THE 2016 HARVEST

Small volumes in some terroirs, but lovely fruit overall. This is expected to be a great vintage, confirmed by the first tastings this spring.

From south to north, following the harvest
In France, the weather was very chaotic throughout the entire growth cycle with a winter that was too warm and very dry, a spring that was very wet, and a heatwave summer, along with some killer frosts in the Bourgogne and Chablis winegrowing region. In California, the weather was clement in both Sonoma and Napa. Although some regions like the Jura and the Côtes-du-Rhône came out of it better in terms of quantities, the quality of the vintage was generally consistent. We take a quick look at the harvests across the Boisset family properties which began in August with California and the Languedoc and ended in mid-October in the Jura.

Languedoc
As is so often the case, picking began with the Sauvignon Blanc, five days later than in 2015, and was then followed by the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay. A few episodes of hail touched the more southerly vineyards, but with the excpetion of the region of Pic St. Loup which was hit very hard, it didn’t have much impact on quality. The fruit was in perfect health, and a low weight of berries and limited juice yields meant good concentration and a purity of fruit. This augurs well for the quality of the wines.

Rhône Valley
The end of the summer was marked by drought in certain sectors of the southern Rhône Valley and a good mistral wind, because a great vintage in Châteauneuf-du-Pape always comes from vintages that were windy prior to the harvest. The whites are already very expressive on the nose, with good acidic balance and a crisp finish. The first reds have dense, deep colors, the noses are clean, forthright, and aromatic. Magnificent silky tannins with a strong presence and fine length foretell a remarkable vintage, but we need to give the wine time to come into its own.

Beaujolais
The sun shone on the pickers in the Beaujolais. The grapes were high in quality, to a large extent thanks to the spectacular summer sun. The fine rain that fell on 17 September allowed any plots lagging in maturity to ripen fully.

Burgundy
The harvest was one-third down on average because of the frost that struck the region on 28 April, causing a lot of irreversible damage. This was all the more frustrating as the summer was very hot and sunny, resulting in very dense berries with thick skins, promising concentration and intense wines, but with low yields. The harvest date was key to ensuring a good balance of acidity and sugar from each plot. For the Crémant de Bourgognes, harvest dates were relatively late, similar to 2013, with the first must brought in to the winery in mid-September. The harvest continued until 15 October, with grapes in perfect health and perfectly mature. The vintage could be defined as fruity and indulgent. As each varietal complements the others, the final blend will be harmonious, and the 2015 reserve wines will bring depth and maturity to the whole.

Jura
The 225 hectares in production took a month to harvest, from 14 September to 14 October, and the weather was ideal. The first grapes to be picked were those for the Crémant du Jura, which made up the lion’s share this year with a big boost in production thanks to the exceptional quality of the grapes. The Chardonnay, Trousseau and Poulsard for vin de paille were next, and then from 21 September onwards, the pickers turned to the Pinot Noir and Savagnin, and the remaining Chardonnay, Trousseau and Poulsard. The grapes were in exceptional health across all varietals, and the first tastings promise a magnificent vintage with good acidity, lovely colors for the reds, and crisp, pure whites.

California
Sonoma
The harvest began on 24 August with the Pinot Noir, followed by the Chardonnay and Zinfandels, finishing in mid-October with the “Bordelais” plants. The quality was exceptional for all varietals and 2016 promises to be a magnificent vintage.

Napa
Harvesting in Napa began at the end of August in perfect weather conditions. Grapes were healthy with perfect maturity and small berries foretelling a fine vintage for 2016.