Then came the rain Tuesday evening … and a chance to recalibrate and refocus!
Too early to say what three days of raindrops can do, but clearly there has been more than enough to influence the situation in some areas.
The lab analyses were otherwise starting to come in from different growers, and the results were somewhat surprising – the acidity is still quite good considering the heat and the ripeness levels.
It seems that the grapes are still quite well balanced (numbers-wise) with a surprisingly good acidity. The ripeness provides plenty of potential alcohol and richness … now we will see about the all-important phenolics.
This is all good – but nevertheless due to a blockade and a following imbalance, as there the normal link between acidity and sugar/potential alcohol is momentarily cancelled … the potential alcohol could or still can increase without giving a significantly reduced acidity!
The grapes ripened very fast, yet the acidity is maintained – a bit like in 2020! – so perhaps this is after all not so surprising – it has been seen before – only 5 years ago.
After the rain
With the rain we will now have some days for a break – and this could well change the possibilities… as it could restart the “normal” ripening process where the acidity again starts to reduce when the sugar ripeness increases … but in reality we don’t know.
Currently it looks a bit like 2020 – not my favourite vintage…. but however not a bad vintage either. It does, however, have some weaknesses
Looking at the 2020 vintage, there are some things I don’t want to see again, as the reds simply are too concentrated and powerful for true lovers of Burgundy.
The red 2020s have a somewhat monolithic style … the acidity is very much the acidity of the vintage … rather than a product of the vineyard and terroir. We want a more vibrant and vivid acidity …
The whites are definitely showing better after some years in bottle … big, powerful wines but now with a lovely complexity.
The harvest chapter 2
It is difficult to know how the second chapter of the harvest will play out. The grapes have been washed … meaning the yeast on the grapes has been changed or removed, and new cultures will evolve.
So the wines will be different, and the grapes will have gained some liquid that could give more juice when they are pressed. Could make the wines appear lighter and less concentrated … less like 2020 if you like.
Finally, we will see if the maturity process has changed … given time, sometimes obstacles in the process can disappear and the ripeness process will give another result … this was seen in 2003 and 2007 … where some late harvest wines showed more complexity due to a more vivid and energetic acidity.
Weather and progress
Now we have the rain and temperatures down to 18 – 22 degrees.
After the rain, the temperatures will be around 23-25 degrees – still ample, and we will see how fast the rest of the harvest will play out.
The open question is how the phenolic ripeness of the reds!!
Ready?
Yesterdays Harvest View
Harvest articles
- Harvest 2025 – the final vibe
- Harvest 2025 – More Rain …
- Harvest 2025 – And then came the rain
- Harvest 2025 – Full steam ahead in the south
- Harvest 2025 – rain and chapter 2
- Harvest 2025 – Start August 17th … new record
- Planning the harvest – a challenge in 2025
- Harvest 2025 – harvest now?!
- Harvest 2025 #3 – At a record-breaking speed
- Harvest 2025 – #J-14 – Harvest News 2-2025
- Harvest 2025 – #J-15 – the catch-25
- Harvest 2025 – #J-15 – Harvest News 1-2025
Contact – mail me a tip or a photo
Send me an email – if you have some harvest news
- A true vin d’émotion – a Burgundy of passion
- A truly hedonistic wine – lively and enjoyable
- A vivacious wine for pure indulgance
- A potential vin d´émotion - frais et léger