2014

Another miracle !

As I write these few lines, I think back to the state of anxiety my wife Yvette and I were in around 15 August 2014: the very poor weather in July and August led us to expect a disastrous year, adding to the poor harvests we had suffered since 2010!

The flowering season, which was among the earliest in the last two decades, took place under near-ideal conditions. However, the gloomy weather that prevailed in the region during the two summer months has left us with swollen grapes that are struggling to ripen.

Then the miracle happened: on 25 August, the north wind blew over our vines, the sun returned, and high pressure brought summer weather to France just as everyone was returning to work! The September heat was worthy of August, and our grapes took full advantage of it. The yield from our vines was high this year compared to recent years, but photosynthesis was at its peak thanks to foliage that was in perfect condition and still very green. What's more, the rot that appeared in August was stopped in its tracks by the north wind and its cool, dry mornings.

The harvest begins on Monday 15 September with a small team made up of our Polish friends and local regulars. This small group allows us to harvest our white grape plots as quickly as possible (in order to preserve all the freshness of our magnificent Chardonnay), as well as the plot affected by hail in Aloxe Corton. On Wednesday 17th in the morning, the team is complete and around forty people are busy working in our large Burgundy Red plot, at the bottom of Puligny Montrachet, before the forecast rain complicates our work on this clay soil. Next come Chassagne Montrachet and Santenay Premiers Cru, before we tackle the Clos des Cornières. We finish on Thursday 25th September with our Pommard plot, after 10 days of harvesting.

The racking of red wines will be completed around 10 October and at the end of the month, they will be stored in oak barrels for ageing. White wines, also in oak barrels, continue their alcoholic fermentation before beginning malolactic fermentation.

Tasting notes red

The red wines are very well balanced with silky tannins and clear, deep colours that should remain stable over time.

Tasting notes white

The white wines are of very high quality, rich in alcohol and with a beautiful acid structure that gives them an almost perfect balance. Once alcoholic fermentation is complete, we will be able to confirm these very positive impressions when the Malo is finished in a few weeks' time.