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FEATURES | Bordeaux winemaking

‘Earliest ever’ Bordeaux harvest begins

Jane Anson, August 2022

Rain and slightly fresher temperatures have returned to Bordeaux this week after six weeks with almost zero rainfall, and the driest July since 1959. The first white grapes are now coming in across Entre deux Mers, Pessac-Léognan and Graves, with Château Latour Martillac bringing in its first Sauvignon Blanc on Thursday August 18. This is a few days after neighbouring estates such as Château Carbonnieux began on Tuesday 16, and the day after the first white grapes for sparkling crémant came in on Wednesday 17 in Saint-Peys-de-Castets.

Dates for 2003 in Pessac-Léognan were August 18, and in 2017 August 16, making this the earliest on record.

Jacques Lurton, president of the Pessac-Léognan syndicate, told French press agency AFP that this ‘earliest ever harvest,’ was due to ‘the exceptional conditions of the year that have speeded up ripening. Right now the aromatics are high in Sauvignon Blanc, making it the perfect moment to start bringing them in’.

The first reds, according to the CIVB, are expected to begin across the region around September 12, although several winemaker are suggesting that date may be closer to September 1.

The first provisions for the harvest came from the Minister of Agriculture of August 9, and they are higher than last year’s vintage that was decimated by frost – across France estimations are for 42.6 to 45.6 millions d’hectolitres, between 13-21% higher than in 2021. The relatively good yields are because, despite the drought in the summer, both flowering and fruit set took place under excellent conditions.

In Bordeaux specifically, the estimations are for slightly under the 50 year average, mainly due to hail and frost that impacted 10,000ha early in the season, followed by the historic summer drought that led to irrigation being authorised – again a first – for three leading appellations of Pessac-Léognan, Pomerol and St Emilion – with Lalande-de-Pomerol also agreeing to the practise.

Irrigation was allowed until August 15, so is now forbidden through to harvest. Bordeaux is not well equipped for irrigation, with almost no drip or underground systems in place, posing logistical difficulties even for those that wanted to do so. Most winemakers have said that they did not take up the possibility except on young vines (which is always allowed, up to three years old) and on Merlot on particularly gravelly or sandy soils, with I understand around 15 winemakers taking it up in Pomerol, and around 10 winemakers in Pessac-Léognan, including Château Pique Caillou, which is located in one of the warmer sectors of the appellation and where irrigation was used only on 10% of the 25ha estate, with each vine plant – those aged from three to five years old – receiving around 5 litres of water. This may be understating the case, however, as in areas where irrigation was not expressly allowed, I understand there were some midnight visits to vineyards with tractors, buckets of water and hoses.

‘Estates now have to think about whether this is going to be a regular occurrence,’ said Martin Krajewski of Château Séraphine in Pomerol, where irrigation was used just on the youngest vines and on one 0.2ha plot of 10 year old Merlot on gravel soils, ‘and whether we will have to invest in infrastructure – not long after many of us have just spent money installing anti-frost protection’.

The rain of this week – up to 20mm so far in most areas – has helped replenish soils, and slightly increased the size of berries that are around 30% smaller than average for the first whites coming in, with potential alcohols of around 13.5%abv, and in most cases with no disease pressure.

JANE ANSON INSIDE BORDEAUX
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