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From November through the end of December 2010, Burgundy was cold and grey with “quick and sudden dustings of snow,” according to Ray Walker of Maison Ilan in Nuits-Saint-Georges. January was almost as cold but drier, and I can attest to the shivering temperatures we felt when tasting in the cellars of over 20 domains at that time.
Clive Coates on CliveCoates.com states that February and March were also cool and dry, and “overall the winter was not too severe.” Total precipitation during the winter months was lower than the average.
April weather was sunny and hot, the kind of heat vignerons hope for in July and August. Temperatures reached the 30s (Celsius), and bud break started early. The warm weather persisted through May and caused flowering to commence in some areas up to three weeks ahead of schedule. This triggered a flurry of concern on various message boards and wine blogs that Burgundy could be facing another vintage like 2003.
Coates suggested that harvest could commence as early as the 20th of August, and noted that “unlike in 2003, however, this fruit will have had the full 100-110 days of gestation, flowering to vintage, so there is no reason why it should not be of high quality as well as precocious.”
On July 21st, Decanter.com wrote that France experienced its driest May since records began in 1920, and stated that many vignerons predicted an unprecedented early harvest. In the article, Anne-Claude Leflaive expected to start the harvest on August 25th, and added that “we have not seen such an advance in the vineyard since 1893.”
Frederic Mugnier, of Domaine Jacques Frederic Mugnier in Chambolle Musigny, also “expects pickings to start in late August.” Mugnier said, “the risk with such a precocious vintage is that ripeness could come too quickly, and result in wines that would not be aromatically complex.” Domaine du Duc de Magenta, Chassagne, suggests a probable start date around August 22-25.
On June 7th, a thunderstorm with abundant hail ravaged an important part of the Mercurey 1er cru vineyards in the Côte Chalonaise. Roelof Ligtmans from Domaine de la Monette noted on Burgundy-Report.com that up to 50% losses were reported.
The thunderstorm also impacted the communities of Fontaines and Rully, where important damage to the 1er cru vineyards has also been reported.
Ray Walker from Maison Ilan in Nuits-Saint-Georges has been keeping a detailed blog of the growing season. On July 11, he noticed a bit of color springing up in the Côte de Nuits (verasion) and finally a source in Beaune reported that there was hail in Montrachet in mid-July and noticed some disease in the vines on the 18th.
On July 26th, Blair Pethal of Domaine Dublère reported on Burgundy-Report.com that "there was hail in Santenay, St. Aubin, Chassagne and Puligny on the 15th, but there was very little damage, certainly nothing on the scale of Rully and the Cote Chalonnaise. I lost more crop from sunburn during the three-day heat wave which preceded the hailstorm. I've heard Montrachet and Chevalier quantified at 10-15% loss, but don't believe it's that bad." And added "on the disease front, everything is looking as good as I've ever seen it."
On July 27th, Andrew Nielson of Le Grappin in Savigny-lès-Beaune tweeted harvest now likely early September b/c cool + wet july. 2007 conditions so far and went on to mention in his blog that the "viticultural advisors at the BIVB (Burgundy Wine Board) estimate we have already “lost” 4-5 days of ripening thus pushing back the “theoretical” harvest start of last week in August to the first week in September."
We’ll be updating this page as we learn more. Check back often.
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