Winehog - with a passion

Burgundy Insights from the Winehog

Episode 2: a Curve Ball to the 2024 vintage

By - Leave a Comment

About a Curve Ball and Episode 1

The 2024 harvest is less than one month away and reports on quality and even style are starting to fill the media.

At Domaine Bretta, they expect a small but good to very good harvest. The harvest on sale is always the best and the favourite of Marcel Bretta … it goes without saying.

He has been talking a lot with colleagues and knows the reason for the huge mildew problem. It is because of the extensive organic and biodynamic farming, he says. According to him, even the neighbours have been hit by this practice – again, this is what he is saying – adding – all these limitations on spraying are the work of the devil, or worse, the politicians in Paris.

To the Winehog it is however very sad to see all the traditional vignerons finding joy in looking at the setbacks of the progressive growers … sad and very very typical Bourgundian.

In my view, the only thing that is certain is that the harvest will be limited due to the mildew.

The growing season has been cold and humid, but the harvest will show how the disease and fungus levels will be … it will most likely show huge variation throughout Burgundy, depending on the individual plots and its viticulture.

To describe the overall situation in Burgundy in a few words is at best misleading, but often, just plain stupid. Journalists like a simple world … and they a working stupidly towards getting one!

The oenologues will soon be busy ensuring ripeness and acidity, and then, the final run towards the harvest can begin.

Just today, I spoke to a Marsannay grower and he is seeing huge variations even in a small area of Marsannay. Some rows look to have a quite low but adequate yield and good ripeness, pointing to a harvest that would take place in mid-September. The neighbouring plot still has unripe green grapes, indicating a harvest in October (or never). Furthermore, and finally there are plots and rows with almost no grapes … so indeed, diverse.

Each small plot in Burgundy has its individual generics (clone and soil and viticultural specifics) … This is why Burgundy is exciting for geeks like me.

In the end, you will never get full insight into Burgundy, as the complexity is far too great for any human to comprehend or fathom …

Always try to understand more … the journey is the goal, the joy and the pleasure.

The only man who knows and understand the full truth is our friend Marcel Bretta at Domaine Bretta.

And according to him the potential of the 2024 vintage is great … could be one of the best vintages ever … when it is ready for shipment!

about a Curve Ball

A Curve Ball is made by Steen Öhman – the Winehog … Copyright, All Rights Reserved © Winehog 1989 – 2024

a

Vins d’émotion

Vin d'émotion - A true vin d’émotion – a Burgundy of passion

Hedonistic - A truly hedonistic wine – lively and enjoyable

A truly enjoyable wine - A vivacious wine for pure indulgance

Emotional potential - A Vin Vif - fresh, energetic and with a light appearance

Tedious

Annoying

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Save 20% on the Winehog Premium subscription

Time to Subscribe?

Winehog offer - 99€

2 years with full access to Winehog
 
Save 39€
Sign up Now