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Vintage Reports |
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| November 22nd 2006 |
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| France: Business as usual |
by Hervé Lalau and Bernard Burtschy
Most French press releases refer to 2006 as a classic vintage, which is certainly not the case. France experienced drought until July, a cold, rainy month of August and an unusual September. The only classic month was that of June, which was warm and sunny. Nor was much truly classic about the rains, either. |
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 Bordeaux, for instance, had only half their long term average from April to June, but a 15% surplus in July and August. However, on the whole, an Indian summer saved the crop. Conditions at harvest were by and large good, the grapes dry at the time of picking and the quality should be more than acceptable. In terms of quantity, production is estimated at around 53.9 million hectolitres, of which 24.1 million AOC. This is 1% more than in 2005, but 8 million less than in the record year of 1999.
In Bordeaux, 2006 will be a good vintage for the dry whites, which appear to have pleasing aromatic potential; but because of differences in maturity and the development of rot in some vineyards, the results are more heterogeneous for the reds. With 6.3 million hectolitre of AOC it will be an average crop in terms of volume. Nonetheless it was 20% above what those responsible had hoped to see. Alsace brought in around 1.2 million hectolitre, with quality being good to very good. Here, August rainfalls limited the negative effects of the July drought. In Champagne, 2006 will be abundant. Translated into drinkable terms, 340 million bottles were produced, which should more than cover the current demand. Despite above average yields, phenolic maturity was high and acidity low – with both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thought to have fared well. As would be expected, conditions were normal in the dry sunny Languedoc-Roussillon. The quality is described as good and the yield estimated at 16 million hectolitres, of which 10.7 harvested as Vin de Pays, a very slight increase over 2005.
A sunny September assured Burgundy a bevy of fine wines, especially in the Côte de Nuits. Sugar levels are high, for both whites and reds, with just enough acidity to sustain the structure. The Chardonnay from Chablis, Meursault and Mâconnais should show full, ripe fruit. The Côte de Beaune, however, was affected by rot in some places. Yields were similar to 2005 at 1.5 million hectolitres.
In the Loire Valley, the Muscadets show good maturity indexes with balanced acidity. Touraine and Anjou were more severely affected by drought in July and heavy rainfalls in mid- September, with a negative impact on the production of the late harvested Vouvray and Montlouis. Further inland, in Sancerre and Pouilly, harvest went nicely, with the crop in excellent sanitary state. The sauvignon blancs should be ripe, but elegant; the pinots noirs fruity and quite tannic. For the region as a whole, volume is estimated at about 2.6 million hectolitre. In the Rhône Valley, the crop is a little more than 3 million hectolitre, with a quality said to be quite similar to the excellent 2000 vintage. Provence should follow that same trend. |
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