Frost damage – one devestating night

The very low temperatures on the night between April 26 and April 27 have devestated many vineyards and many vignerons hopes for a good harvest in 2016.

Make no mistake … this is a disaster for many vignerons, and while others have been lucky and only have lesser damages on some vineyards, most are significantly effected by the frost.

Photo: Olivier Lamy of Domaine Hubert Lamy

My thoughts go to all affected vignerons – but especially those who also have suffered huge damage during the hail storms in the previous vintages. The areas like Pommard and Volnay seems to be badly hit again – it’s seems both unfair and very sad.

Reports from the different vignerons

I have talked with some vignerons and have some first hand info from them, and then followed the information flow on Facebook – including the excellent reports from fellow wine writer and walking man Greg Love.

Starting with Jean-Marc Roulot – he is evaulating the damage but describe it as a big loss due to the frost. 

Louis-Michel Liger-Belair report about serious damage on Echezeaux and Clos des Grandes Vignes – with dramatically reduced yields in prospect .. perhaps no white from Clos des Grandes Vignes in 2016. On the other hand the Vosne-Romanee vineyards seems to have survived the frost without serious damage.

Of other prominent producers I have seen reports on Facebook mentioning huge damage in Gevrey, Alexandrine Roy is pretty devestated by the loss, and according to Greg Love – Eric Rousseau of Domaine Armand Rousseau mention very serious damage in some vineyards including Le Chambertin and Clos de Beze – most likely very little wine from these vineyards in 2016. Clos St. Jacques was not so badly affected and the same goes for Laveaux St. Jacques.

In general Gevrey seem to be the appelation with the worst damage in Cote de Nuits, although negative reports also come from Chambolle, Flagey and Vougeot.

Moving south – Pommard and Volnay really have suffered … again … and the Chardonney appellations really have seen horrible damage.

In general this is depressing very stuff .. and while it’s too early to evaluate the full concequences the damage for some is no doubt devestating

… so remember to support your favotite producers if they are badly hit .. that could be moral support – or accepting that perhaps the 2015s will be a bit more expensive to cover the loss of a large part of the 2016 crop.

I prefer to end this article with a photo from Blair Pethel of Domaine Dublère, that sort of symbolizes the situation …

The photo is titled “Life and death on the same branch in the wake of the frost…(La vie et la morte sur la même baguette…)”