Sitting in the square of NSG, recapitulating the first week/weeks of the 2026 harvest. It is a mixed feeling, and one feels a lack of energy due to the harvesting situation.
Wine is life, emotions and energy … its a true passion … and without true and strong passion no great emotional wines are made 🥂
The weather is beautiful, the grapes small and ripe. The grapes look beautiful and healthy … all should be good except for this slightly depressed mood due to the extreme ripeness and fast-rising alcohol degrees.
The temperatures have dropped further down to around 25 degrees. The weather seems more unstable … there are some showers and thunderstorms in the forecast … so more nice rain could come.
I do, however, on a positive note, have a good feeling about the aromatic profile of the wines despite the alcohol levels – they will no doubt be rich and ripe… and if Dionysus and Bacchus are with us, the finished wine will maintain this generous and lush feel.
This could be the case for the wines that are harvested now … but most likely not the wines harvested in September. So the harvest time is very important if you want to buy some 2026.
Rich but very fine aromatics so far
The aromatics are, however, lovely in many cuvees … this is the benefit of the small but very healthy grapes … many wines are currently giving a lush pleasure … in a strange way, their taste is very good even with these elevated alcohol levels.
It is, however, very important to notice that it is very difficult to taste the unfinished wines … so let’s stay optimistic regarding the aromatics – and not comment too much on the aromatic side at this stage.
The extreme 2026 vintage is new territory in Burgundy … no one really knows what happens when a Burgundy wine reaches 17% … and to be honest, most of us don’t want to know.
The high alcohol – I say this again!
No reason to beat around the bush… the alcohol levels are high, and currently it is unusual to harvest below 14% in the big appellations… and levels around 14 to 15% are normal at this stage of the harvest of 2026 … and they will climb even higher if the vignerons wait too long.
They are big wines … and alcohol levels beyond 17% have been seen !!!! … and above 14% is normal and should be accepted as a part of the 2026 characteristics.
Harvest window?
We are talking August 21st, and dreaming about a harvest at the start of September and reasonable alcohol seems quite unrealistic. More and more are speaking about a further drop in acidity and a rise in the PH values – an indication of more unstable and heavy wines.
This is soon becoming a simple struggle of just getting the wines in the cellar before it’s really too late. So the next week (August 24th to August 30th) is really the last harvest window, unless your vineyards get a spell of this elusive and magical rain!
Harvest activity
Quite a lot of prominent estates are in the vineyards picking … names like Meo-Camuzet, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Dujac, Rousseau, and DRC are now harvesting.
Think it will be pedal to the metal … to avoid using the ink to print 16% on the label.
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Harvest time … Forecast
| Forecast date | Harvest Côte de Beaune | Harvest Côte de Nuits |
| May 18th | August 15th | August 22th |
| June 20th | August 15th | August 22th |
| July 5th | August 15th | August 22th |
| August 7th | August 12th | August 18th |
| August 9th | August 7th | August 9th – early start small plots |
| 2025 Harvest Final | August 17th | August 27th |
Weather – forecast
I will follow the weather in the harvest reports; start date August 12th – base level is Nuits-Saint-Georges,
Yesterday’s Harvest View
Harvest articles
- Harvest 2026 – in the mood
- Harvest 2026 – lacking pickers
- Harvest 2026 – the alcohol in the room
- Harvest 2026 – avanti … Avanti!!
- Harvest 2026 – a fair bit of rain!
- Harvest 2026 – here we go … but no rain
- Harvest 2026 – Burgundy is now in harvest mode
- Harvest 2026 – possible panic is lurking
- Harvest 2026 – Friends, free and Fee
- Harvest 2026 – preparing for harvest next week
- Harvest 2026 – preparing the start
- Harvest 2026 – the harvest unfolds
- Harvest 2026 – has started
- Harvest 2026 – less than two weeks to the start
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
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