority, things are starting to get serious now; Olivier Lamy has already picked his first vineyard, and Patrick Javillier will also start now for some vines. As Jasper notes (above) many white wine producers will start before the week is out, though many wait, still assembling their pickers, chewing the cud – or making sugar readings. But many are also building up their arsenal of facebook pictures for their fans – nobody said wines were just made in the vineyards 😉

Of-course, some are more photogenic than others!
Pics ex: Bouley, Chicotot, Grivot, JN Gagnard, Roy